Hotel Baker is a historic landmark in St. Charles, Illinois , listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been in and out of the hotel business since 1928.
72-560: Baker Hotel may refer to: Hotel Baker , St. Charles, Illinois Baker Hotel (Baker, Montana) in Fallon County Baker Hotel (Mineral Wells, Texas) in Palo Pinto County Baker Hotel (Baker City, Oregon) , (originally Baker Community Hotel) Baker Hotel (Dallas) , demolished in 1980 to make way for One Bell Plaza Topics referred to by
144-743: A 12-month period starting in November 1925, this quintet produced twenty-four records. Armstrong's band leading style was easygoing, as St. Cyr noted: "One felt so relaxed working with him, and he was very broad-minded ... always did his best to feature each individual." Among the Hot Five and Seven records were "Cornet Chop Suey", "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", "Hotter Than That", and "Potato Head Blues", all featuring highly creative solos by Armstrong. According to Thomas Brothers , recordings such as "Struttin' with Some Barbeque" were so superb, "planned with density and variety, bluesyness, and showiness", that
216-892: A better dynamic range was not invented until 1926. Initially, because Armstrong's playing was so loud, Oliver could not be heard on the recording when he played next to Oliver. Armstrong had to stand 15 feet from Oliver in a far corner of the room to remedy this. Lil Hardin , whom Armstrong would marry in 1924, urged Armstrong to seek more prominent billing and develop his style apart from the influence of Oliver. At her suggestion, Armstrong began playing classical music in church concerts to broaden his skills and dressing more stylishly to offset his girth. Her influence eventually undermined Armstrong's relationship with his mentor, especially concerning his salary and additional money that Oliver held back from Armstrong and other band members. Armstrong's mother, Mayann Albert, came to visit him in Chicago during
288-399: A brief trumpet solo. Then, the main melody is introduced by sobbing horns, memorably punctuated by Armstrong's growling interjections at the end of each bar: "Yeah! ..."Uh-huh"..."Sure"..."Way down, way down." In the first verse, Armstrong ignores the notated melody and sings as if playing a trumpet solo, pitching most of the first line on a single note and using strongly syncopated phrasing. In
360-456: A duet on Hoagy Carmichael's " Rockin' Chair " they then recorded for Okeh Records . Armstrong's manager, Joe Glaser, changed the Armstrong big band on August 13, 1947, into a six-piece traditional jazz group featuring Armstrong with (initially) Teagarden, Earl Hines and other top swing and Dixieland musicians, most of whom were previously leaders of big bands. The new group was announced at
432-749: A father, they fed and nurtured Armstrong. In his memoir, Louis Armstrong + the Jewish Family in New Orleans, La., the Year of 1907 , he described his discovery that this family was also subject to discrimination by "other white folks" who felt that they were better than Jews: "I was only seven years old but I could easily see the ungodly treatment that the white folks were handing the poor Jewish family whom I worked for." Armstrong wrote about what he learned from them: "how to live—real life and determination." His first musical performance may have been at
504-590: A few records but otherwise struggled. Sidney Bechet became a tailor, later moving to Paris, and Kid Ory returned to New Orleans and raised chickens. Armstrong moved to Los Angeles in 1930 to seek new opportunities. He played at the New Cotton Club in Los Angeles with Lionel Hampton on drums. The band drew the Hollywood crowd, which could still afford a lavish nightlife, while radio broadcasts from
576-423: A focus on his vocal career. His popularity brought together many black and white audiences. Armstrong returned to New York in 1929, where he played in the pit orchestra for the musical Hot Chocolates , an all-black revue written by Andy Razaf and pianist Fats Waller . Armstrong made a cameo appearance as a vocalist, regularly stealing the show with his rendition of " Ain't Misbehavin' ." Armstrong's version of
648-475: A garbage dump should not be the focal point of his hometown, so he bought the land and construction commenced on what was to be "the World's finest small hotel." The Hotel cost a rounded sum of $ 1,250,000 to build. The Hotel Baker was built with its own operating hydroelectric facility, the first-ever lighted dance floor of its kind, and there was a radio station established from the hotel's tower (which now exists as
