Editing Louis Armstrong (section)

==Career==
===Riverboat education===
[[File:Fate Marable's New Orleans Band on the S. S. Sidney.jpg|thumb|Armstrong (fourth from left) was a member of [[Fate Marable]]'s New Orleans Band in 1919, shown here on board the S.S. ''Sidney''.]]

Early in his career, Armstrong played in brass bands and [[riverboat]]s in New Orleans, in the late 1910s. He traveled with the band of [[Fate Marable]], which toured on the steamboat ''Sidney'' with the [[Streckfus Steamers]] line up and down the Mississippi River.<ref>{{cite book|title=Jazz on the River|first=William Howland |last=Kenney |location=Chicago|year=2005 |publisher= University of Chicago Press|page=64}}</ref> Marable was proud of Armstrong's musical knowledge, and he insisted that Armstrong and other musicians in his band learn [[sight reading]]. Armstrong described his time with Marable as "going to the University" since it gave him a wider experience working with written [[arrangement]]s. In 1918, Armstrong's mentor, [[King Oliver]], decided to go north and resigned his position in Kid Ory's band; Armstrong replaced him. Armstrong also became the second trumpet for the [[Tuxedo Brass Band]].<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 142.</ref>

Throughout his riverboat experience, Armstrong's musicianship began to mature and expand. At age 20, he could read music. Armstrong became one of the first jazz musicians to be featured on extended trumpet solos, injecting his own personality and style. Armstrong also started singing in his performances.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 170.</ref>

===Chicago period recordings===
{{listen |filename=Dippermouth Blues - KING OLIVER'S JAZZ BAND.flac|title=Dippermouth Blues |description=1923 recording by [[King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band]] featuring Louis Armstrong playing the cornet}}

In 1922, Armstrong moved to Chicago at the invitation of King Oliver,<ref name="Collier" /> although Armstrong would return to New Orleans periodically for the rest of his life.<ref>Kenney (2005), pp. 57–59.</ref> Playing second cornet to Oliver in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in the black-only Lincoln Gardens on the [[South Side, Chicago|South Side]] of Chicago, Armstrong could make enough money to quit his day jobs. Although race relations were poor, Chicago was booming. The city had jobs for blacks, who made good wages at factories, with some left for entertainment.<ref name="Collier"/>{{rp|86}}

Oliver's band was among Chicago's most influential jazz bands in the early 1920s. Armstrong lived luxuriously in his apartment with his first private bath. Excited to be in Chicago, Armstrong began his career-long pastime of writing letters to friends in New Orleans. Armstrong could blow 200 [[C (musical note)#Other octaves|high Cs]] in a row. As his reputation grew, Armstrong was challenged to [[cutting contest]]s by other musicians.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 199.</ref>

Armstrong's first studio recordings were with Oliver for [[Gennett Records]] on April 5{{endash}}6, 1923. They endured several hours on the train to remote [[Richmond, Indiana]], and the band was paid little. The quality of the performances was affected by a lack of rehearsal, crude recording equipment, bad acoustics, and a cramped studio. These early recordings were true [[Gramophone record#78 rpm disc developments|acoustic]], the band playing directly into a large funnel connected directly to the needle making the groove in the master recording. The much improved Electrical recording system with a better dynamic range was not invented until 1926.  Initially, because Armstrong's playing was so loud, Oliver could not be heard on the recording when he played next to Oliver. Armstrong had to stand 15 feet from Oliver in a far corner of the room to remedy this.<ref>Bergreen (1997), pp. 213{{endash}}218.</ref>

