Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father left the family shortly after he was born, and his mother often left him in the care of his grandmother while she went to work. Armstrong himself had to leave school in 5th grade to work and earn money for the family. The neighborhood he lived in was so poverty-stricken and run-down people called it "the battlefield."
Armstrong first fell in love with music in 1913. He developed his skills at the New Orleans Colored Waif's Home for Boys, a facility he was sent a number of times, most notably for firing an empty round from his stepfather's pistol into the air at a New Year's Eve party. During his stay, he took cornet lessons and discovered his love for music. After he was released from the home he continued to play, sometimes in public, and gained recognition around New Orleans. Soon he was discovered by the best cornet player in the city, Joe "King" Oliver, who mentored him and let him play in some of his shows.

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