[Dixielandjazz] Fw: Banjoist on Armstrong's "Hello Dolly"

[Robert Ringwald]

This info from Nick Dragos, long-time Jazz DJ on KXJZ Sacramento, now retired.  

From: Nick Dragos:
  eSent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 11:47 AM
To: Robert Ringwald 
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Banjoist on Armstrong's "Hello Dolly"



Bob, 


I checked several sources.......


Here's what the online "Louis Armstrong Discography" 
{which I find very accurate} says:

Louis Armstrong and The All Stars
December 3, 1963, New York, NY
Hello, Dolly! (Herman, Jerry) -- Kapp 573 
A Lot Of Livin' To Do (Adams, Lee; Shouse, Charles) -- Kapp 573

Armstrong, Louis (Trumpet, Vocal) 
Young, Trummy (Trombone) 
Darensbourg, Joe (Clarinet) 
Gottuso, Tony (Banjo, Guitar) 
Kyle, Billy (Piano) 
Shaw, Arvell (Bass) 
Barcelona, Danny (Drums)

The publisher got Glaser to get Armstrong to record this tune from a show that had yet to open simply 

as a way to promote the show. Louis and the boys clearly didn't think much of this toss-off tune and the 

record company overdubbed the cheesy banjo to give it a little extra pep. But when Glaser heard the demo, 

he knew it was a hit and pushed hard to get it released. Within weeks, it would be the biggest selling disc in 

America (at the height of Beatlemania) and fuel Armstrong's popularity throughout his final decade.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This story, with slightly different verbiage, is also in Terry Teachout's "Pops", 
and in Gary Giddins' "Satchmo" - without naming Tony Gottuso.


The Puerto Rico story was mentioned in Laurence Bergreen's "Louis Armstrong -
An Extravagant Life" {Bergreen also recalled it in my taped radio interview
with him in 1997}.


Nick Dragos