Louis Armstrong

On August 4, 1901, Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans. Until the age of five, Armstrong's grandmother was his caregiver. At the age of six, he attended the Fisk School for Boys, an all black school in New Orleans. While performing odd…

Eleanora Fagan was born on April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia. As a child, she started going by Billie Holiday, Billie from Billie Dove and Holiday from her dad. She began listening to records by Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith. Her mother…

Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was born on Christmas Day 1907 in Rochester, living on Sycamore Street. His mother was a teacher and church organist and his father was a lawyer. When Calloway was 11, they moved to Baltimore. After he was caught…

On May 21, 1904, Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller was born to Adeline Locket Waller, a musician and Rev. Edward Martin Waller, a trucker and pastor in New York City. He began playing piano at the age of six and began playing organ at his…

On April 15, 1894, Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her parents and brother had died by the time Smith was nine, leaving her sister Viola as the caretaker. Therefore, Smith had a "wretched childhood" and never received an…

William James "Count" Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey in August 1904. Both of his parents played instruments: his dad on mellophone, his mom on piano. He dreamt of traveling, heavily inspired by touring carnivals. However, he spent…

FTH at Home! will be presenting, Virtual Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong, Aug. 12 at 7:00 p.m. Astoria resident, Carol Sudhalter, leads the monthly jam, along with Flushing Town Hall's house band. Their theme for August…

Manhattan's historic The Ear Inn has played a pivotal role in the music scene and beyond. It's the oldest bar in New York City that has continuously served alcohol since 1817. Check out this recording of The Earregulars, from November 2009…