Archive Record
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2016.91.8 |
Title |
[Reel-to-reel tape recorded by Louis Armstrong] |
Object Type |
Tape |
Collection |
Satchmo Collection |
Description |
Tape begins with Louis in conversation with two women; asks one to spell the name of African-American soprano singer Mary Frances Crowley; Louis comes on the microphone and addresses “folks” listening, telling him he’s sitting with these two women and wants them to hear the singing of Mary Frances Crowley; Louis hopes Arthur Godfrey or Horace Heidt can discover her; Lous introduces the women, Clorinda Smith and Bella Lamar; Louis makes joke about getting a new knee in Africa (“That’s where the knee grows”); Smith and Lamar talk about Crowley not coming to New York until she gets an opportunity; they play six records by Crowley, including “The Lord’s Prayer” and “I Want Jesus.” At the end of the records, Louis, Smith and Lamar talk about Crowley; Smith mentions she’s going back to Chicago but gives Lamar’s NY address in case people want to contact Crowley; Louis talks about the importance of helping out new talent and complains about some people being lazy; reel ends with Louis taking a phone call from Dotsie Crouch, Stuff Crouch’s wife; Louis talks about packing and getting ready to make a trip (mentions Africa); compliments pictures of Julie and Cheryl Crouch that Dotsie sent; asks about Stuff’s health; Louis talks about gaining 50 pounds and needing to buy all new clothes; Louis blames the weight gain on milk of magnesia (tape ends in mid-conversation). Side 2 Recording of Louis Armstrong in his hotel room in Berlin, October 12, 1952, in conversation with Lucille Armstrong and Guergen Rovermann (sic?); Tape opens with Louis and listening to Martha Tilton on the radio; they look at the book Guergen gave Louis from German Brunswick; Louis praises the book, even though it’s entirely in German; talks about using German lip salve by Franz Schuritz for the previous 25 years; they look through the book; Louis talks about buying a scrapbook and pasting stuff in from his German trip; Louis shows off lip salve and talks about using it; Louis tells story about eating dinner by a Countess in Rome; Louis tells story about performing in New Orleans in 1931 and not being allowed to play for black audiences; talk about a friend stealing a watch from Louis before he left New Orleans for Houston in 1931; Louis asks Guergen to inscribe his book; the maid enters and Louis orders four bottles of German beer; Louis talks about hearing good jazz in Germany; Louis talks about Berlin meeting his expectations; playing with Germans, including a trombonist friend from the Jack Hylton band; Louis talks about going to Mannheim to meet Franz Schurtiz and how he wants him to rename is lip salve “Satchmo Salve” and doesn’t even want any money for it; Louis talks about first using the salve in 1929 and getting $250 worth before World War II; maid comes back in and Louis talks about German girls; Louis mentions Hans Bluthner of the Hot Club; Louis says he bought the tape recorder in Copenhagen and will give it to Hans Bluthner when the tour is over (he couldn’t use his American tape recorder in Europe); Louis talks about tape recording and how you get one hour on each side; Louis mentions he was recording the radio when they came; Louis asks the chambermaid, Elizabeth Smith, to speak; she mentions she was supposed to be a secretary but needed money so is a chambermaid; Louis talks about having his “ups and downs” the same as everyone else; Louis mentions being too old to enlist in World War II but he played the army camps; Louis says, “When you look around, it’s all over so the hell with it. If you can get any kicks of any kind, do that”; tells chambermaid to get a boyfriend; waiter comes in and Louis compliments for being a “sharp waiter” and asks him to give his name (Hammersmith); Louis says he’s not working that night so he’s going to enjoy his beer; Louis plays tape back for those in the room; recording of rhythm and blues radio show: “Walkin’ and Talkin’ (And Crying My Blues Away)” (Dinah Washington); disc jockey introduces Wynonie Harris record; “Tremblin’” (Wynonie Harris). |
People |
Armstrong, Lucille Wilson Crouch, Dotsie Crouch, Stuff Crowley, Mary Frances Laing, Jimmy Lamar, Bella Roverman, Guergen Schuritz, Franz Smith, Clorinda Smith, Elizabeth |
Search Terms |
Berlin Germany New Orleans |
Date |
August 1957 |
Year Range from |
1952 |
Year Range to |
1957 |
Accession number |
2016.91 |