Louis Armstrong Reads ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas
While poking around for Christmas music, I found this little-known recording of Louis Armstrong reading ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas, recorded shortly before he died.
The poem, first published in 1823, would be Armstrong’s final commercial recording. Armstrong taped it on February 26, 1971, on a reel-to-reel recorder at his home in Queens, New York, during his last spell of good health.
Truly one of the great voices of all time.
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For Christmas music, I cannot recommend highly enough 1990’s Christmas Party With Eddie G, a compilation of oddities and surf-rock tunes. Super fun and unusual. A refreshing rejoinder to the hoary old classics.
oh man this was so great. his voice just makes you feel something. listening to him put me more in the christmas spirit than i've been all month.
Highly recommend checking out the life of Lillian Hardin Armstrong, Louis' first wife. She was a musician, bandleader, and later a tailor. She told young Louis two important things: 1. he needed to dress better, and 2. he needed to leave King Oliver's group and go solo. They divorced in 1938 but remained close. After he died, she performed at his memorial, collapsed on stage, and died on the way to the hospital. Someone needs to make a movie of her extraordinary life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lil_Hardin_Armstrong
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