Louis Armstrong

1901 – 1971

Louis Daniel Armstrong, known as Satchmo and Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist whose 1920s recordings with the Hot Five and Hot Seven established the soloist as the central figure of jazz and effectively created the swing aesthetic. His distinctive gravelly singing and improvisational scat technique broadened jazz's audience for decades, with hits including "What a Wonderful World" and "Hello, Dolly!" carrying his work to a global mainstream. He received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and remains one of the most beloved figures in 20th-century music.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM