Louis Armstrong
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Speakeasy: Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 4th 1900. Louie's mother, Maryann married Louie's father Willie, at age fifteen. Louie's father split from his mother early on in his life and he saw him very little. Louie lived in a poor neighborhood, but managed to stay out of trouble probably because he was working so much doing jobs like newspaper selling, coal delivering, and even singing on the streets. Louie loved music at an early age but never had any education in music, furthermore he never really had any education in anything considering he stopped going to school in fifth grade.
Louie learned to play music in a place called the Colored Waifs' home. He was sent here for a year and a half for firing a pistol off into the sky on New Years. By the end of Louie's stay at the Colored Waifs' home he had learned to play many instruments such as the alto horn, the bugle, and the coronet. He was also the leader of his own band, which played at various places. After he was out he continued doing his odd jobs but met a man named Joe "King" Oliver, he would prove to be a huge influence in Louie's life...