720-599: A hero's welcome, and saw old friends. He sponsored a local baseball team called Armstrong's Secret Nine and had a cigar named after him. However, Armstrong was on the road again soon. After a tour across the country shadowed by the mob, he fled to Europe. After returning to the United States, Armstrong undertook several exhausting tours. His agent, Johnny Collins's erratic behavior and his own spending ways left Armstrong short of cash. Breach of contract violations plagued him. Armstrong hired Joe Glaser as his new manager,
792-482: A large audience. He began scat singing (improvised vocal jazz using nonsensical words) and was among the first to record it on the Hot Five recording " Heebie Jeebies " in 1926. The recording was so popular that the group became the most famous jazz band in the United States, even though they had seldom performed live. Young musicians across the country, black or white, were turned on by Armstrong's new type of jazz. After separating from Lil, Armstrong started to play at
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#1732783036250864-466: A memoir called Louis Armstrong + the Jewish Family in New Orleans, LA., the year of 1907 , describing his time working for the Karnoffsky family. Armstrong writes about singing "Russian Lullaby" with the Karnoffsky family when their baby son David was put to bed and credits the family with teaching him to sing "from the heart." Curiously, Armstrong quotes lyrics for it that appear to be the same as
936-444: A musician. Armstrong found a job at a dance hall owned by Henry Ponce, who had connections to organized crime. He met the six-foot tall drummer Black Benny , who became Armstrong's guide and bodyguard. Around the age of 15, he pimped for a prostitute named Nootsy. However, that relationship failed after she stabbed Armstrong in the shoulder, and his mother choked her nearly to death. Armstrong briefly studied shipping management at
1008-446: A reputation at " cutting contests ", and his fame reached band leader Fletcher Henderson . Armstrong moved to New York City, where he became a featured and musically influential band soloist and recording artist. By the 1950s, Armstrong was a national musical icon, appearing regularly in radio and television broadcasts and on film. Armstrong's best known songs include " What a Wonderful World ", " La Vie en Rose ", " Hello, Dolly! ", " On
1080-790: A rough neighborhood known as The Battlefield, on the southern section of Rampart Street . At the age of six, Armstrong started attending the Fisk School for Boys, a school that accepted black children in the racially segregated school system of New Orleans. Armstrong lived with his mother and sister during this time and worked for the Karnoffskys, a family of Lithuanian Jews , at their home . Armstrong helped their sons Morris and Alex collect "rags and bones" and deliver coal. In 1969, while recovering from heart and kidney problems at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City, Armstrong wrote
1152-430: A sealed bid auction. In 1996 two local St. Charles businessmen, Craig Frank and Neil Johnson, purchased the hotel and began a renovation costing a rounded sum of $ 9,000,000. Hoping to re-establish the tired and worn retirement home back as Hotel Baker, Frank and Johnson spent two years cleaning, furnishing, and upgrading the utilities of the long-neglected property. Many of the original pieces of furniture were returned to
1224-526: A time, he was a member of the Lil Hardin Armstrong Band and worked for his wife. Armstrong formed Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five and recorded the hits " Potato Head Blues " and "Muggles". The word "muggles" was a slang term for marijuana , something Armstrong often used during his life. The Hot Five included Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny Dodds (clarinet), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo), Lil Armstrong on piano, and usually no drummer. Over
1296-470: A tough mob-connected wheeler-dealer who began straightening out his legal mess, mob troubles, and debts. Armstrong also began to experience problems with his fingers and lips, aggravated by his unorthodox playing style. As a result, Armstrong branched out, developing his vocal style and making his first theatrical appearances. Armstrong appeared in movies again, including Crosby's 1936 hit Pennies from Heaven . In 1937, Armstrong substituted for Rudy Vallee on
1368-532: A trumpet soloist. His resonant, velvety lower-register tone and bubbling cadences on sides such as "Lazy River" greatly influenced younger white singers such as Bing Crosby. The Great Depression of the early 1930s was especially hard on the jazz scene. After a long downward spiral, the Cotton Club closed in 1936, and many musicians stopped playing altogether as club dates evaporated. Bix Beiderbecke died, and Fletcher Henderson's band broke up. King Oliver made