[[Lil Hardin Armstrong|Lil Hardin]], whom Armstrong would marry in 1924, urged Armstrong to seek more prominent billing and develop his style apart from the influence of Oliver. At her suggestion, Armstrong began playing classical music in church concerts to broaden his skills and dressing more stylishly to offset his girth. Her influence eventually undermined Armstrong's relationship with his mentor, especially concerning his salary and additional money that Oliver held back from Armstrong and other band members.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stamatel |first=Janet P.|date=2003|editor-last=Henderson|editor-first=Ashyia N|title=Hardin Armstrong, Lil 1898–1971 |url= http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX2874100037/GVRL?u=aubu98092&sid=GVRL&xid=18dcff82|journal=Contemporary Black Biography |volume=39 |page=98|via=Gale Virtual Reference Library}}</ref> Armstrong's mother, Mayann Albert, came to visit him in Chicago during the summer of 1923 after being told that Armstrong was "out of work, out of money, hungry, and sick"; Hardin located and decorated an apartment for her to live in while she stayed.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Brothers|first=Thomas|title=Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism|publisher=W.W. Norton & Company|year=2014|isbn=978-0393065824|location=New York|pages=78–79}}</ref>

===Fletcher Henderson Orchestra===
[[File:FletcherHendersonOrchestra1925.jpg|thumb|The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra in 1925. Armstrong is the third person from the left.]]
Armstrong and Oliver parted amicably in 1924. Shortly afterward, Armstrong was invited to go to New York City to play with the [[Fletcher Henderson]] Orchestra, the top African-American band of the time. He switched to the trumpet to blend in better with the other musicians in his section. Armstrong's influence on Henderson's tenor sax soloist, [[Coleman Hawkins]], can be judged by listening to the records made by the band during this period.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lyttelton|first=Humphrey |author-link=Humphrey Lyttelton|title=The Best of Jazz |publisher=Taplinger |year=1979 |isbn=0800807278 |pages=113 |oclc=8050573}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Magee |first=Jeffrey |title=The Uncrowned King of Swing |date=2005 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0195090222 |pages=112–114|doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195090222.001.0001 }}</ref>

Armstrong adapted to Henderson's tightly controlled style, playing the trumpet and experimenting with the trombone. The other members were affected by Armstrong's emotional style. His act included singing and telling tales of New Orleans characters, especially preachers.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 247.</ref> The Henderson Orchestra played in prominent venues for white patrons only, including the [[Roseland Ballroom]], with arrangements by [[Don Redman]]. [[Duke Ellington]]'s orchestra went to Roseland to catch Armstrong's performances.

During this time, Armstrong recorded with [[Clarence Williams (musician)|Clarence Williams]] (a friend from New Orleans), the Williams Blue Five, [[Sidney Bechet]], and blues singers [[Alberta Hunter]], [[Ma Rainey]], and [[Bessie Smith]].<ref>Elliot Hurwitt et al., in Cary D. Wintz and Paul Finkelman, eds., [https://books.google.com/books?id=0L0ULjto_OEC ''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116102815/https://books.google.com/books?id=0L0ULjto_OEC |date=January 16, 2023 }} (London: Routledge, 2012), 533 and elsewhere.
{{ISBN|978-1135455361}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Kemp|first=Larry |title=Early Jazz Trumpet Legends|date=2018|publisher=Rosedog PR|isbn=978-1480976375|location=[Place of publication not identified]|oclc=1059329912}}</ref>

===The Hot Five===
In 1925, Armstrong returned to Chicago largely at the insistence of Lil, who wanted to expand his career and income. In publicity, much to his chagrin, she billed Armstrong as "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player." For a time, he was a member of the Lil Hardin Armstrong Band and worked for his wife.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 260.</ref> Armstrong formed [[Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five]] and recorded the hits "[[Potato Head Blues]]" and "Muggles". The word "muggles" was a [[List of slang names for cannabis|slang term for marijuana]], something Armstrong often used during his life.<ref name="Collier">{{cite book |last1=Collier |first1=James Lincoln |author-link=James Lincoln Collier |title=Louis Armstrong: An American Genius |date=1983 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0195033779 |page=[https://archive.org/details/louisarmstro00jam/page/324 324] |url=https://archive.org/details/louisarmstro00jam |url-access=registration }}</ref>

