Louis Armstrong defined the sound of jazz for the entire twentieth century. While fans recognize his gravelly voice instantly, his life off the stage contained wild stories that Hollywood scriptwriters could not invent. For instance, he accidentally got the Vice President of the United States to smuggle drugs for him. Furthermore, he knocked The Beatles out of the top spot during the height of Beatlemania. Prepare to hear the trumpet blow.
Louis Armstrong
He fired a pistol into the air on New Year’s Eve. Consequently, police arrested the twelve-year-old boy immediately. They sent him to the Colored Waif’s Home, where he learned to play the cornet.
Louis Armstrong wore a Star of David for his entire life. He worked for the Karnofskys, a Jewish family who lent him money for his first instrument. Therefore, he wore the symbol to honor their kindness.
Vice President Richard Nixon carried his suitcase through customs. Louis Armstrong had three pounds (1.4 kilograms) of marijuana in the bag. Fortunately, Nixon grabbed the luggage to help the musician skip the line.
He ended the Beatles’ streak of number-one hits. In 1964, his song “Hello, Dolly!” climbed to the top of the charts. Thus, he became the oldest artist to reach number one at age 62.
He loved laxatives more than anyone else in history. Specifically, he took an herbal remedy called Swiss Kriss every single day. He even handed out packets of it to royalty and fans.
Louis Armstrong lied about his birthday for decades. He claimed he was born on July 4, 1900, to sound patriotic. However, birth records later proved he was actually born on August 4, 1901.
He performed 300 concerts per year. For decades, he rarely took a day off from touring. This grueling schedule earned him the reputation of the hardest-working man in show business.
His nickname “Satchmo” comes from “Satchel Mouth.” As a child, other kids teased him about the large size of his mouth. Eventually, a British reporter shortened the phrase to the iconic name we know today.
He cut calluses off his lips with a razor blade. Because he played with such high pressure, his lips developed hard skin. Terrifyingly, he performed his own surgery to remove the buildup.
Louis Armstrong adopted the son of his cousin. The child, Clarence, suffered a head injury early in life. Armstrong spent a fortune to ensure Clarence received the best care possible.
He criticized the government during the Little Rock Crisis. He famously shouted that the government could “go to hell” for failing to protect black students. Consequently, he cancelled a tour to the Soviet Union in protest.
He wrote thousands of letters on a typewriter. He brought the machine with him everywhere he traveled. He loved to write long, stream-of-consciousness letters to friends backstage.
“What a Wonderful World” failed in the United States initially. The record executive hated the song and refused to promote it. However, it became a massive hit in the United Kingdom immediately.
Louis Armstrong destroyed his lip in 1935. He took a year off to let his mouth heal. Afterwards, he changed his playing style to focus more on his voice.
He died in his sleep at his home in Queens. Just two days prior, he had played his trumpet against doctor’s orders. He passed away peacefully one month before his 70th birthday.