1440-556: A well-publicized stand for desegregation in the Little Rock crisis . He could access the upper echelons of American society at a time when this was difficult for Black men. Armstrong is believed to have been born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901, but the date has been heavily debated. Armstrong himself often claimed he was born on July 4, 1900. His parents were Mary Estelle "Mayann" Albert and William Armstrong. Mary Albert
1512-615: A yearling in 1933. Greyhound went on to win 25 international records during his racing career. Col. Baker received his title as a Kentucky Colonel in 1935, honored as part of the Commonwealth of Kentucky by Governor Ruby Laffoon —in recognition of his contributions to his home town and pursuit in raising horses. The hotel's lounge became known as the Trophy Room, for Baker put his vast number of racing trophies on display here as his trotters brought him more acclaim. Col. Baker ran
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#17327830362501584-469: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Hotel Baker It was 1926 when the groundbreaking began at a site of a garbage dump at the Main Street bridge. Col. Edward J. Baker envisioned a luxury hotel, a resort and escape for the community of St. Charles, and an icon to the world for what big things were happening there. The Hotel Baker
1656-561: The Municipal Building was a "singing tower" and played the music from the Rainbow Room across the valley from loudspeakers installed in the top of the tower. As Col. Baker came to find hobbies to occupy his interest and newfound wealth, he began to harbor a great interest in horse racing, building up Hotel Baker Stables with the leading record of wins of a harness horse stable. He purchased his prized trotter Greyhound as
1728-652: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame , among others. Armstrong was born and raised in New Orleans . Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an inventive trumpet and cornet player, he was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. Around 1922, Armstrong followed his mentor, Joe "King" Oliver , to Chicago to play in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Armstrong earned
1800-700: The Roseland Ballroom , with arrangements by Don Redman . Duke Ellington's orchestra went to Roseland to catch Armstrong's performances. During this time, Armstrong recorded with Clarence Williams (a friend from New Orleans), the Williams Blue Five, Sidney Bechet , and blues singers Alberta Hunter , Ma Rainey , and Bessie Smith . In 1925, Armstrong returned to Chicago largely at the insistence of Lil, who wanted to expand his career and income. In publicity, much to his chagrin, she billed Armstrong as "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player." For
1872-559: The Sunset Café for Al Capone 's associate Joe Glaser in the Carroll Dickerson Orchestra, with Earl Hines on piano, which was renamed Louis Armstrong and his Stompers. However, Hines was the music director, and Glaser managed the orchestra. Hines and Armstrong became fast friends and successful collaborators. It was at the Sunset Café that Armstrong accompanied singer Adelaide Hall . During Hall's tenure at
1944-473: The "Penthouse Suite"). The Hotel Baker Gardens originally extended further than they do today, featuring a fishing pond and nine-hole miniature golf course. The hotel had its own parking garage. Designed to be as elaborate as the hotel, the Hotel Baker Garage opened in 1930 with a Hudson dealership, complete service garage, wash bay, Texaco gas station, and parking on the second floor for all of
2016-457: The "Russian Lullaby", copyrighted by Irving Berlin in 1927, about 20 years after Armstrong remembered singing it as a child. Gary Zucker, Armstrong's doctor at Beth Israel hospital in 1969, shared Berlin's song lyrics with him, and Armstrong quoted them in the memoir. This inaccuracy may be because he wrote the memoir over 60 years after the events described. Regardless, the Karnoffskys treated Armstrong exceptionally well. Knowing he lived without
2088-444: The 1940s due to changes in public tastes. Ballrooms closed, and competition from other types of music, especially pop vocals, became more popular than big band music. Under such circumstances, it became impossible to finance a 16-piece touring band. A widespread revival of interest in the 1940s in the traditional jazz of the 1920s made it possible for Armstrong to consider a return to the small-group musical style of his youth. Armstrong
2160-607: The CBS radio network and became the first African American to host a sponsored national broadcast. After spending many years on the road, Armstrong settled permanently in Queens, New York, in 1943 with his fourth wife, Lucille. Although subject to the vicissitudes of Tin Pan Alley and the gangster-ridden music business, as well as anti-black prejudice, Armstrong continued to develop his playing. Bookings for big bands tapered off during
