Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong Signed
For Two Concerts Here March 28
Louis "Satchmo” Armstrong and his Fabulous trumpet the United States’ musical ambassadors to the world, Will appear in two one and one half hour concerts the Southern Illinois University campus Thursday, March 28
Official signing of the contract with "Satchmo" by Delta Chi Fraternity, sponsoring oganization took place this week. The concerts will be given in Shryock Auditorium.
The March 28 date is the second day of the spring quarter.
Armstrong will bring with him to SIU, vocalist Velma Middleton, and his all-stars, a five-piece aggregation featuring Trummy Young on the trombone and Edmond Hall on the clarinet.
Young recently finished seventh in the national Playboy Jan Poll in the trombonist division while hall placed eighth in the clarinet division.
Also with the All-Stars will be Billy Kyle at the Piano, Barrett Deems on drums, and Squire Genal on the base.
Delta Chi contracted the concert for $4,000.
General admission at both shows will be $1.50, while reserved seats will sell for $1.75 and $2.00.
"Satchmo" who Hary James says is "our greatest musician," returned last fall from a European and African tour which prompted many to dub him as "America's ambassador to the world."
Immediately after returning from tour, "Satchmo" started preliminary procedures for a passport to Russia.
"I'll thaw those Soviet cars by bruising them with the happy music." he said.
In Africa, he started a three-day engagement by playing to 100,000 people in Accra, Gold Coast. He was greeted by 10,000 at the airport.
This will be Armstrong's first appearance on the campus.