Born 122 years ago this week, Louis Armstrong's charisma & warmth captivated audiences globally. But, by the 1950s and 1960s, many Black Americans perceived him as outdated, out of touch with civil rights, and hesitant to voice his opinions—labeling him an "Uncle Tom." This deeply wounded Armstrong. But he was a far more complex & nuanced man than they knew.
Just wanted to mention (unless I missed it somewhere within your thread) that he did not like his first name pronounced like "Louie" (as though he was a "boy"). He was "Lewis".
Thank you for this thread on the man Pat Metheny called "the single most important figure in our music...probably the greatest jazz musician that has ever lived."