[[File:Heebie Jeebies.jpg|thumb|upright|"[[Heebie Jeebies (composition)|Heebie Jeebies]]" by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five, 1926]]

The Hot Five included [[Kid Ory]] (trombone), [[Johnny Dodds]] (clarinet), [[Johnny St. Cyr]] (banjo), Lil Armstrong on piano, and usually no drummer. Over a 12-month period starting in November 1925, this quintet produced twenty-four records.<ref name="harker">{{cite book|last=Harker|first=Brian|title=Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings |publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2011|location=Oxford|pages=4{{endash}}5|isbn=978-0195388404}}</ref> Armstrong's band leading style was easygoing, as St. Cyr noted: "One felt so relaxed working with him, and he was very broad-minded ... always did his best to feature each individual."<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 274.</ref>

Among the Hot Five and Seven records were "Cornet Chop Suey", "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", "Hotter Than That", and "Potato Head Blues", all featuring highly creative solos by Armstrong. According to [[Thomas Brothers]], recordings such as "Struttin' with Some Barbeque" were so superb, "planned with density and variety, bluesyness, and showiness", that the arrangements were probably showcased at the Sunset Café.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Brothers|first=Thomas|title=Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism|publisher=W.W. Norton & Company|year=2014|isbn=978-0393065824|location=New York|page=282}}</ref> His recordings soon after with pianist [[Earl Hines|Earl "Fatha" Hines]], their famous 1928 "[[Weather Bird]]" duet and Armstrong's trumpet introduction to and solo in "[[West End Blues]]", remain some of the most influential improvisations in jazz history. Young trumpet players across the country bought these recordings and memorized his solos.

Armstrong was now free to develop his style as he wished, which included a heavy dose of effervescent jive, such as "Whip That Thing, Miss Lil" and "Mr. Johnny Dodds, Aw, Do That Clarinet, Boy!"<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 264.</ref>

Armstrong also played with [[Erskine Tate]]'s Little Symphony, mostly at the Vendome Theatre. They furnished music for silent movies and live shows, including jazz versions of classical music, such as "[[Madame Butterfly]]", which gave Armstrong experience with longer forms of music and with hosting before a large audience. He began [[scat singing]] (improvised vocal jazz using nonsensical words) and was among the first to record it on the Hot Five recording "[[Heebie Jeebies (composition)|Heebie Jeebies]]" in 1926. The recording was so popular that the group became the most famous jazz band in the United States, even though they had seldom performed live. Young musicians across the country, black or white, were turned on by Armstrong's new type of jazz.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 267.</ref>

After separating from Lil, Armstrong started to play at the [[Sunset Cafe|Sunset Café]] for [[Al Capone]]'s associate [[Joe Glaser]] in the [[Carroll Dickerson]] Orchestra, with Earl Hines on piano, which was renamed Louis Armstrong and his Stompers.<ref>{{cite book|last=Collier|first=James Lincoln |author-link=James Lincoln Collier| title=Louis Armstrong | publisher=Pan Books | year=1985|isbn=978-0330286077|pages=160–162}}</ref> However, Hines was the music director, and Glaser managed the orchestra. Hines and Armstrong became fast friends and successful collaborators. It was at the [[Sunset Cafe|Sunset Café]] that Armstrong accompanied singer [[Adelaide Hall]]. During Hall's tenure at the venue, she experimented, developed, and expanded her scat singing with Armstrong's guidance and encouragement.<ref>Williams, Iain Cameron [http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/underneath-a-harlem-moon-9780826458933/ ''Underneath a Harlem Moon: The Harlem to Paris Years of Adelaide Hall''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226182123/https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/underneath-a-harlem-moon-9780826458933/ |date=February 26, 2021 }}. Bloomsbury Publishers, 2002. {{ISBN|0826458939}}. {{oclc|51780394}}</ref>

