Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World Original Spoken Intro Version A...

OMG, I loved Louis Armstrong, but I didn't know this about him. Thanks for posting. Mother took me to see him for my sixteenth birthday in 1970 at the Music Hall. Mother had to keep reminding me to breathe, because I was so intent on watching him from almost the front row. Mother paid $50.00 for each of us to go. I have written about Louie before. I need to add this to his story. RIP SATCHMO!

Around 1900, a Jewish family named the Karnofskys, who immigrated from Lithuania to the United States, took pity on the 7-year-old boy and brought him to their home.

There he stayed and spent the night with this Jewish family, where for the first time in his life he was treated with kindness and tenderness. When he went to bed, the family Matriarch Mrs Karnovsky sang Russian lullabies to him, which he eventually began to sing with her.

Later he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs. Over time, this boy became the adopted son of this family.

Mr. Karnofsky gave him money to buy a cornet, his first musical instrument. Apparently, buying a child's first instrument is a custom in Jewish families.

Later, when this child became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies taught to him by Mrs. Karnofsky in compositions such as St. James's Hospital and Go Down Moses.
The little boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family who adopted him. 

He proudly spoke Yiddish fluently. In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore the Star of David and said that in this family he learned "to live a real life and determination."
This little boy's name was Louis Armstrong.   courtesy of Marty Katz, 31 July 2022, Facebook