Louis Armstrong

An Extravagant Life

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Music Styles, Jazz & Blues, Jazz, Biography & Memoir, Composers & Musicians
Cover of the book Louis Armstrong by Laurence Bergreen, Crown/Archetype
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Laurence Bergreen ISBN: 9780307828309
Publisher: Crown/Archetype Publication: August 8, 2012
Imprint: Broadway Books Language: English
Author: Laurence Bergreen
ISBN: 9780307828309
Publisher: Crown/Archetype
Publication: August 8, 2012
Imprint: Broadway Books
Language: English

Louis Armstrong was the founding father of jazz and one of this century's towering cultural figures, yet the full story of his extravagant life has never been told.

Born in 1901 to the sixteen-year-old daughter of a slave, he came of age among the prostitutes, pimps, and rag-and-bone merchants of New Orleans.  He married four times and enjoyed countless romantic involvements in and around his marriages.  A believer in marijuana for the head and laxatives for the bowels, he was also a prolific diarist and correspondent, a devoted friend to celebrities from Bing Crosby to Ella Fitzgerald, a perceptive social observer, and, in his later years, an international goodwill ambassador.

And, of course, he was a dazzling musician.  From the bordellos and honky-tonks of Storyville--New Orleans's red light district--to the upscale nightclubs in Chicago, New York, and Hollywood, Armstrong's stunning playing, gravelly voice, and irrepressible personality captivated audiences and critics alike.  Recognized and beloved wherever he went, he nonetheless managed to remain vigorously himself.

Now Laurence Bergreen's remarkable book brings to life the passionate, courageous, and charismatic figure who forever changed the face of American music.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Louis Armstrong was the founding father of jazz and one of this century's towering cultural figures, yet the full story of his extravagant life has never been told.

Born in 1901 to the sixteen-year-old daughter of a slave, he came of age among the prostitutes, pimps, and rag-and-bone merchants of New Orleans.  He married four times and enjoyed countless romantic involvements in and around his marriages.  A believer in marijuana for the head and laxatives for the bowels, he was also a prolific diarist and correspondent, a devoted friend to celebrities from Bing Crosby to Ella Fitzgerald, a perceptive social observer, and, in his later years, an international goodwill ambassador.

And, of course, he was a dazzling musician.  From the bordellos and honky-tonks of Storyville--New Orleans's red light district--to the upscale nightclubs in Chicago, New York, and Hollywood, Armstrong's stunning playing, gravelly voice, and irrepressible personality captivated audiences and critics alike.  Recognized and beloved wherever he went, he nonetheless managed to remain vigorously himself.

Now Laurence Bergreen's remarkable book brings to life the passionate, courageous, and charismatic figure who forever changed the face of American music.

More books from Composers & Musicians

Cover of the book The Who - Maximum Rock III by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Stravinsky by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Beethoven by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Hat es Spaß gemacht, Mr. Wilder? by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Django by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After The Break-Up 1970-2001 by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Things I Carry Around by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Letters of Note: Soccer by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Augen zu und durch by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Tammy Wynette by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Kelly Clarkson: Behind Her Hazel Eyes by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Beautiful Mess by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Slowhand by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Mein Leben by Laurence Bergreen
Cover of the book Bruce by Laurence Bergreen
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy