Armstrong in the ever-evolving world of music — Part I

…Well, what is progressive? You tell me cause all we play is good music. We never did worry about styles. There ain’t no such thing as styles in music. There ain’t but two kinds -- good or bad -- that’s all…[1] -- Louis Armstrong The above quotation, stated by Louis Armstrong during an interview in...

Representation

A few of my past blog posts have briefly mentioned what America was like when Louis Armstrong was born in the southern state of Louisiana. To elaborate further I would like to paint a picture for you, it was 1901, the turn of the twentieth century, and Louisiana was still battling the effects of being...

The Professional Journeys of Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) and Bing Crosby (1903-1977) are two of the most well-known performers of the twentieth century. Born three years apart in states at opposite ends of the country, the two left their childhood homes in New Orleans and Spokane in the 1920s to pursue a music career in Chicago and Los Angeles. The...