A grandson of slaves, he was
raised in a New Orleans ward so treacherous it was called “The
Battlefield.” There prostitution,
gambling, and drunkenness were as frequent as the sunrise.
When his father abandoned the family, the boy dropped out of
elementary school to help support his mother’s meager income as a prostitute. Talk about a difficult childhood!
A family of Jewish immigrants took pity on the 7-year-old
boy, hiring him as a coal delivery boy, and soon took the starving child under
their wing. The Karnofskys also experienced the ungodly
treatment by “other white folks” who felt they were better than the Jews. For the first time in his life he was treated
with kindness. He’d wear a Star of David
pendant for the rest of his life to honor the Lithuanian family who taught him
about courage and determination.
Even at an early age he proved to be gifted in music,
singing on the streets of the Big Easy for spare coins. His broad smile earned him the nickname
"Satchel Mouth.” He didn’t receive
any formal musical training until age 11, when he was arrested for firing a
pistol in the air during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
Released from the Waif’s Home 18 months later, he set his
sights on becoming a professional musician.
While he still had to work odd jobs selling newspapers and hauling coal in
the city’s famed red-light district, the kid became fascinated by the bands
playing in the brothels and dance halls.
One of the greatest cornet players in town, Joe ‘King’
Oliver noted his surprising talent and began mentoring him; occasionally even using
him as a sub. He quickly began earning a
reputation as an accomplished blues player.
You might recognize his name.
That little boy was Louis "Satchmo"
Armstrong. “Satchmo” had been truncated
from “Satchel Mouth” when a London writer mistakenly contracted the two words after
meeting Armstrong. The rest, they say,
is musical History.
But none of his fame could have been possible without the
help of strangers. From the Karnofskys
who loaned young Louis money to buy his first ($5) cornet, to the various
musicians who guided his musical career, they formed the backbone behind his
dream.
They helped paved the path and provided the direction that
pointed him towards his vision. They
also helped him make important connections.
There are lives out there waiting to be impacted by YOU. Feel the fear … and do it anyway!
My Lord and Mentor, how blessed I am for Your
friendship and guidance. And as is the
case of mentorship, I can never repay You -except by mentoring and pouring my
life into young people who come into my own life. Amen
