[bcsco]

I had a short acquaintance with Louis over the period of 4 years in my early teens. A gentleman and a superb musician. It was he who first called me “Jimbo”, a name I still use in recollection of how he treated me; a nobody.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

I always loved the story about how Louis' wife bought them a house while he was on the road in the 1943, a pretty modest place in Queens. When Louis returned from off the road, all he had was an address that he had to give to the cabbie. Later, when he could afford something much nicer, he refused to move. It was the only house he'd ever lived in, after years in orphanages and hotel rooms, and he was staying put. And when he was home (which wasn't much--he played 300 nights a year), he'd sit on his front steps and play for the kids in the neighborhood.

His importance to American music can hardly be overstated. And as much as his reputation was for his trumpet playing, it's probably his singing that has been more influential.