In the first half of 1927, Armstrong assembled his Hot Seven group, which added drummer Al "Baby" Dodds and tuba player [[Pete Briggs]] while preserving most of his original Hot Five lineup. John Thomas replaced Kid Ory on the trombone. Later that year, Armstrong organized a series of new Hot Five sessions, which resulted in nine more records. In the last half of 1928, he started recording with a new group: [[Zutty Singleton]] (drums), Earl Hines (piano), [[Jimmy Strong (musician)|Jimmy Strong]] (clarinet), Fred Robinson (trombone), and Mancy Carr (banjo).<ref>Harker (2011), p. 145.</ref>

===The Harlem Renaissance===
Armstrong made a huge impact during the 1920s [[Harlem Renaissance]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2007/08/01/12208712/louis-armstrong-the-man-and-his-music-part-1 |title=Louis Armstrong: 'The Man and His Music', Part 1 |date=August 1, 2007 |website=[[National Public Radio]] |access-date=May 21, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803154258/https://www.npr.org/2007/08/01/12208712/louis-armstrong-the-man-and-his-music-part-1 |archive-date=August 3, 2020}}</ref> His music touched well-known writer [[Langston Hughes]]. Hughes admired Armstrong and acknowledged him as one of the most recognized musicians of the era.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/louis-armstrong-about-louis-armstrong/528/|title=Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong|date=July 6, 2005|website=PBS|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-date=May 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528012453/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/louis-armstrong-about-louis-armstrong/528/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hughes wrote many books that celebrated jazz and recognized Armstrong as one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance's newfound love of African-American culture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.openculture.com/2015/03/langston-hughes-presents-the-history-of-jazz-i.html|title=Langston Hughes Presents the History of Jazz in an Illustrated Children's Book (1995)|first=Josh |last=Jones|date=March 31, 2015|website=Open Culture|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-date=May 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521005205/http://www.openculture.com/2015/03/langston-hughes-presents-the-history-of-jazz-i.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The sound of jazz, along with musicians such as Armstrong, helped shape Hughes as a writer. Just like the musicians, Hughes wrote his words with jazz.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69394/jazz-as-communication|title=Jazz as Communication (1956)|last=Hughes|first=Langston|date=October 13, 2009|website=Poetry Foundation|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-date=May 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528013957/https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69394/jazz-as-communication|url-status=live}}</ref>

Armstrong changed jazz during the Harlem Renaissance. As "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player" during this time,<ref>{{cite web |last=Andrews |first=Evan |date=August 22, 2018 |title=9 Things You May Not Know About Louis Armstrong |url=https://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-louis-armstrong |url-status=live |work=[[History (American TV network)|History]]|publisher=A&E Television Networks |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120054543/https://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-louis-armstrong |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2021}}</ref> Armstrong cemented his legacy and continued a focus on his vocal career. His popularity brought together many black and white audiences.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Collins|first= Willie|title=Armstrong, Louis (1901–1971)|journal=St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture|editor=Thomas Riggs|edition=Second|volume=1|publisher=[[St. James Press]]|date=2013|pages=133–135|url=http://0-link.galegroup.com.library.4cd.edu/apps/doc/CX2735800126/GVRL?u=plea38277&sid=GVRL&xid=30818ba4}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Emerging as a vocalist===
Armstrong returned to New York in 1929, where he played in the pit orchestra for the musical ''[[Hot Chocolates]]'', an all-black revue written by [[Andy Razaf]] and pianist [[Fats Waller]]. Armstrong made a cameo appearance as a vocalist, regularly stealing the show with his rendition of "[[Ain't Misbehavin' (song)|Ain't Misbehavin']]." Armstrong's version of the song became his biggest-selling record yet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.redhotjazz.com/lao.html |title=Louis Armstrong & his Orchestra |publisher=Redhotjazz.com |access-date=August 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116083427/http://www.redhotjazz.com/lao.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013 }}</ref>

