I grew up with jazz on the victrola. You had to wind it. Then we got a web/something and then an emerson. Father who worked his way through U of Michigan and its law school during the roaring 20s and early depression playing sax and clarinet loved Louis. My parents met in a roadhouse during one of his gigs. She was a journalism student who became a social worker.

Remember him going to Philadephia with Mother when I was a kid to see Louis. I cried because they left me home. Listened to Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, the Duke, Ella, Garner, Monk, damn, just about everyone. Grandfather repaired horns for musicians. He was an intinerant watch maker. Loved the big bands too with the girl singers. I could name many and identify them. Remember Make Believe Ballroom.

I didn’t need to get a subscription to Capitol records, a la the serious man, we went to the record store all the time. Took discs into the booth and listened. It was like playing catch between me and him.

Ironically, it was because of the lack of options I was given to do a dress-up oral presentation that my family took it upon themselves to inspire me to seek out and learn more about Black History. The fact was, Louis was a financial backer of MLK and other civil rights leaders, some of whom had criticized him for not taking a more visible stance. Did they know that his vocal criticism of Eisenhower’s inactivity during the conflict over integration of Little Rock High School and his subsequent cancellation of a tour of the USSR on behalf of the State Department helped to land him on J. Edgar Hoover’s watch list?

So yeah, he had a strong influence on music in general, which also afforded him a subtle influence on American domestic policy. But I digress… >;)

Hot stove chat…reading eveyrthing here but zero to add. Still just happy about the WS win!

Pops Armstrong..he changed the course of music history. People must have just flipped hearing him solo for the first time.

[7] check your email in a few mins!