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By Recorded Sound Archives, July 31, 2024 2:25 pm

Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? On this particular day, we’re celebrating the birthday of the legendary Louis Armstrong, who, at 63, pulled off one of the most unexpected chart-topping victories in pop music history. His achievement proves that age is just a number—and a golden trumpet!

Picture this: It’s late 1963, and Armstrong, along with his All Stars, is recording the title track for an upcoming Broadway musical called “Hello, Dolly!” Despite his humble expectations for the tune, he was about to blow the roof off the charts.

Fast forward to early 1964, and “Hello, Dolly!” debuts on Broadway. It’s an instant hit, but nobody could have predicted what would follow. By May, Armstrong’s trumpet-laden rendition soared to the top of the charts, knocking off not one but two songs by The Beatles—those mop-topped icons who had the world wrapped around their guitars.

At 63, Louis Armstrong became the oldest musician in American history to score a number-one hit. While The Beatles were at the peak of their popularity, Armstrong’s victory was a moment of pure, unadulterated musical magic.

Imagine Armstrong, with his famous gravelly voice and infectious grin, basking in the glow of his unexpected triumph. It was as if he had said, “Take that, Fab Four!” His “Hello, Dolly!” was more than just a song; it was a delightful, brassy kiss to an era of jazz greatness.

In honor of his birthday, we’re highlighting some of our favorite Armstrong tracks at the Recorded Sound Archives. Here are a few picks from our staff:

Celebrate Armstrong’s Birthday with these staff favorites:

1. What a Wonderful Word – Track # 1 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/53845
2. When The Saints Go Marching In – Track # 12 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/31316
3. Mack The Knife Track # 2 – https://rsa.fau.edu/track/35484
4. Black and Blue – Track # 16 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/31312
5. Blueberry Hill – Track # 4 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/53845
6. Hello Dolly! – Track # 8 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/53845
7. St. Louis Blues – Track # 1 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/9624
8. Cabaret – Track # 1 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/31387
9. La Vie en Rose – Track # 1 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/19858
10. All Of Me _ Track # 5 – https://rsa.fau.edu/album/55252

So here’s to Louis Armstrong, who, at 63, showed the world that jazz, with its soulful notes and spirited rhythms, still had the power to conquer hearts and charts. His story is a jazzy reminder that age is no barrier to greatness, and sometimes, the old school can school the new kids on the block.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, February 22, 2019 7:45 pm

In celebration of Black History Month, the Recorded Sound Archives has curated a collection of African-American artists. Discover the voices of Huddie Leadbelly, Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters, and Fats Waller.

Follow us on Facebook and learn some fun facts all this month about these artists and they’re contributions to music.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, October 2, 2018 12:44 pm

Photo of Xavier Cugat. This work is from the William P. Gottlieb collection at the Library of Congress.

As part of Hispanic / Latino Heritage month, we’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some important artists who shaped the world of Latin music into what it is today. Today we would like to highlight Xavier Cugat. Born January 1, 1900 in Catalonia, Spain, his family had bigger plans venturing first to Cuba when he was five. In Cuba, this is where Xavier picked up the violin training as a classical violinist he went on to play with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana.

Photo of Xavier Cugat. This work is from the William P. Gottlieb collection at the Library of Congress.

Xavier trained further in Paris and Berlin and in 1915, his family boarded the SS Havana en route to New York City where Cugat went on to train before serving five years as a violinist appearing in recitals with Erinco Caruso. Cugat went on to lead the resident orchestra at the Waldorf-Astoria before and after World War II before venturing out west to Los Angeles.

Here are 3 interesting facts about Xavier Cugat, you may or may not know about him.

Three interesting facts about Xavier Cugat!

1. He was a classically trained violinist who conducted with his bow, and can be seen in quite a few films waving his violin bow. Below is an animated gif showcasing Xavier Cugat in Stage Door Canteen waving his bow as he conducts his orchestra. You can watch the clip below from Stage Door Canteen, 1943 where Xavier Cugat can be seen conducting with his bow at 1:16.

via GIPHY

2. Xavier was known as the Rhumba King and is credited with pushing Latino music and dance into popularity and best-known for having popularized the rumba in the United States during the 1930s.

He and his band, the Gigolos, were featured in several popular Hollywood movies in the 1940s and 1950s. They introduced many popular Latin American rhythms to North American audiences and toured extensively every year, playing tangos, rumbas and congas.

“Under the influence of tropical skies and a couple of daiquiris, people developed a taste for my Latin American style of music,” he once said.

3. Xavier went on to work for the Los Angeles Times as a cartoonist. Not a huge stretch, considering art seemed to run in the family. His older brother Francis Cugat worked as a portrait, poster, book jacket artist and set designer.  He is known for his 1925 cover of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Cugat himself can be seen in a few films drawing his caricatures prior to or during a performance.

via GIPHY

Here at the Recorded Sound Archives, we have over 30 recordings by Cugat and several of this bands. To listen to more music by Cugat, click here.

In celebration of Hispanic / Latino Heritage month, we have digitized over 180 Latin American recordings for you to listen to. Click here to view collection.

Please note, due to copyright some items may only be available as a 45 second snippet.

If you are a Researcher or Educator in need of full access to these recordings, click here.