Louis armstrong was one of the most important musicians in american history. Although he died in 1971, it was not until the mid1980s that his true birth date, august 4, 1901, was discovered by tad jones by researching baptismal records. Louis armstrong s life was a fine journey, despite many hardships in childhood, and a few dips along his professional way. Critic terry teachout published his biography of louis armstrong, pops. Pdf pops a life of louis armstrong by terry teachout. The following list of books suggested by the louis armstrong house museum is merely a brief survey of the autobiographies, biographies, and reference works about louis armstrong. Offstage he was witty, introspective, and unexpectedly complex, a beloved colleague with an explosive temper. A life of louis armstrong, the musician was shocked by the undisciplined behavior of his new bandmates. The ranks of his admirers included johnny cash, jackson pollock and orson welles. Louis armstrong daniel louis armstrong, known as satchmo and pops, 19011971, american jazz trumpet virtuoso, singer, and bandleader, b. A beloved entertainer who was more complexand much tougherthan his fans ever imagined. A life of louis armstrong online books in format pdf.
This event was hosted by politics and prose in washington, dc. A genius who was born in the gutterand became a celebrity known in every corner of the world. An entertainer who knocked the beatles off the top of the charts four decades after he. A life of louis armstrong has 3 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Apr 25, 2019 pops advances armstrong scholarship, but not by leaps and bounds. A genius born in poverty who became known in every corner of the world. Dec 06, 2009 satchmo the wonderful world and art of louis armstrong by steven brower 256 pp. Pops tells the life story of jazz great louis armstrong. Taken alongside laurence bergreens louis armstrong. A life of louis armstrong hardcover third place books. A life of louis armstrong by terry teachout jazztimes. Apr, 2020 in life, louis armstrong was affectionately known as pops, the alwayssmiling crowdpleaser whose trumpet and sandpaper voice dominated popular culture for half a century. Armstrong had a shaky relationship with his first three wives, divorcing them before marrying his fourth and final wife lucille which stood by his side for the last 30 years of his life.
A life of louis armstrong by terry teachout makes for very good reading, at least for most of its almost 400 pages 475 with source notes and index. A life of louis armstrong book by terry teachout 3. Pops tells the story of his entire life from cradle to grave. In life, louis armstrong was affectionately known as pops, the alwayssmiling crowdpleaser whose trumpet and sandpaper voice dominated popular culture for half a. He knocked the beatles off the top of the charts, wrote the finest of all jazz autobiographies without a collaborator and created collages that have been compared to the art of romare bearden. Armstrong s youthful journey through the winding streets of new orleans at the turn of 20th century.
Teachouts excellent work brings it all together in a wartsandall biography, probably just the way satchmo would have wanted it. Seemingly each passing year brings a new book on armstrong, ranging from general biographies to academic studies to works aimed at children. Armstrong often stated that he was born on july 4, 1900. Terry teachout a great artist who was also a good man. A life of louis armstrong from the worlds largest community of readers. A life of louis armstrong by terry teachout popmatters. A life of louis armstrong, my new book, is the story of a great artist who was also a good man. A life of louis armstrong paperback third place books. A life of louis armstrong arrived promptly and in perfect condition. My hobby is to pick out the different things during what i. He learned to play the cornet in the band of the waifs home in new orleans, and after playing with kid orys orchestra he made several trips 191821 with a mississippi riverboat band. According to that record, louis armstrong was born on august 4, 1901, the natural son of william armstrong known as willie, who spent most of his adult life working in a turpentine factory, and mary ann albert known as mayann, though her son spelled it different ways over the years, a fifteenyearold country girl who came to new orleans to.
A life of louis armstrong hardcover joseph fox bookshop. A life of louis armstrong, wall street journalist and author, terry teachout traces mr. A life of louis armstrong, by author and cultural critic terry teachout, is a superb biography of louis armstrong, the jazz composer, singer and trumpeter whose positive attitude and. Satchmo grew up rough in new orleans and learned to play the cornet in an orphanage. The book itself is a great biography of louis armstrong, including many photos and lots of insight into his personality. As terry teachout, the journals drama critic and sightings columnist, writes in pops. Autobiographies armstrong became the first black jazz musician to publish an autobiography with his swing that music in 1936. Louis armstrongs museum has gone silent, but pops is still. A life of louis armstrong paperback left bank books. A life of louis armstrong by terry teachout, paperback. It shouldnt replace laurence bergreens excellent louis armstrong.
