Louis Armstrong

Who is my favourite entertainer, well that is a difficult question because when I am asked what my favourite anything is about 50 different thoughts leap into my mind.

I really do not understand how anyone can have one favourite anything, for me, the time of day, the weather, my mood, what I am doing affect my entertainment choices.

Another thought is we are an over entertained society; everything is entertainment, except may be our jobs and our relationships.

We spend far too many hours as passive audience and very little time being producers.

Okay now that I have gotten that off my chest, who is my favourite entertainer? The list of those whose work I admire and enjoy is very long. On it among, many others are Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn, Diana Krall, Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, the Band, Willie Nelson and Sammy Davis Jr.

This is far from an inclusive list and I have not even touched actors. This hub would be merely a list of names, if I was to continue.

The person who I feel is one of the greatest entertainers of all time is Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1901.

Armstrong recorded what I consider to be one of the greatest jazz numbers of all time, West End Blues in June 1928. This 3 minute and 17 second track is as powerful today as it was then, over 80 years ago.

When I listen to West End Blues I find that time stops and the music travels deep within me and touches something fundamental.

The Rock and Roll hall of Fame listed West End Blues on the list of 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll.

On the basis of West End Blues and Armstrong’s contribution to defining what swing means alone I could give him the title.

However, from that day in 1928 until his death in 1971, Armstrong contributed much more to the movies, music and television guest starring on shows such as Ed Sullivan and playing himself in a number of movies.

It’s A Wonderful World is an uplifting song a song of hope and possibilities.

Armstrong has won Grammy awards, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Downbeat Jazz Hall of Fame and the Big Band and Jazz hall of Fame. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7601 Hollywood Blvd.

Louis’s work still entertains His work has been on the soundtracks of both television shows and movies. In 2008, Armstrong's recording of Edith Piaf's famous "La Vie En Rose" was used in a scene of the popular Disney/Pixar film WALL-E.

He is truly one of the greats and if I am going to pick just one person to be my favourite entertainer then Louis Armstrong is the one.