The songs Louis Armstrong couldn’t live without
It’s one thing for a musician to be important within the realm of music, but Louis Armstrong’s ability as a jazz soloist, his sense of humour, and his immediately recognisable style made him one of the most influential figures in American history. He was born in August 1901, and as an expert trumpeter, he is now widely considered one of the first influential figures in jazz. Naturally, a lot of music inspired Armstrong, and throughout his life, he heard a lot more that helped shape who he was as a musician and performer.
Armstrong’s ability as an improviser altered the jazz landscape forever. In perfecting his ability to play the trumpet, he needed to expand the amount of jazz he listened to and played with various musicians. In listening to so much music, he would go on to have a massive impact on jazz history that led a lot of critics to call him the best soloist of all time. It also means he had an eclectic taste and listened to various jazz styles.
In 1968, Armstrong appeared on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs feature, allowing fans to get insight into the music he enjoyed listening to and what contributed to him becoming such a prolific musician. It was believed that the recording had been lost, but nearly half a century later, when the BBC opened its archives, fans could listen to the broadcast again.
Some of Armstrong’s own music made it onto the list, including the tracks ‘Mack the Knife’, ‘Stars Fell On Alabama’ and ‘What A Wonderful World’. He also had his book choice be his autobiography. There were features from other artists that made an appearance on the list as well, though.
Armstrong included ‘People’ by Barbra Streisand and ‘Bye Bye Blues’ by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians. Picking so many of his songs to feature on the list is odd, but Louis Armstrong said during the interview, “Sometimes you’ve got to pat yourself on the shoulders”.
Growing up, Armstrong was immediately surrounded by music. He was raised in an orphanage and learnt to sing by attending church, so leaning towards a music career was always on the cards. Even in his success, though, he never let go of his humble beginnings, as he would frequently give money away and remained aware of how important his music was to other people.
Those humble roots and the acknowledgement of the importance of music likely contribute towards what he holds close to him. The most important music in the world is his own, as it gave him a chance at life and helped him grow, but he still acknowledges that of other musicians who have inspired him, too.
Have your say on Armstrong’s choices, as the songs he couldn’t live without are listed below.
Louis Armstrong’s favourite songs:
- ‘Mack the Knife’ – Louis Armstrong
- ‘People’ – Barbra Streisand
- ‘Bye Bye Blues’ – Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians
- ‘Bess, You Is My Woman Now’ – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
- ‘New Orleans’ – Bobby Hackett’s Band
- ‘Stars Fell On Alabama’ – Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars
- ‘What A Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong
