" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Armstrong was arguably the most celebrated performer of the twentieth century. Known around the world for his prodigious talent on the trumpet, his inimitable vocal stylings, and as the foremost ambassador of jazz, Satchmo, as his fans lovingly knew him, cut an iconic figure in American music. While his public-facing image was that of a smiling showman, author Ricky Riccardi strips away the veneer to reveal the complex and sensitive man behind the horn in this comprehensive period biography. Drawing on Armstrong's voluminous private correspondence, and hours of homemade tapes on which Satchmo reveals his innermost feelings, a portrait emerges in Heart Full of Rhythm of a sensitive, compassionate artist who loved the spotlight and worked tirelessly to earn the accolades he richly deserved.

It's no exaggeration to say that many Americans felt they knew the trumpeter, due to his down-to-earth persona, the unique Satchmo patois he used publicly, and the palpable love for his audience whenever he stepped on stage, in front of a microphone, or a camera. In the book's epilogue, Riccardi argues, "At the end of the day, that is what Louis Armstrong's life was really all about: he made everybody who came to see him feel good all over." Best known for his ground-breaking small ensemble recordings in the 1920s, and his string of pop hits in the 1950s-'60s, the trumpeter's middle years, from 1928-1947, are less well known. It is this period that is the basis for Riccardi's latest work on the man known to his friends as Pops. In his latest meticulously researched biography, Riccardi mines the rich history of Armstrong's life, loves, business and legal affairs, and most importantly, his musical output, to reveal the unquestionable impact that the jazzman had on all of American music. Armstrong was acutely aware of the forces of racism and Jim Crow limits working against him daily, even limiting his ability to perform a concert in his hometown of New Orleans since his band was integrated. He chose to face these obstacles with public equanimity, although in private, Riccardi reveals, Armstrong called out racism for what it really was, a stain on the soul of his beloved America.

Riccardi's day gig is Archivist for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. In that capacity, he has spent countless hours digging through the historical record, using Satchmo's extensive archive of letters, photos, unreleased recordings, news reports, and myriad interviews with Armstrong contemporaries. What emerges is a story of an African American artist buffeted by the forces of a music industry controlled entirely by white managers, as the band leader fought to maintain his own musical identity. From the time he left New Orleans heading to Chicago in the 1920s, Armstrong lived a rough and tumble life as a black musician and band leader, literally charting new territory at a time when a highly segregated America placed strict limits on what was acceptable behaviors for every person of color, even celebrities. The book documents many of Armstrong's important firsts, each of which helped foster greater opportunities for other African American performers. In 1936 he became the first black performer to receive star billing in the