Louis Armstrong

Pops, did you hear the story of long John Dean?
Not yet drummer
A bold bank robber from Bowlin' Green
Was sent to the jail house yesterday
But late last night he made his getaway

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

Long John stood on the railroad tie
Waitin' for freight train to come by
Freight train came by puffin' and flyin'
Oughta seen long John grabbin' that blind

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
Long gone John from Bowlin' Green

They caught him in Frisco to seal his fate
At San Quentin they jailed him one evening late
But out on the ocean, John did escape
'Cause the guards forgot to close the Golden Gate

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

While they offered a reward to bring him back
Even put bloodhounds on his track
Those doggone bloodhounds lost his scent
Now nobody knows where John went

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

A gang of men tried to capture Dean
So they chased him with a submarine
Dean jumped overboard and grabbed the submarine
And made that gang catch a flyin' machine

He's long gone from Kentucky
A long gone, that boy's lucky?
A long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

He's long gone, I said from Kentucky
Long gone, hmm that boy's lucky
Long gone, yeah he's got nothing in the head
Long gone, long gone

Louis Armstrong, known throughout his lengthy career by nicknames like “Satchmo”, “Pops” and simply “Louie”, was a trumpeter, composer, singer and occasional actor, as well as one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz.

Born and raised in New Orleans, where jazz itself is alleged to have began, Armstrong started his career in 1918, playing the cornet in brass bands and riverboats along the Mississippi River. There, he caught the attention of his future mentor, King Oliver, joining his band in Chicago, where he networked with other popular jazz musicians like Hoagy Carmichael and his first wife Lil Hardin Armstrong.

In 1924, Louie relocated to New York City playing for the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. It was at this time he switched over from cornet to trumpet in order to blend in better with the other musicians in his section. It was also when he developed his emotional playing style, which included singing and telling tales of his life back in New Orleans.

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Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy

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Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy (1954)

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Long Gone (From the Bowlin’ Green) (rehearsal sequence)Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy