Louis Armstrong
Trumpeter/vocalist Louis Armstrong is perhaps the single most influential artist in the history of jazz. He started out in the "hot" bands of 1920s New Orleans, and was one of the first to introduce solo improvisation into the jazz idiom. Over the next several decades, his style altered little, but his disciples were legion. Armstrong, affectionately known as "Satchmo," was among the most loved figures in American popular music; his prolific recording career, along with the timeless nature of his work, ensures that his legacy will continue.