Armstrong started to work at [[Connie's Inn]] in Harlem, chief rival to the [[Cotton Club]], a venue for elaborately staged floor shows,<ref name=morgenstern>{{citation|last=Morgenstern|first=Dan|author-link=Dan Morgenstern|contribution=Louis Armstrong and the Development and Diffusion of Jazz|title=Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Legacy|editor-first=Marc H.|editor-last=Miller|publisher=Queens Museum of Art in association with University of Washington Press|year=1994|page=110}}</ref> and a front for gangster [[Dutch Schultz]]. Armstrong had considerable success with vocal recordings, including versions of songs composed by his old friend [[Hoagy Carmichael]]. His 1930s recordings took full advantage of the RCA [[ribbon microphone]], introduced in 1931, which imparted warmth to vocals and became an intrinsic part of the "[[crooning]]" sound of artists like [[Bing Crosby]]. Armstrong's interpretation of Carmichael's "[[Stardust (1927 song)|Stardust]]" became one of the most successful versions of this song ever recorded, showcasing Armstrong's unique vocal sound and style and his innovative approach to singing songs that were already standards.

Armstrong's radical re-working of [[Sidney Arodin]] and Carmichael's "[[Lazy River]]", recorded in 1931, encapsulated his groundbreaking approach to melody and phrasing. The song begins with a brief trumpet solo. Then, the main melody is introduced by sobbing horns, memorably punctuated by Armstrong's growling interjections at the end of each bar: "Yeah! ..."Uh-huh"..."Sure"..."Way down, way down." In the first verse, Armstrong ignores the notated melody and sings as if playing a trumpet solo, pitching most of the first line on a single note and using strongly syncopated phrasing. In the second stanza, he breaks into an almost entirely improvised melody, which then evolves into a classic passage of Armstrong's scat singing.

As with his trumpet playing, Armstrong's vocal innovations served as a foundation for jazz vocal interpretation. The uniquely gravelly coloration of his voice became an archetype that was endlessly imitated. Armstrong's scat singing was enriched by his matchless experience as a trumpet soloist. His resonant, velvety lower-register tone and bubbling cadences on sides such as "Lazy River" greatly influenced younger white singers such as Bing Crosby.

===Work during hard times===
[[File:Maud Cuney Hare-154-Louis Armstrong.jpg|thumb|Armstrong in 1936]]
The [[Great Depression]] of the early 1930s was especially hard on the jazz scene. After a long downward spiral, the Cotton Club closed in 1936, and many musicians stopped playing altogether as club dates evaporated. [[Bix Beiderbecke]] died, and Fletcher Henderson's band broke up. King Oliver made a few records but otherwise struggled. [[Sidney Bechet]] became a tailor, later moving to Paris, and Kid Ory returned to New Orleans and raised chickens.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 320.</ref>

Armstrong moved to Los Angeles in 1930 to seek new opportunities. He played at the New Cotton Club in Los Angeles with [[Lionel Hampton]] on drums. The band drew the Hollywood crowd, which could still afford a lavish nightlife, while radio broadcasts from the club connected with younger audiences at home. Bing Crosby and many other celebrities were regulars at the club. In 1931, Armstrong appeared in his first movie, ''Ex-Flame''. He was also convicted of marijuana possession but received a suspended sentence.<ref>Collier (1985), pp. 221–222.</ref>

Armstrong returned to Chicago in late 1931 and played in bands more in the [[Guy Lombardo]] vein, and he recorded more standards. When the mob insisted that he get out of town,<ref name="ArmstrongInThe30s">{{cite web|title=Louis Armstrong in the 30s|url=http://riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu/program/louis-armstrong-30s-tribute-life-and-music-armstrong-30s|website=riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu|access-date=May 5, 2015|archive-date=March 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326032953/http://riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu/program/louis-armstrong-30s-tribute-life-and-music-armstrong-30s|url-status=live}}</ref> Armstrong visited New Orleans, had a hero's welcome, and saw old friends. He sponsored a local baseball team called Armstrong's Secret Nine and had a cigar named after him.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 344.</ref> However, Armstrong was on the road again soon. After a tour across the country shadowed by the mob, he fled to Europe.

