Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) was a trumpet player, singer, and bandleader, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in the history of jazz. Armstrong was born and brought up in New Orleans, a culturally diverse town with a unique musical mix of creole, ragtime, marching bands, and blues. Although from an early age he was able to play music professionally, he didn't travel far from New Orleans until 1922, when he went to Chicago to join his mentor, King Oliver. Read more about Louis Armstrong on Last.fm.
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 in Newport News, VA – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella (the First Lady of Song), was one of the most influential jazz singers of the 20th Century, the winner of thirteen Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Art presented by President Ronald Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President George H. W. Bush. Gifted with a three-octave vocal range, she was noted for her purity of tone, near faultless phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. Read more about Ella Fitzgerald on Last.fm.
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