As a youth back in the early 60’s, I became acquainted with Louis and his entire “All Stars” band over the course of a few years. It was he who first gave me the nickname “Jimbo” that I’ve welcomed in his honor ever since.
Talking to him was like talking to your best buddy. Easy, fun and full of laughs. BTW, the All Star regulars who were with him at the time were Trummy Young, trombone, Ed Hall/Barney Bigard, clarinet, Barrett Deems, drums, Arvell Shaw, bass and Billy Kyle, piano. Oh, and Velma Middleton was always there to sing. What a show they put on.
PJ, see our bcsco/Jimbo’s recollections of Louis Armstrong in post 6.
Very cool! You are a lucky man indeed...I heard an interesting story a while back that he habitually called everyone “Pops” in the same way some people call others names like “dude” or “sister”. Maybe he did it because he wasn’t good with names...:)
But there was one jazz musician who was actually known as “Pops” by everyone else, and the story was that Louis Armstrong never called him Pops, but always addressed him by his first name, George.
I thought that was an entertaining anecdote, don’t know if it is true, though!