Ricky Riccardi

And Kid Ori, the trombone player, he comes in at the wrong time. And even Armstrong himself, he admitted that he thought that they would try it again. But E.A. Fern, who was the producer for OK of this particular recording, He came in and said, we're going to take a chance on this one. And so even with the imperfections and all this stuff, they knew that that vocal had something different.

And Fern was the man that Armstrong gave credit for using the word scat. And in the book, I have a cover of the sheet music from later 1926. It's spelled S-K-A-T. But even though you can find other instances of wordless vocalizing on record before heebie-jeebies, for all intents and purposes, this is the record that really put scat singing on the map.

And Fern was the man that Armstrong gave credit for using the word scat. And in the book, I have a cover of the sheet music from later 1926. It's spelled S-K-A-T. But even though you can find other instances of wordless vocalizing on record before heebie-jeebies, for all intents and purposes, this is the record that really put scat singing on the map.

And Fern was the man that Armstrong gave credit for using the word scat. And in the book, I have a cover of the sheet music from later 1926. It's spelled S-K-A-T. But even though you can find other instances of wordless vocalizing on record before heebie-jeebies, for all intents and purposes, this is the record that really put scat singing on the map.

Well, to Armstrong, he said that the concept of a trumpet player or any instrumentalist also singing was just – it was a foreign concept at that time. People just didn't do it.

Well, to Armstrong, he said that the concept of a trumpet player or any instrumentalist also singing was just – it was a foreign concept at that time. People just didn't do it.

Well, to Armstrong, he said that the concept of a trumpet player or any instrumentalist also singing was just – it was a foreign concept at that time. People just didn't do it.

Either one or the other, exactly. But there was also something about Armstrong where I just think his natural personality, his showmanship, his mugging, his way of putting over a song, especially when he got to New York. I think the Henderson and the men in his band, which kind of fancy themselves as –

Either one or the other, exactly. But there was also something about Armstrong where I just think his natural personality, his showmanship, his mugging, his way of putting over a song, especially when he got to New York. I think the Henderson and the men in his band, which kind of fancy themselves as –

Either one or the other, exactly. But there was also something about Armstrong where I just think his natural personality, his showmanship, his mugging, his way of putting over a song, especially when he got to New York. I think the Henderson and the men in his band, which kind of fancy themselves as –

You know, Harlem Renaissance intellectuals, they kind of look down at that kind of Southern fried performing style. And so Armstrong, he for the rest of his life, he always said Henderson had a million dollar talent in his band, but he missed the boat. And I even called one of the chapters in the book Blessed Assurance, because I think before anybody else, Armstrong was confident.

You know, Harlem Renaissance intellectuals, they kind of look down at that kind of Southern fried performing style. And so Armstrong, he for the rest of his life, he always said Henderson had a million dollar talent in his band, but he missed the boat. And I even called one of the chapters in the book Blessed Assurance, because I think before anybody else, Armstrong was confident.

You know, Harlem Renaissance intellectuals, they kind of look down at that kind of Southern fried performing style. And so Armstrong, he for the rest of his life, he always said Henderson had a million dollar talent in his band, but he missed the boat. And I even called one of the chapters in the book Blessed Assurance, because I think before anybody else, Armstrong was confident.

in his abilities as a vocalist. He knew it was different and he knew if he only got the chance, you know, people would respond. And here we are, you know, 2025, what a wonderful world just went, you know, certified double platinum in 2024 of a record where he doesn't even play a note of trumpet. So once again, you know, Armstrong kind of has the last laugh.

in his abilities as a vocalist. He knew it was different and he knew if he only got the chance, you know, people would respond. And here we are, you know, 2025, what a wonderful world just went, you know, certified double platinum in 2024 of a record where he doesn't even play a note of trumpet. So once again, you know, Armstrong kind of has the last laugh.

in his abilities as a vocalist. He knew it was different and he knew if he only got the chance, you know, people would respond. And here we are, you know, 2025, what a wonderful world just went, you know, certified double platinum in 2024 of a record where he doesn't even play a note of trumpet. So once again, you know, Armstrong kind of has the last laugh.

He just needed that opportunity to let people hear that distinctive voice of his.

He just needed that opportunity to let people hear that distinctive voice of his.

He just needed that opportunity to let people hear that distinctive voice of his.

Another point that he always wanted to stress, you know, because people would say, oh, you know, the trumpet player, that's the genius. You know, the guy singing and that's kind of he's just doing that, you know, just to commercialize himself. And we put these songs over. But no, I have a quote from Arvel Shaw. I said that if Armstrong never picked up the trumpet, he would have been a singer.