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Larry Tye: The Jazzmen Who Changed American History

By Lawrence Peryer | Spotlight On
September 6, 2025
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Today, the Spotlight shines on bestselling author and journalist Larry Tye.

Larry's latest book, The Jazzmen, tells the story of how

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington,

Louis Armstrong

trumpet and vocals
1901 - 1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Armstrong, and

" data-original-title="" title="">Count Basie transformed America. But this isn't just another music biography. Larry explores nearly every aspect of the lives and music of these men and demonstrates how their artistry helped lay the groundwork for the civil rights movement.

This is Larry's ninth book, following acclaimed biographies of figures like Bobby Kennedy, Joe McCarthy, and Satchel Paige. As a former Boston Globe reporter who now runs Harvard's Health Coverage Fellowship, he's spent decades making complex stories accessible to all of us.

Larry shares how three jazz masters changed more than music—they changed America itself.

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