2232-599: The French song " C'est si bon " at the Hotel Negresco during the first Nice Jazz Festival . Armstrong was present and loved the song. On June 26, 1950, he recorded the American version of the song (English lyrics by Jerry Seelen ) in New York City with Sy Oliver and his Orchestra. When it was released, the disc was a worldwide success, and the song was then performed by the greatest international singers. Armstrong
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2304-560: The Hotel Baker at a yearly deficit. For its first 31 years in business, the Hotel Baker never had to turn a profit. As long as Col. Baker was there, he continued to run the Hotel providing the funding for all its luxuries at the inexpensive price he sold. Col. Baker passed away in 1959. In his will, he specified gifts to be given to his friends, but the remainder of his estate was left to his niece Dellora Norris. Dellora Norris operated
2376-401: The Hotel Baker, he told the architects to build their masterpiece. He lost his son and then his wife, and instead of living alone in the house, he moved into the hotel, where he was always there to welcome people. The Hotel Baker was built on the site of the old Haines Mill, which had been destroyed by fire in 1918 and was then used as a dumping grounds for seven years. Col. Baker believed that
2448-657: The RCA ribbon microphone , introduced in 1931, which imparted warmth to vocals and became an intrinsic part of the " crooning " sound of artists like Bing Crosby . Armstrong's interpretation of Carmichael's " Stardust " became one of the most successful versions of this song ever recorded, showcasing Armstrong's unique vocal sound and style and his innovative approach to singing songs that were already standards. Armstrong's radical re-working of Sidney Arodin and Carmichael's " Lazy River ", recorded in 1931, encapsulated his groundbreaking approach to melody and phrasing. The song begins with
2520-663: The St. Charles Community. The Hotel Baker is listed on the National Record of Historic Places. It also helped earn St. Charles the title of "1 Great Place in Illinois" and the Great American Main Street Award in 2000. Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed " Satchmo ", " Satch ", and " Pops ", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He
2592-856: The Sunny Side of the Street ", " Dream a Little Dream of Me ", " When You're Smiling " and " When the Saints Go Marching In ". He collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald , producing three records together: Ella and Louis (1956), Ella and Louis Again (1957), and Porgy and Bess (1959). He also appeared in films such as A Rhapsody in Black and Blue (1932), Cabin in the Sky (1943), High Society (1956), Paris Blues (1961), A Man Called Adam (1966), and Hello, Dolly! (1969). With his instantly recognizable, rich, gravelly voice, Armstrong
2664-463: The arrangements were probably showcased at the Sunset Café. His recordings soon after with pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines , their famous 1928 " Weather Bird " duet and Armstrong's trumpet introduction to and solo in " West End Blues ", remain some of the most influential improvisations in jazz history. Young trumpet players across the country bought these recordings and memorized his solos. Armstrong
2736-527: The building. Craig Frank had just finished restoring the Arcada Theatre with Willis Johnson of Classic Cinemas, and Mr. Frank thought how neat it would be to have the Hotel and the Arcada back how they used to be. After the restoration and running the hotel at a loss the first couple of years, the cost became prohibitive despite the first year ever in the hotel's history of making a profit. The hotel
2808-531: The club connected with younger audiences at home. Bing Crosby and many other celebrities were regulars at the club. In 1931, Armstrong appeared in his first movie, Ex-Flame . He was also convicted of marijuana possession but received a suspended sentence. Armstrong returned to Chicago in late 1931 and played in bands more in the Guy Lombardo vein, and he recorded more standards. When the mob insisted that he get out of town, Armstrong visited New Orleans, had
2880-513: The custody of his father and his new stepmother, Gertrude. Armstrong lived in this household with two stepbrothers for several months. After Gertrude gave birth to a daughter, Armstrong's father never welcomed him, so Armstrong returned to his mother, Mary Albert. Armstrong had to share a bed in her small home with his mother and sister. His mother still lived in The Battlefield, leaving Armstrong open to old temptations, but he sought work as
