Biography of Louis Prima

Though he started in his native New Orleans -- heavily influenced by Louis Armstrong's playing and singing and composing the jazz anthem "Sing, Sing, Sing" -- Prima really hit his stride in the mid '40s. Combining Armstrong's scat singing style with Neapolitan gibberish and an irresistible rhythm, Prima created a string of hits that presaged the coming of rock & roll by a good dozen years. He moved to Las Vegas by the early '50s, hooked up with his wife Keely Smith and saxophonist Sam Butera, and ruled the late-night scene there for almost 20 years. A manic performer with an unbelievable sense of rhythm and humor, Louis Prima remains a true American music original. ~ Cub Koda