Louis Armstrong

What a Wonderful World

Louis Armstrong once said,"There is two kinds of music, the good, and the bad. I play the good kind." He sure did. Born on this date in 1901, Armstrong became one of the most influential musicians in jazz history. He made his mark early in his career playing the cornet, and later switched to the trumpet; the way his cheeks puffed out when he blew the horn earned him the moniker "Satchmo," a distortion of "Satchel Mouth." Armstrong became lead singer for his bands, moving into swing and pop music; he was also one of the first scat singers. His vocal performance of "Hello Dolly" brought him a gold album and a Grammy for best vocal performance. His version of "What a Wonderful World" gained popularity when it was played by Robin Williams in Good Morning, Vietnam.

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From our Archives: Today's Highlights, August 4, 2008