2952-534: The dam outside was also lighted in the flashing colors of the rainbow. A pipe organ with two consoles (one in the Rainbow Room and one in the Trophy Room) was played by the hotel's organist Mrs. Mary Bayliss for people to enjoy. The radio studio in the top tower of the Hotel broadcast music played in the Rainbow Room, and — through a special connection (a wire running along the Main Street Bridge) —
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3024-466: The early 1920s. Armstrong lived luxuriously in his apartment with his first private bath. Excited to be in Chicago, Armstrong began his career-long pastime of writing letters to friends in New Orleans. Armstrong could blow 200 high Cs in a row. As his reputation grew, Armstrong was challenged to cutting contests by other musicians. Armstrong's first studio recordings were with Oliver for Gennett Records on April 5–6, 1923. They endured several hours on
3096-554: The era. Hughes wrote many books that celebrated jazz and recognized Armstrong as one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance's newfound love of African-American culture. The sound of jazz, along with musicians such as Armstrong, helped shape Hughes as a writer. Just like the musicians, Hughes wrote his words with jazz. Armstrong changed jazz during the Harlem Renaissance. As "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player" during this time, Armstrong cemented his legacy and continued
3168-588: The heart of good old New Orleans ... It has given me something to live for." Borrowing his stepfather's gun without permission, Armstrong fired a blank into the air and was arrested on December 31, 1912. He spent the night at New Orleans Juvenile Court and was sentenced the next day to detention at the Colored Waif's Home. Life at the home was spartan. Mattresses were absent, and meals were often little more than bread and molasses. Captain Joseph Jones ran
3240-456: The home like a military camp and used corporal punishment. Armstrong developed his cornet skills by playing in the band. Peter Davis , who frequently appeared at the home at the request of Captain Jones, became Armstrong's first teacher and chose him as the bandleader. With this band, the 13-year-old Armstrong attracted the attention of Kid Ory . On June 14, 1914, Armstrong was released into
3312-483: The hotel until 1970, when she donated the building to the ownership of the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. Faced with aging and health issues, Mrs. Norris looked to find a suitable buyer because no one in the family showed an interest in the building. By that time the hotel had lost its appeal. Compared to the newly opened Pheasant Run Resort east of town, the Hotel Baker was outdated. The hotel
3384-491: The hotel's guests. The parking garage was demolished in 1983 to make way for the assisted living facility Carroll Tower. The hotel opened to the public on June 2, 1928, hosting a dinner for 301. Rooms cost $ 2.50 a night. Each room was decorated in its own unique style, so that no two rooms were alike. Col. Baker considered himself "first and foremost a farmer" and owned nine farms in the Fox Valley area, from which food
3456-401: The last half of 1928, he started recording with a new group: Zutty Singleton (drums), Earl Hines (piano), Jimmy Strong (clarinet), Fred Robinson (trombone), and Mancy Carr (banjo). Armstrong made a huge impact during the 1920s Harlem Renaissance . His music touched well-known writer Langston Hughes . Hughes admired Armstrong and acknowledged him as one of the most recognized musicians of
3528-858: The late 1910s. He traveled with the band of Fate Marable , which toured on the steamboat Sidney with the Streckfus Steamers line up and down the Mississippi River. Marable was proud of Armstrong's musical knowledge, and he insisted that Armstrong and other musicians in his band learn sight reading . Armstrong described his time with Marable as "going to the University" since it gave him a wider experience working with written arrangements . In 1918, Armstrong's mentor, King Oliver , decided to go north and resigned his position in Kid Ory's band; Armstrong replaced him. Armstrong also became
3600-502: The local community college but was forced to quit after being unable to afford the fees. While selling coal in Storyville , he heard spasm bands , groups that played music out of household objects. Armstrong listened to the early sounds of jazz from bands that played in brothels and dance halls, such as Pete Lala's, where King Oliver performed. Early in his career, Armstrong played in brass bands and riverboats in New Orleans, in
3672-483: The opening of Billy Berg's Supper Club. This smaller group was called Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars and included at various times Earl "Fatha" Hines, Barney Bigard , Edmond Hall , Jack Teagarden, Trummy Young , Arvell Shaw , Billy Kyle , Marty Napoleon , Big Sid "Buddy" Catlett , Cozy Cole , Tyree Glenn , Barrett Deems , Mort Herbert , Joe Darensbourg , Eddie Shu , Joe Muranyi and percussionist Danny Barcelona . On February 28, 1948, Suzy Delair sang
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#17327830362503744-486: The rest of his life. Playing second cornet to Oliver in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in the black-only Lincoln Gardens on the South Side of Chicago, Armstrong could make enough money to quit his day jobs. Although race relations were poor, Chicago was booming. The city had jobs for blacks, who made good wages at factories, with some left for entertainment. Oliver's band was among Chicago's most influential jazz bands in
3816-419: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Baker Hotel . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baker_Hotel&oldid=1125973308 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
3888-421: The second stanza, he breaks into an almost entirely improvised melody, which then evolves into a classic passage of Armstrong's scat singing. As with his trumpet playing, Armstrong's vocal innovations served as a foundation for jazz vocal interpretation. The uniquely gravelly coloration of his voice became an archetype that was endlessly imitated. Armstrong's scat singing was enriched by his matchless experience as
3960-561: The second trumpet for the Tuxedo Brass Band . Throughout his riverboat experience, Armstrong's musicianship began to mature and expand. At age 20, he could read music. Armstrong became one of the first jazz musicians to be featured on extended trumpet solos, injecting his own personality and style. Armstrong also started singing in his performances. In 1922, Armstrong moved to Chicago at the invitation of King Oliver, although Armstrong would return to New Orleans periodically for
4032-427: The side of the Karnoffskys' junk wagon. Armstrong tried playing a tin horn to attract customers to distinguish them from other hawkers. Morris Karnoffsky gave Armstrong an advance toward purchasing a cornet from a pawn shop. Later, as an adult, Armstrong wore a Star of David given to him by his Jewish manager, Joe Glaser, until the end of his life, in part in memory of this family who had raised him. When Armstrong
4104-515: The song became his biggest-selling record yet. Armstrong started to work at Connie's Inn in Harlem, chief rival to the Cotton Club , a venue for elaborately staged floor shows, and a front for gangster Dutch Schultz . Armstrong had considerable success with vocal recordings, including versions of songs composed by his old friend Hoagy Carmichael . His 1930s recordings took full advantage of
4176-482: The summer of 1923 after being told that Armstrong was "out of work, out of money, hungry, and sick"; Hardin located and decorated an apartment for her to live in while she stayed. Armstrong and Oliver parted amicably in 1924. Shortly afterward, Armstrong was invited to go to New York City to play with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, the top African-American band of the time. He switched to
4248-421: The train to remote Richmond, Indiana , and the band was paid little. The quality of the performances was affected by a lack of rehearsal, crude recording equipment, bad acoustics, and a cramped studio. These early recordings were true acoustic , the band playing directly into a large funnel connected directly to the needle making the groove in the master recording. The much improved Electrical recording system with
4320-587: The trumpet to blend in better with the other musicians in his section. Armstrong's influence on Henderson's tenor sax soloist, Coleman Hawkins , can be judged by listening to the records made by the band during this period. Armstrong adapted to Henderson's tightly controlled style, playing the trumpet and experimenting with the trombone. The other members were affected by Armstrong's emotional style. His act included singing and telling tales of New Orleans characters, especially preachers. The Henderson Orchestra played in prominent venues for white patrons only, including
4392-464: The venue, she experimented, developed, and expanded her scat singing with Armstrong's guidance and encouragement. In the first half of 1927, Armstrong assembled his Hot Seven group, which added drummer Al "Baby" Dodds and tuba player Pete Briggs while preserving most of his original Hot Five lineup. John Thomas replaced Kid Ory on the trombone. Later that year, Armstrong organized a series of new Hot Five sessions, which resulted in nine more records. In
