Bolden

This is WSNB Radio New Orleans

live broadcasting from the beautiful Suburban Gardens here,

where our special guest this evening, Mr. Louis Armstrong,

is back in New Orleans after ten long years.

He's come back here a big, big star.

...on WSNB Radio New Orleans.

And our next broadcast is brought to you by,

uh, Royal Crown Hair Cream.

That's right. Your hair'll be curling...

[INDISTINCT CHATTER AND LAUGHTER]

What a crowd here...

Yes, sir.

Our station manager handed me a paper here

that says to his recollection,

this will be the first time a colored boy will be on the radio in New Orleans.

All right, so we see they're dimming the lights here,

and, uh, our MC is approaching the microphone

to begin this evening's broadcast.

I ain't announcing no nigger man on the radio.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm Mr. Armstrong.

Hello. You like that?

I said we back home, we back home.

Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks.

Thank you, folks. Look out here, folks.

Now, this goes out to all you lovely people in here

and all my beautiful brothers and sisters outside on the levee.

The first I'm going to play for you

is You Rascal You. You Rascal You.

Look out here, fellas, look out.

You ready? Here we go. One...

¶ Boy, you know one thing?

¶ I'll sure be glad when you're dead

[ARMSTRONG CONTINUES CHATTERING OVER RADIO]

¶ Laughin' and grinnin' in my face

¶ You're trying to be in the back with my wife, you old dog

[ARMSTRONG CONTINUES SINGING OVER RADIO]

¶ I'll be glad when you're dead you rascal, you

¶ I'll be glad when you're dead you rascal you

¶ I'll be glad when you're dead you rascal you

¶ When you're layin' six feet deep

¶ No more fried chicken will you eat

¶ You ain't no good, you rascal you ¶

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, folks. Thank you, folks. Thank you, thank you.

[ARMSTRONG SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY OVER RADIO]

Ladies and gentlemen, listen to the crowd

welcoming home the wonderful Louis Armstrong in New Orleans.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER CONTINUES OVER RADIO]

This here is my sister, Miss Nora Bass.

Nora, this is Mr. Charles Bolden.

He live on First Street.

Maybe you should invite Mr. Bolden to Sunday service with us.

Nora.

You don't seem like much a church-going man, Mr. Bolden.

Mama and me, we go to...

Mama and me, we go to First Street Baptist.

Mama.

This is Mr. Charles Bolden.

This is my mama, Mrs. Ida Bass.

How do you do, Mrs. Ida...

How do you make your livin', Mr. Bolden?

I make the church music better.

I make the church music better.

So what do a manager do?

What do a manager do?

Oh.

I take care of the business

while you take care of your music.

Your music got power. I hear it.

I seen what it do to folks.

-Take power like you got... -

...combine it with a business purpose,

that's what a manager do.

You a sensation, Bolden.

You play horn louder than the day's long,

even in the hot sun.

You got women dropping to your feet, hoping to carry your horn.

The day you was born, you was kissed on the lips

with something only you got, ain't nobody else got it.

Folks hear your music,

they understand something

can't hardly put to words.

And I know how to sell what you got.

And you...

...you better listen to me.

Mmm-hmm.

How the band supposed to make more money if we gotta pay you?

I put you in front of a white audience.

Jesus Christ, Bartley.

Yeah.

You ever done this?

I got to fly the balloon.

Boy, they don't like this one bit, huh?

How long before we gotta start this...

-Oh, no, I'll be damned. -Oh, yeah.

Oh, no. Buddy.

Bartley, I don't think this is a good idea.

Oh, you'll be all right. You'll be great.

I won't fall?

Come on, you got to go now.

Yeah?

Why the fuck am I doing this?

All right.

I... Tell me... Tell me when to jump.

Play it loud!

-Stop the cart. Stop the cart. -Whoa, whoa.

[RAGTIME MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING]

Oh.

Thanks for the crowd.

Whoo!

Hey, Buddy Bolden!

Whoo!

Stop.

[ARMSTRONG CHATTERING OVER RADIO]

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

I see that we have someone who can't not be here today.

Right over there.

You know, folks, they helped me get my very first cornet.

Yes, they did.

I was just a little boy back then.

¶ Oh, that's it right there

¶ Every night

¶ You'll hear her croon

¶ A Russian lullaby

¶ Oh, just

¶ Just a little plaintive tune

¶ When baby starts to cry

¶ Rock-a-bye, my baby... ¶

[ARMSTRONG CHATTERING OVER RADIO]

You all right down here, Buddy?

- -

...Radio broadcasting live from Suburban Gardens

in New Orleans.