After returning to the United States, Armstrong undertook several exhausting tours. His agent, Johnny Collins's erratic behavior and his own spending ways left Armstrong short of cash. Breach of contract violations plagued him. Armstrong hired [[Joe Glaser]] as his new manager, a tough mob-connected wheeler-dealer who began straightening out his legal mess, mob troubles, and debts. Armstrong also began to experience problems with his fingers and lips, aggravated by his unorthodox playing style. As a result, Armstrong branched out, developing his vocal style and making his first theatrical appearances. Armstrong appeared in movies again, including Crosby's 1936 hit ''[[Pennies from Heaven (1936 film)|Pennies from Heaven]]''. In 1937, Armstrong substituted for [[Rudy Vallee]] on the CBS radio network and became the first African American to host a sponsored national broadcast.<ref>Bergreen (1997), p. 385.</ref>

===Reviving his career with the All-Stars===
[[File:Louis Armstrong2.jpg|thumb|upright|Armstrong in 1953]]
After spending many years on the road, Armstrong settled permanently in Queens, New York, in 1943 with his fourth wife, Lucille. Although subject to the vicissitudes of [[Tin Pan Alley]] and the gangster-ridden music business, as well as anti-black prejudice, Armstrong continued to develop his playing.

Bookings for big bands tapered off during the 1940s due to changes in public tastes. Ballrooms closed, and competition from other types of music, especially pop vocals, became more popular than big band music. Under such circumstances, it became impossible to finance a 16-piece touring band.

A widespread revival of interest in the 1940s in the traditional jazz of the 1920s made it possible for Armstrong to consider a return to the small-group musical style of his youth. Armstrong was featured as a guest artist with Lionel Hampton's band at the famed second [[Cavalcade of Jazz]] concert held at [[Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)|Wrigley Field]] in Los Angeles, produced by [[Leon Hefflin, Sr.|Leon Hefflin Sr.]], on October 12, 1946.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Black music history of Los Angeles, its roots : 50 years in Black music : a classical pictorial history of Los Angeles Black music of the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s: photographic essays that define the people, the artistry and their contributions to the wonderful world of entertainment|last=Reed, Tom.|date=1992|publisher=Black Accent on L.A. Press|isbn=096329086X|edition= 1st limited |location=Los Angeles|oclc=28801394}}</ref> Armstrong also led a highly successful small-group jazz concert at New York Town Hall on May 17, 1947, featuring him with trombonist/singer [[Jack Teagarden]]. During the concert, Armstrong and Teagarden performed a duet on Hoagy Carmichael's "[[Rockin' Chair (1929 song)|Rockin' Chair]]" they then recorded for [[Okeh Records]].

Armstrong's manager, Joe Glaser, changed the Armstrong big band on August 13, 1947, into a six-piece traditional jazz group featuring Armstrong with (initially) Teagarden, [[Earl Hines]] and other top swing and Dixieland musicians, most of whom were previously leaders of big bands. The new group was announced at the opening of [[Billy Berg's]] Supper Club.

This smaller group was called Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars and included at various times Earl "Fatha" Hines, [[Barney Bigard]], [[Edmond Hall]], Jack Teagarden, [[Trummy Young]], [[Arvell Shaw]], [[Billy Kyle]], [[Marty Napoleon]], [[Sid Catlett|Big Sid "Buddy" Catlett]], [[Cozy Cole]], [[Tyree Glenn]], [[Barrett Deems]], [[Mort Herbert]], [[Joe Darensbourg]], [[Eddie Shu]], [[Joe Muranyi]] and percussionist [[Danny Barcelona]].