List of books and articles about louis armstrong online. The wonderful world and art of louis armstrong louis armstrong. Louis armstrong was a jazz musician who influenced the music. He knocked the beatles off the top of the charts, wrote the finest of all jazz autobiographies and created collages that have been compared to the art of romare bearden. Teachout believes that few outside the jazzstudies world recognize armstrong s talent as a writer he was the.
A life of louis armstrong houghton mifflin harcourt in 2009, republishing it under the present title of pops the wonderful world of louis armstrong in kindle and hardcover format. Crafted with a musicians ear and an historians eye, pops is a vibrant biography of the iconic louis armstrong that. With the skill of a fine writer, the accuracy of a fine journalist and the sensitivity of a musician all of which he is he approaches louis armstrong s innovative musical talent within the context of americas history. Louis armstrong is widely known as the greatest jazz musician of the twentieth century. Terry teachout talked about his biography of louis armstrong called pops. A life of louis armstrong by terry teachout updated april 25, 2019 by jeff tamarkin the challenge for any biographer approaching a subject whose life story is ingrained in the worlds cellular memory is to introduce something new to that tale. He was a phenomenally gifted and imaginative artist, and an entertainer so irresistibly magnetic that he knocked the beatles off the top of the charts four decades after he cut his first record. Crafted with a musicians ear and an historians eye, pops is a vibrant biography of the iconic louis armstrong that resonates with the same warmth as ol satchmos distinctive voice. The book has revelations for those unfamiliar with armstrong s life and career. Apr 07, 2010 terry teachout discusses his biography of jazz musician louis armstrong and his impact on the world.
Offstage he was witty, introspective and unexpectedly complex, a beloved colleague with an explosive temper whose largerthan life personality was tougher and more sharpedged than his worshipping fans ever knew. An extravagant life and armstrongs own indispensable satchmo, pops provides significant insights, but its unabashedly fawning tone and lack of spark prevent it from being definitive. Pops, terry teachouts biography of louis armstrong does that. The book is opening a new world to me of a long gone era, and the number one creative force who not only shaped jazz, but has influenced all of the music we have today. When you got to ask what it is, you never get to know. A life of louis armstrong new york journal of books. It is impossible to imagine what the music of today would sound like without louis armstrong s magic. A life of louis armstrong houghton mifflin harcourt, 2009. Terry teachout has written an amazing biography of new orleans native son louis armstrong. I am pleased to have received it with so little hassle. Dec 17, 2009 teachout delivers an entertaining yet factually rigid biography of louis armstrong, putting the past controversies in perspective, and codifying his life into a fairly straightforward whole. Louis armstrongs museum has gone silent, but pops is.
Louis armstrong was the greatest jazz musician of the twentieth century and a giant of modern american culture. Certain to be the definitive word on armstrong for our generation, pops paints a gripping portrait of the man, his world, and his music that will stand alongside gary giddinss bing crosby and peter guralnick s last train to memphis as a classic biography of a major american musician. A life of louis armstrong louis armstrong was both a great artist and a popular success. Terry teachout draws on previously unavailable sources, including hundreds of private recordings made throughout the second half of the jazz masters life, to assess his artistic achievements and personal life. Check out other translated books in french, spanish languages. A beloved entertainer who was more complexand much tougherthan his. King of jazz famous african americans if i only had a horn. A virtue of teachouts fine book is to place armstrong s. Pops isnt just a good biography of louis armstrongs full and varied life. Louis armstrong is one of the most writtenabout musicians in history.
Satchmo the wonderful world and art of louis armstrong by steven brower 256 pp. An extravagant life new york times notable book for 1997 in anyones library. Pops by terry teachout houghton mifflin harcourt 512 pp. Pops a life of louis armstrong welcome,you are looking at books for reading, the pops a life of louis armstrong, you will able to read or download in pdf or epub books and notice some of author may have lock the live reading for some of country. Armstrong s contributions to jazz, pop culture, and breaking the color barrier are well told in a crisp, clean prose. My hobby is to pick out the different things during what i read and piece them together and make a. Louis armstrong, in his own words jazz icon louis armstrong didnt just leave behind a treasure trove of musical recordings. Terry teachout discusses his biography of jazz musician louis armstrong and his impact on the world. A life of louis armstrong by reading guidebook club. Drawing on newly available primary sources, he weaves together a biography that is both illuminating and inspirational. A life of louis armstrong by terry teachout librarything.
1229 465 364 1253 330 281 996 949 1543 747 724 238 647 676 557 91 219 1613 1029 800 577 13 727 583 619 1417 517 545 1078 1030 50 282 499 1148 1023 44 1408 512 1196