In 1964, Louis Armstrong knocked the Beatles off the top of the charts with his recording of “Hello, Dolly!” becoming, at age 62, the oldest artist to ever hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Sixty years later, Louis Armstrong remains a beloved cultural figure, his oft-imitated voice still instantly recognizable. But Armstrong is more than a source of levity — his artistry and innovations when he made his first recordings a century ago in 1923 set the template for the modern pop star. On this centennial episode, hear Armstrong as you’ve never heard him: a defiant, pathbreaking musician whose voice resonates in every hit record. Songs Discussed Louis Armstrong - Hello, Dolly! King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band - Dippermouth Blues Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra - Sugar Foot Stomp Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven - Potato Head Blues, West End Blues, Big Butter And Egg Man, Heebie Jeebies Louis Armstrong - Ain't Misbehavin', Dinah, I'm a Ding Dong Daddy (From Dumas), Black And Blue, Swing That Music Bing Crosby, The Mills Brothers - Dinah The Boswell Sisters - Heebie Jeebies Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife - Live At The Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, 1960 Joey Ramone - What a Wonderful World Ghostface Killah - The Forest Jon Batiste - What A Wonderful World MoreRead Terry Teachout’s brilliant biography of Armstrong, PopsVisit the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, NYListen to Lil Hardin Armstrong’s 1968 interview with Chris Albertson for Riverside Records Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Louis Armstrong, successful creator, discusses transitioning from partying to entrepreneurship, the value of travel in your 20s, comparing living in Bali vs Dubai, benefits of sobriety, dealing with toxic relationships, and personal branding challenges on social media.

Photographer and writer Val Wilmer shares her experiences meeting iconic musicians like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Her love for jazz and photography began at a young age, leading to a lifelong passion. She co-founded an all-female photographic agency and her work is held in prestigious collections. Val's Desert Island Discs choices include Langston Hughes' poetry and a music selection by Thelonious Monk.