Louis Armstrong – Rags to Jazz Achieving the American Dream is the success story many wish to earn through challenging work and dedication; however, few truly achieve it. For many, their dream is to acquire wealth or fame while others propose a more difficult proposal, such as escaping poverty. For Louis Armstrong, however, his dream to “make a life out of music” (“Louis Armstrong”) and to gain happiness from it eventually led to his journey of becoming “the most important and influential musician in jazz history” (Ruhlmann). Nevertheless, Louis Armstrong's success can be attributed from his difficult childhood, his unique interpretation of jazz, and his strong presence in the United States. Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana …show more content…
Besides his famous cornet, and eventually trumpet, performances he began recording “vocal transformations of several popular songs” (“Louis Armstrong”). His daring vocal transformations of these songs “completely changed the concept of popular singing in American popular music,” so much so that he had a huge influence and lasting effect on singers after him, such as Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald (“Louis Armstrong”). Additionally, he achieved multiple African American “firsts,” such as “the first African-American jazz musician to write an autobiography: Swing That Music,” “the first African-American to get featured billing in a major Hollywood movie with his turn in Pennies from Heaven, starring Bing Crosby,” and “the first African-American entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show,” all of which helped break down numerous barriers for his race, especially at the height of the Civil Rights movement (“Louis Armstrong”). Breaking down numerous barriers for African Americans led to his contribution to the Civil Rights movement, specifically concerning the issue of the Little Rock Nine where he spoke out, saying that President Dwight D. Eisenhower “had no guts” for letting the governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, prevent the nine children from attending school (“Louis Armstrong”). Although he initially received criticism from both “black and white public figures,” it is seen as one of the bravest moments of Armstrong’s life that many people consider a reason for his legacy (“Louis