Ricky Riccardi

And at first, Davis did not give Armstrong the time of day because he knew kids from Armstrong's neighborhood were nothing but trouble. But he saw that Lewis was always hanging around the band room and eventually started him on the tambourine and the drum and the horn, the bugle, and finally the cornet.

And at first, Davis did not give Armstrong the time of day because he knew kids from Armstrong's neighborhood were nothing but trouble. But he saw that Lewis was always hanging around the band room and eventually started him on the tambourine and the drum and the horn, the bugle, and finally the cornet.

And so on New Year's Eve, when Armstrong was arrested, the newspapers, you know, they referred to him... as Louis Armstrong, comma, old offender. That was his reputation at the age of 12. But then on Decoration Day, the Wavestone Band did a parade through Armstrong's neighborhood, and the newspapers covered that, and all of a sudden it was Louis Armstrong, comma,

And so on New Year's Eve, when Armstrong was arrested, the newspapers, you know, they referred to him... as Louis Armstrong, comma, old offender. That was his reputation at the age of 12. But then on Decoration Day, the Wavestone Band did a parade through Armstrong's neighborhood, and the newspapers covered that, and all of a sudden it was Louis Armstrong, comma,

And so on New Year's Eve, when Armstrong was arrested, the newspapers, you know, they referred to him... as Louis Armstrong, comma, old offender. That was his reputation at the age of 12. But then on Decoration Day, the Wavestone Band did a parade through Armstrong's neighborhood, and the newspapers covered that, and all of a sudden it was Louis Armstrong, comma,

And so the Waves Home made him into a musician. It really showed him this is your way out if you take this seriously. And he did. And even though they had this incredible music program, I followed the stories of some of the other kids there and who ended up, you know, shot in the head at the age of 17, who ended up in Sing Sing, who ended up, you know, a well-known pickpocket. And so, yeah.

And so the Waves Home made him into a musician. It really showed him this is your way out if you take this seriously. And he did. And even though they had this incredible music program, I followed the stories of some of the other kids there and who ended up, you know, shot in the head at the age of 17, who ended up in Sing Sing, who ended up, you know, a well-known pickpocket. And so, yeah.

And so the Waves Home made him into a musician. It really showed him this is your way out if you take this seriously. And he did. And even though they had this incredible music program, I followed the stories of some of the other kids there and who ended up, you know, shot in the head at the age of 17, who ended up in Sing Sing, who ended up, you know, a well-known pickpocket. And so, yeah.

He could have made any wrong choice at any time and have been one of those kids. He could have been gunned down. He could have been arrested. He could, you know, the whole sound of the 20th century could have changed. And we're just lucky that he had some angel on his shoulder or something that kind of helped him through. And we're all the beneficiaries.

He could have made any wrong choice at any time and have been one of those kids. He could have been gunned down. He could have been arrested. He could, you know, the whole sound of the 20th century could have changed. And we're just lucky that he had some angel on his shoulder or something that kind of helped him through. And we're all the beneficiaries.

He could have made any wrong choice at any time and have been one of those kids. He could have been gunned down. He could have been arrested. He could, you know, the whole sound of the 20th century could have changed. And we're just lucky that he had some angel on his shoulder or something that kind of helped him through. And we're all the beneficiaries.

Yeah, that was his main occupation. He had other little odd jobs, but the cold cart, he wrote a song called Cold Cart Blues, and he knew of what he sang because this was something that he probably started.

Yeah, that was his main occupation. He had other little odd jobs, but the cold cart, he wrote a song called Cold Cart Blues, and he knew of what he sang because this was something that he probably started.

Yeah, that was his main occupation. He had other little odd jobs, but the cold cart, he wrote a song called Cold Cart Blues, and he knew of what he sang because this was something that he probably started.

I've kind of narrowed it down to probably 10 or 11 years old, and he did it right until, well, excusing the Waif's home exile there for a year and a half, but he did it once again right until the armistice was declared in World War I. And this was back-breaking work.

I've kind of narrowed it down to probably 10 or 11 years old, and he did it right until, well, excusing the Waif's home exile there for a year and a half, but he did it once again right until the armistice was declared in World War I. And this was back-breaking work.

I've kind of narrowed it down to probably 10 or 11 years old, and he did it right until, well, excusing the Waif's home exile there for a year and a half, but he did it once again right until the armistice was declared in World War I. And this was back-breaking work.

You know, he would wake up in the morning and, you know, fill up a cart with coal and then he had a mule and he would go through the neighborhoods, you know, shouting out who needs coal. And, you know, this was tough. And then when he wanted to become a musician at the age of 15, 16 years old, he would get gigs at night.

You know, he would wake up in the morning and, you know, fill up a cart with coal and then he had a mule and he would go through the neighborhoods, you know, shouting out who needs coal. And, you know, this was tough. And then when he wanted to become a musician at the age of 15, 16 years old, he would get gigs at night.

You know, he would wake up in the morning and, you know, fill up a cart with coal and then he had a mule and he would go through the neighborhoods, you know, shouting out who needs coal. And, you know, this was tough. And then when he wanted to become a musician at the age of 15, 16 years old, he would get gigs at night.