On February 28, 1948, [[Suzy Delair]] sang the French song "[[C'est si bon]]" at the [[Hotel Negresco]] during the first [[Nice Jazz Festival]]. Armstrong was present and loved the song. On June 26, 1950, he recorded the American version of the song (English lyrics by [[Jerry Seelen]]) in New York City with [[Sy Oliver]] and his Orchestra. When it was released, the disc was a worldwide success, and the song was then performed by the greatest international singers.

Armstrong was the first jazz musician to appear on the cover of [[Time (magazine)|''Time'']] magazine on February 21, 1949. He and his All-Stars were featured at the ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at [[Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)|Wrigley Field]] in Los Angeles produced by [[Leon Hefflin, Sr.|Leon Hefflin Sr.]] held on June 7, 1953, along with [[Shorty Rogers]], [[Roy Brown (blues musician)|Roy Brown]], Don Tosti and His Mexican Jazzmen, [[Earl Bostic]], and [[Nat King Cole|Nat "King" Cole]].<ref>"Satchmo Band Spice To Open Air Show." ''Los Angeles Sentinel'', May 28, 1953.</ref>

Over 30 years, Armstrong played more than 300 performances a year, making many recordings and appearing in more than 30 films.

===A jazz ambassador===
[[File:Louis Armstrong (1955).jpg|thumb|Armstrong in 1955]]

By the 1950s, Armstrong was a widely beloved American icon and cultural ambassador who commanded an international fanbase. However, a growing generation gap became apparent between him and the young jazz musicians who emerged in the postwar era, such as [[Charlie Parker]], [[Miles Davis]], and [[Sonny Rollins]]. The postwar generation regarded their music as abstract art and considered Armstrong's vaudevillian style, half-musician and half-stage entertainer, outmoded and [[Uncle Tom syndrome|Uncle Tomism]]. "... he seemed a link to [[Minstrel show|minstrelsy]] that we were ashamed of."<ref name="Starkey2015">{{cite book |last=Starkey|first=Brando Simeo|title=In Defense of Uncle Tom: Why Blacks Must Police Racial Loyalty |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WzHCBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA147|access-date=June 13, 2018|year=2015 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1316214084|pages=147–}}</ref> Armstrong called bebop "Chinese music".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Music: the definitive visual history|publisher=DK|editor=Ziegler, Robert |year=2013|isbn=978-1465414366 |location=London|pages=247|oclc=828055596}}</ref> While touring Australia in 1954, he was asked if he could play bebop. "'Bebop?' he husked. 'I just play music. Guys who invent terms like that are walking the streets with their instruments under their arms.'"<ref name="reception">{{cite news |title=Louis Armstrong And Band Get A Hot Reception |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18448805 |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842–1954) |access-date=June 13, 2018 |page=1 |date=October 28, 1954 |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613210841/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18448805 |url-status=live }}</ref>[[File:Ficha Consular de Louis Armstrong.jpg|thumb|Record of Armstrong's visit to Brazil, 1957]]

After finishing his contract with [[Decca Records]], Armstrong went freelance and recorded for other labels.<ref name="Nollen2004">{{cite book|last=Nollen|first=Scott Allen |author-link=Scott Allen Nollen |title=Louis Armstrong: The Life, Music, and Screen Career |url=https://archive.org/details/louisarmstrongli0000noll|url-access=registration|access-date=June 13, 2018|year=2004 |publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0786418572|page=[https://archive.org/details/louisarmstrongli0000noll/page/127 127]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/louis-armstrong-mn0000234518/biography|title=Louis Armstrong|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 19, 2019|archive-date=November 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102175628/http://allmusic.com/artist/louis-armstrong-mn0000234518/biography|url-status=live}}</ref> He continued an intense international touring schedule, but suffered a heart attack in 1959 while in Italy and had to rest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/louis-armstrong-9188912|title=Louis Armstrong|website=Biography.com|access-date=October 19, 2019|archive-date=April 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411104456/https://www.biography.com/people/louis-armstrong-9188912|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1964, after more than two years without setting foot in a studio, Armstrong recorded his biggest-selling record, "[[Hello, Dolly! (song)|Hello, Dolly!]]", a song by [[Jerry Herman]], originally sung by [[Carol Channing]]. Armstrong's version remained on the Hot 100 for 22 weeks, longer than any other record produced that year, and went to No.&nbsp;1, making him the oldest person to accomplish that feat at 62 years, nine months, and five days. Armstrong's hit dislodged [[The Beatles]] from the No.&nbsp;1 position they had occupied for 14 consecutive weeks with three different songs.<ref name="Breihan">{{cite web |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=May 9, 1964 The Number Ones: Louis Armstrong's "Hello, Dolly!" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2001439/the-number-ones-louis-armstrongs-hello-dolly/columns/the-number-ones/ |website=www.stereogum.com |date=June 14, 2018 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-date=December 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231226164156/https://www.stereogum.com/2001439/the-number-ones-louis-armstrongs-hello-dolly/columns/the-number-ones/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{external media | width = 210px | float = right | audio1 = [https://soundcloud.com/studsterkel-radio-archive/louis-daniel-armstrong-talks-with-studs-terkel-on-wfmt-1962624 Louis Daniel Armstrong talks with Studs Terkel on WFMT; 1962/6/24], 33:43, [[Studs Terkel Radio Archive]]<ref name="studs">{{cite web | title =Louis Daniel Armstrong talks with Studs Terkel on WFMT; 1962/6/24 | publisher =[[Studs Terkel Radio Archive]] | date =June 24, 1962 | url =https://soundcloud.com/studsterkel-radio-archive/tracks | access-date =September 27, 2016 | archive-date =October 2, 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20161002004100/https://soundcloud.com/studsterkel-radio-archive/tracks | url-status =live }}</ref> }}

Armstrong toured well into his 60s, even visiting part of the [[Communist Bloc]] in 1965. Armstrong also toured Africa, Europe, and Asia under the [[Jazz ambassadors|sponsorship of the US State Department]] with great success, earning the nickname "Ambassador Satch" and inspiring [[Dave Brubeck]] to compose his jazz musical ''[[The Real Ambassadors]]''. His travels included performances in [[Egypt]], [[Ghana]] and [[Nigeria]].<ref name="Kelley2012">{{cite book|last=Kelley |first=Robin D. G. |author-link=Robin D. G. Kelley|title=Africa Speaks, America Answers: Modern Jazz in Revolutionary Times|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gduqiA16Ng8C&pg=PA72 |access-date=June 13, 2018|year=2012|publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0674065246|pages=72–}}</ref><ref name="Company1971">{{cite magazine|magazine=Jet|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e7EDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA59 |access-date=June 13, 2018|date=December 30, 1971 |page=59|title=James Brown Goes Through Some New Changes}}</ref>

By 1968, Armstrong was approaching 70, and his health was failing. His heart and kidney ailments forced him to stop touring, though he continued to record, including "[[What a Wonderful World]]", which topped the British charts for a month. Armstrong did not perform publicly in 1969 and spent most of the year recuperating at home. Meanwhile, his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, died. By the summer of 1970, Armstrong's doctors pronounced him fit enough to resume live performances. Armstrong embarked on another world tour, but a heart attack forced him to take a break for two months.<ref name="Von Eschen">{{cite book |last1=Von Eschen |first1=Penny M.|author1-link= Penny Von Eschen |title=Satchmo Blows Up the World: Jazz Ambassadors Play the Cold War |date=2004 |publisher=Harvard Univ. Press |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |isbn=978-0674015012 |pages=79–91}}</ref>

Armstrong made his last recorded trumpet performances on his 1968 album ''[[Disney Songs the Satchmo Way]]''.<ref name="Whitaker2011">{{cite book|first=Matthew C. |last=Whitaker|title=Icons of Black America: Breaking Barriers and Crossing Boundaries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bT1jf8PcqAUC|year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0313376429 |page=41}}</ref>