Lil Hardin Armstrong: The New Orleans Creole Jazz King

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Lil Hardin Armstrong was born on February 3, 1898 in Memphis, Tennessee. Her parents were Dempsey Martin Hardin and Taylor Martin. Her father left her mother shortly after she was born, so her mother and grandmother raised her. The Hardin family was well-off financially, which allowed them to pay for Lil to receive formal piano lessons. She was taught with classical and spiritual music, and frequently played in her church. Lil yearned to delve into the southern jazz music that was big at the time, but her family was strictly against it.
Lil attended Fisk University, a college in Nashville, from 1916-1917 before returning to Memphis. In 1918 her family moved to Chicago, Illinois, at least partially because her mother wanted to keep Lil away …show more content…

The band’s return to Chicago was a definite success: they drew bigger crowds than ever before and received excellent reviews. This success motivated King Oliver to invite his young mentee from New Orleans, Louis Armstrong, to join the band.
Louis and Lil were friends from the day they met. After two years of dating, they married on February 4, 1924. Lil saw Louis’ potential more than he did, and encouraged him to pursue bigger and better goals. She also guided him in decisions about his appearance and speech so that he would appeal to the masses. On Lil’s recommendation, Louis left Oliver’s band to join Fletcher Handerson, a jazz bandleader in New York. However, Lil was dissatisfied that Louis wasn’t given featured billing, so she organized a new band in Chicago for Louis to be featured in.
Lil Armstrong was the unsung hero of her husband’s career. She encouraged him to take risks, used her classical training to help him with composing, and frequently played piano on his tracks. Because of her help and his talent, Louis’ career skyrocketed in the late 1920s. Unfortunately, this, along with Louis’ frequent infidelity, put a strain on their marriage. The couple separated in 1931 and ultimately divorced in 1938, but remained lifelong friends and continued to

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