Louis Prima facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Louis Prima
Prima in 1947
Background information
Birth name	Louis Leo Prima
Also known as	The King of Swing
Born	(1910-12-07)December 7, 1910 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	August 24, 1978(1978-08-24) (aged 67) New Orleans, Louisiana
Genres	Jazz swing traditional pop jump blues big band
Occupation(s)	Musician entertainer bandleader
Instruments	Vocals trumpet
Years active	1929–1975
Labels	Capitol, Dot
Associated acts	Gia Maione Keely Smith Sam Butera and the Witnesses Lou Sino Ray Vasquez Vocalist and Trombonist

Louis Leo Prima (born December 7, 1910 – died August 24, 1978) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpet player. He was known for his energetic performances and unique blend of musical styles.

Louis Prima started his career playing New Orleans jazz and swing music. Over the years, he explored many different types of music. He led a small jazz band in the 1920s and a larger big band in the 1940s. He also helped make jump blues popular in the 1950s. Later, he became famous for his lively shows in Las Vegas.

Prima's music often included elements of Italian folk music, like the tarantella. He proudly showed off his Italian and Sicilian background in his songs. This was important because it helped other musicians from different backgrounds feel comfortable sharing their own heritage.

Many people also know Louis Prima as the voice of King Louie, the fun-loving orangutan in the 1967 Disney movie The Jungle Book.

Early Life in New Orleans

Louis Leo Prima grew up in a musical Italian American family in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father's family came from Sicily, and his mother's family came from the island of Ustica. Louis was the second of four children.

His mother loved music and made sure all her children learned an instrument. Louis started playing the violin at St. Ann's Parish. He became very interested in jazz after hearing black musicians, including the famous Louis Armstrong. In New Orleans at that time, Italian immigrants and African Americans often spent time together in the same clubs. These clubs welcomed everyone and were places where jazz music thrived. Louis's passion for jazz grew from watching both black and Italian jazz artists play together.

Louis Prima learned a lot by listening to music from clubs and watching his older brother, Leon, play the cornet. When Leon went away for a summer, Louis practiced constantly on his brother's cornet. In 1924, he formed his first band with childhood friends, including "Candy" Candido on bass.

He attended Jesuit High School but later moved to Warren Easton High. There, he played in the school band, the "Eastonites." By 1928, Louis decided he wanted to be a professional musician.

Music Career Begins

After high school, Louis Prima had some early jobs that didn't quite work out. In 1929, he joined the Ellis Stratako Orchestra, but a gig in Florida fell through. He didn't give up, though! He found a temporary job playing on a steamship called the Capital.

While working on the Capital, he met his first wife, Louise Polizzi, and they married in 1929. From 1931 to 1932, Prima performed at the Avalon Club, which was owned by his brother, Leon. His first big break came when Lou Forbes hired him for shows at The Saenger theater.

Moving to New York City

During the Great Depression, many musicians dreamed of making it big in New York City. In 1934, the famous bandleader Guy Lombardo met Prima while he was performing in New Orleans.

Prima's first planned show in New York City was at a club called Leon and Eddie's. However, one of the owners didn't hire him at first because he thought Prima was Black.

Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang

In September 1934, Prima started recording music for the Brunswick label. He recorded songs like "That's Where the South Begins" and "Star Dust."

His band, "Prima and his New Orleans Gang," included Frank Pinero on piano and Pee Wee Russell on clarinet. They had their first show at a club called the Famous Door. Prima's recordings from 1935 mixed Dixieland jazz with swing music. In May 1935, they had a national hit with "The Lady in Red."

The comedian Martha Raye helped Prima's career. They performed a show together that led to Prima's first national appearance on "The Fleischman Hour." In March 1936, Prima recorded "Sing Sing Sing," which later became a huge hit for Benny Goodman.

Trying Out California

Prima moved to California to expand his music, as big bands were becoming very popular. He hired new musicians and brought in his childhood friend, Frank Federico, to play guitar.

While his career was growing, his first marriage ended in divorce in 1936. A few months later, he started a relationship with actress Alma Ross. They married in July 1936. Prima kept traveling with his band along the East Coast.

Prima tried to switch to the big band style, but it was a challenge. He went to Chicago to promote his new big band sound, but it wasn't successful at first.

Back to New York and Success

In 1937, Prima and his smaller band returned to the Famous Door in New York. He also performed at Billy Rose's Casa Mañana club in 1938, earning a lot of money in just a few weeks.

A major booking agency, William Morris Agency, sent him on tours across the country. The band often traveled by car to save money.

World War II Era

In 1939, Prima was booked to perform in theaters for Black audiences in several cities. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt even attended his show in Washington D.C. and invited him to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's birthday party. Being seen with the President greatly increased his fame. Louis Prima was not able to serve in World War II due to a knee injury, so he continued to perform.

Prima and his trumpet, c. 1947

By the mid-1940s, Prima was very successful. People would buy tickets early in the morning for his shows that evening. Even though there was some anti-Italian feeling during the war, Prima continued to record Italian songs. His most famous Italian song was "Angelina," named after his mother. Other popular ones included "Please No Squeeza Da Banana" and "Felicia No Capicia."

He performed these Italian songs at the Strand Theatre in New York, bringing in huge crowds. He also sold out shows in Detroit and Chicago.