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#17327830362504464-528: Was 11, he dropped out of school. His mother moved into a one-room house on Perdido Street with Armstrong, Lucy, and her common-law husband, Tom Lee, next door to her brother Ike and his two sons. Armstrong joined a quartet of boys who sang in the streets for money. Cornetist Bunk Johnson said he taught the eleven-year-old to play by ear at Dago Tony's honky tonk. In his later years, Armstrong credited King Oliver. Armstrong said about his youth, "Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine—I look right in
4536-530: Was Col. Baker's home. Col. Baker was a farmer. He and his niece Dellora Norris inherited the fortune of the founder of Texaco Oil , Col. Baker's brother-in-law John Gates . Col. Baker and his niece Dellora invested the money in the town. With every gift they gave, they gave with quiet graciousness. Col. Baker gave in abundance and ran the Hotel Baker at a yearly deficit. He was friends with people from all walks of life and wanted people to enjoy beauty and luxury no matter where they came from. When he decided to build
4608-409: Was also an influential singer and skillful improviser. He was also skilled at scat singing . By the end of Armstrong's life, his influence had spread to popular music. He was one of the first popular African-American entertainers to "cross over" to wide popularity with white and international audiences. Armstrong rarely publicly discussed racial issues, to the dismay of fellow African Americans, but took
4680-643: Was among the most influential figures in jazz . His career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of jazz. Armstrong received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as a posthumous win for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972. His influence crossed musical genres, with inductions into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame ,
4752-410: Was converted to be an assisted living facility "for the well-heeled elderly." Its public spaces remained open, and the Hotel began to adopt its status as a banquet space rather than the "weekend getaway" it was. Over the years, the Hotel fell into disrepair. The retirement home, overwhelmed with the cost of upkeep, began selling artwork and furniture from the Hotel before eventually selling the hotel in
4824-459: Was featured as a guest artist with Lionel Hampton's band at the famed second Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. , on October 12, 1946. Armstrong also led a highly successful small-group jazz concert at New York Town Hall on May 17, 1947, featuring him with trombonist/singer Jack Teagarden . During the concert, Armstrong and Teagarden performed
4896-402: Was from Boutte, Louisiana and gave birth at home when she was about 16. Less than a year and a half later, they had a daughter, Beatrice "Mama Lucy" Armstrong (1903–1987), who Albert raised. William Armstrong abandoned the family shortly after that. Louis Armstrong was raised by his grandmother until the age of five, when he was returned to his mother. Armstrong spent his youth in poverty in
4968-556: Was now free to develop his style as he wished, which included a heavy dose of effervescent jive, such as "Whip That Thing, Miss Lil" and "Mr. Johnny Dodds, Aw, Do That Clarinet, Boy!" Armstrong also played with Erskine Tate 's Little Symphony, mostly at the Vendome Theatre. They furnished music for silent movies and live shows, including jazz versions of classical music, such as " Madame Butterfly ", which gave Armstrong experience with longer forms of music and with hosting before
5040-549: Was provided to the Hotel Baker for guaranteed freshness in its kitchens. The Rainbow Room, the most famous feature of the hotel, was originally the hotel's restaurant and ballroom. Such performers as Louis Armstrong , Lawrence Welk , Tommy Dorsey , Guy Lombardo , and Eddie Duchin performed at the Hotel Baker atop its 63,000 wattage dance floor of patterned red, green, blue, and amber lights numbering 2,620. The floor originally could display patterns such as stars, an American flag, Christmas tree, or Valentine's Day heart. At night,
5112-447: Was sold in a bank auction in 2003 for a rounded sum of $ 3,000,000. After staying at the hotel in 2001, Rowena and Joe Salas bought the hotel when it was in foreclosure in 2003. What originally was intended to be a quick investment turned into an adventure for the couple as they invested in constantly updating the hotel and keeping it going. The Hotel Baker continues to be the scene of many community and family functions—the center of life in
5184-435: Was the first jazz musician to appear on the cover of Time magazine on February 21, 1949. He and his All-Stars were featured at the ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. held on June 7, 1953, along with Shorty Rogers , Roy Brown , Don Tosti and His Mexican Jazzmen, Earl Bostic , and Nat "King" Cole . Over 30 years, Armstrong played more than 300 performances
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