33 Louis Armstrong Quotes: The Satchmo

Louis Armstrong as an American trumpeter and vocalist. Armstrong was born and raised in New Orleans. Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an inventive trumpet and cornet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance.

Louis Armstrong is considered the leading trumpeter and one of the most influential artists in jazz history, who helped develop jazz into a fine art. The most popular Louis Armstrong song today is “What A Wonderful World”. He received many accolades including three Grammy Award nominations and a win for his vocal performance of Hello, Dolly! in 1964. In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

This is a collection of Louis Armstrong Quotes on Jazz, Love and playing.

If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know. Louis Armstrong

Don't do nothing halfway, else you find yourself dropping more than can be picked up. Louis Armstrong

Love baby, love. That's the secret, yeah. If lots more of us loved each other, we'd solve lots more problems. And then this world would be a gasser. That's wha' ol' Pops keeps saying. Louis Armstrong

I'm a spade, you're an ofay. Let's play. Louis Armstrong

There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell them. Louis Armstrong

A lotta cats copy the Mona Lisa, but people still line up to see the original. Louis Armstrong

There's only two ways to sum up music; either it's good or it's bad. If it's good you don't mess about it, you just enjoy it. Louis Armstrong

If ya ain't got it in ya, ya can't blow it out. Louis Armstrong

The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician. Louis Armstrong

My whole life, my whole soul, my whole spirit is to blow that horn. Louis Armstrong

There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell them. Louis Armstrong

There's some folks, that, if they don't know, you can't tell 'em. Louis Armstrong

To jazz, or not to jazz, there is no question! Louis Armstrong

Each man has his own music bubbling up inside him. Louis Armstrong

There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell 'em. Louis Armstrong

Never play a thing the same way twice. Louis Armstrong

What we play is life. Louis Armstrong

It ain't whatcha say, it's the way howcha say it. Louis Armstrong

My life has always been my music, it's always come first, but the music ain't worth nothing if you can't lay it on the public. The main thing is to live for that audience, 'cause what you're there for is to please the people. Louis Armstrong

If it hadn't been for Jazz, there wouldn't be no rock and roll. Louis Armstrong

Love is talkative passion. Louis Armstrong

Not too slow, not too fast. Kind of like half-fast. Louis Armstrong

You either have it or you don't. You play your horn just like you sing a song or a hymn. If it's in your heart, you express yourself in the tune. Louis Armstrong

I don't need words. It's all in the phrasing. Louis Armstrong