Virtual Exhibits

Our last few posts have revolved around the many celebrations of Louis Armstrong’s 70th birthday that took place in 1970, beginning with the recording sessions for Louis Armstrong and His Friends in May, the multiple TV appearances and magazine articles that appeared in June, and the climactic tribute concert held at the Newport Jazz FestivalContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 52–“Louis ‘Country and Western’ Armstrong” Sessions August 1970″

Last time out, we covered the sessions for what turned out to be Louis Armstrong’s final studio album, Louis “Country and Western” Armstrong, produced by Cowboy Jack Clement and Ivan Mogull. Here’s a Jack Bradley photo of Armstrong, Clement, and Mogull, taken at one of the sessions, that we missed last time: We also coveredContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 53–“Louis ‘Country and Western’ Armstrong” Central Park Photo Shoot August 1970″

Our last couple of posts in the series were set in early August 1970, when Jack Bradley attended the recording sessions for Louis “Country and Western” Armstrong and the resultant photo shoot for that took place in Central Park. Bradley had spent much of the previous year in Cape Cod, serving as Bobby Hackett’s roadContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 54–Friendly Fifty Picnic August 1970″

Our previous post covered Louis Armstrong’s appearance at the “Friendly Fifty” picnic on August 16, 1970, a time when Armstrong was feeling especially good ; the previous day, Armstrong began writing a letter to Max Jones in England in which he announced that he had been given the clearance by his doctor to once againContinue reading ““The Greatest Photo Taker”: Remembering Jack Bradley Part 55–Final Visit June 1971″

Today marks the first day of Fan Week at the U. S. Open, heralding the beginning of one of the most exciting times to be a tennis fan in New York City. Beginning this week and continuing through the actual U. S. Open, which will be taking place between August 26 and September 8, thousandsContinue reading “The Story Behind the Naming of Louis Armstrong Stadium”

Dan Morgenstern, the dean of all jazz historians and advocates, passed away on Saturday, September 7, 2024 at the age of 94. You can learn more about Dan’s incredible life and numerous accomplishments in his New York Times obituary and you can hear a bit of Dan in action on NPR’s tribute. For our purposes,Continue reading ““Special–From First to Last”: In Loving Memory of Dan Morgenstern”

As we have stated numerous times on this website, there would not be a Louis Armstrong House Museum without the efforts of Louis’s longtime wife, Lucille Wilson. We have profiled Lucille’s life in this post and shared some rare interviews with her on the occasion of her 100th birthday celebration earlier this year. It shouldContinue reading ““Marriage is Really a Business”: 70th Anniversary of Louis Armstrong’s “Why I Like Dark Women””

In our previous post, we shared Louis Armstrong’s 1954 Ebony cover story, “Why I Like Dark Women,” in which Armstrong offered his reflections on all four of his wives. He spent the least amount of time on wife number three, Alpha Smith, and we alluded to the reasons behind Armstrong’s bizarre claim that Alpha wasContinue reading ““Louie (My Darling) ZING”–Inside Alpha Smith’s 1926-1931 Scrapbook”

In our previous post, we shared the entire contents of a scrapbook compiled by young Alpha Smith between 1926 and 1931, the years she was courting Louis Armstrong–while Louis was still married to his second wife, Lillian Hardin Armstrong. Though these aren’t dated, these two snapshots seem to be from Louis and Alpha’s early years,Continue reading ““We Love Each Other”: Louis Armstrong and Alpha Smith’s 1932-1933 Snapshots”

Our previous post shared dozens of snapshots Louis Armstrong and Alpha Smith took at home and abroad between July 1932 and May 1933. The earliest photos were taken during Louis’s first trip to England, where he was impressed at the way the locals treated him and especially Alpha. Here’s a couple of photos we didn’tContinue reading ““The King of Jazz and His Sweet Little Wife”: Louis Armstrong and Alpha Smith in Europe 1932-1934″