Louis Daniel Armstrong, born August 4, 1901, nicknamed Satchmo, short for satchel-mouth, or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer, coming to prominence in the 1920s as an "inventive" cornet and trumpet player. Armstrong was a foundational influence on jazz, shifting the music's focus from collective improvisation to solo performers. But his influence extended well beyond jazz music, and by the end of his career in the 1960s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general.

Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and his distinctive gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also greatly skilled at scat singing.1

Armstrong often stated in public interviews that he was born on July 4, 1900, a date that has been noted in many biographies. Although he .....MORE.....(full Louis Armstrong biography) ←