Prima had several big hits in 1945, like "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time." Around this time, his marriage to Alma ended in divorce. He later married his secretary, Tracelene Barrett.

As the war ended, big band music became less popular. By 1947, Prima started playing more jazzy versions of his songs. He recorded new music with RCA Victor. In 1948, Prima and Tracelene had a baby girl.

Louis Prima's Personality

Fans knew Louis Prima as a friendly and patient star. He always smiled when signing autographs or posing for pictures. However, he was very firm with record companies and big businesses, always wanting the best deals for his work.

He had expensive tastes. He loved to shop for fancy clothes and always wore top-brand suits. He also spent a lot of money on horse racing and owned his own horses. He said gambling helped him relax, and riding horses was another favorite hobby. He also enjoyed boating and even bought a boat for his third wife, Tracelene, for their honeymoon.

Meeting Keely Smith

Keely Smith was twenty years old when she met Prima in August 1948. She went to see him perform in Virginia Beach. To her surprise, Prima was looking for a new female singer. Keely auditioned and got the job, soon traveling with his band.

Prima signed with Columbia Records in 1951. His hits during this time included "Chop Suey, Chow Mein." To help with his expenses, he decided to perform in smaller clubs. In 1953, he divorced Tracelene and, less than a month later, married Keely Smith. He wanted to make Keely a star and helped her find her unique style, especially as rock and roll music was becoming popular. Prima was open to rock 'n' roll, unlike some other artists. He believed that "the kids had an instinct for the kind of music that's fun to listen to and dance to."

A New Act in Las Vegas

In 1954, Prima was offered a chance to perform at The Sahara in Las Vegas with his new act featuring Keely Smith. He brought in New Orleans saxophonist Sam Butera and his band, "The Witnesses." Their show was a huge success! This led Prima to sign with Capitol Records in 1955. The group performed regularly in Las Vegas for many years.

He released his first album with Capitol Records, The Wildest!, in 1956. In 1957, Louis and Keely released The Call of the Wildest. Keely also released her own album, I Wish You Love, and won a Grammy Award for it in 1958.

Keely was named the number one female vocalist by Billboard and Variety in 1958–59. The duo also had a Top 40 hit with their version of "That Old Black Magic," which also won them a Grammy. Louis and Keely had two daughters together. Prima later moved his shows to the Desert Inn, where he earned a lot of money.

Prima signed with Dot Records in 1959 and released several albums. The constant performing affected Louis and Keely's marriage. In January 1961, Prima was invited by Frank Sinatra to perform for President John F. Kennedy. Louis and Keely performed "Old Black Magic" together. However, the constant shows and Prima's personal life became too much for Keely. She filed for divorce in Las Vegas.

After Keely left his act, Prima tried to show he didn't need her. He even said in a newspaper that he would never work with her again.

Prima's father passed away in 1961, the same year as his divorce from Keely. His mother died in 1965.

In 1962, he tried to start his own recording company. He replaced Keely in his act with Gia Maione, a 21-year-old waitress. He tried to make her famous by producing her first album, but it wasn't successful. They married and had a daughter, Lena, who is now a singer, and his only son, Louis Prima Jr.. He also continued to perform in Las Vegas and promoted a film called Twist All Night.

In 1967, Prima got the role of King Louie in Walt Disney's animated movie The Jungle Book. He sang the hit song "I Wan'na Be like You" in the film. This led to him recording two albums with Phil Harris and singing the theme song for the Happy Birthday Winnie the Pooh album. He also sang on the soundtrack of another cartoon, The Man Called Flintstone. One of Prima's last TV appearances was on the show What's My Line? in 1970.

Personal Life and Later Years

Louis Prima was married five times and had six children. He was married to Louise Polizzi, Alma Ross, Tracelene Barrett, Keely Smith, and Gia Maione. All but his marriage to Gia Maione ended in divorce.

His children include musical performers Lena Prima and Louis Prima Jr..

Prima had a heart attack in 1973. Two years later, he started having headaches and memory problems. Doctors found a brain stem tumor. He had surgery but suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and went into a coma. He never woke up and passed away three years later in 1978. He was buried in Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans.

Legacy

Louis Prima's music and style continue to influence others.

In the 1996 film Big Night, the story is driven by the expectation of Prima visiting a small Italian restaurant.

On July 25, 2010, which would have been his 100th birthday, Prima received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2018, a song by Kids See Ghosts called "4th Dimension" used a sample from Prima's 1936 song "What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin’)."

Today, Prima's daughter, Lena Prima, performs across the country. His son, Louis Prima Jr., also leads his own band, playing his father's music and other popular songs.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

• Louis Prima Plays for the People (Mercury, 1953)
• The Wildest! (Capitol, 1956)
• The Call of the Wildest (Capitol, 1957)
• Louis Prima with Orchestra (Rondo-Lette, 1957)
• Breaking It Up! (Columbia, recorded 1951–1953, released 1958)
• Hi-Fi Lootin' with Joe Venuti (Design, 1958)
• Entertains (Rondo-Lette, 1959)
• Strictly Prima! (Capitol, 1959)
• Pretty Music, Prima Style (Vol. 1) (Dot, 1960)
• Wonderland by Night: Pretty Music, Prima Style – Volume II (Dot, 1960)
• Blue Moon (Pretty Music, Prima Style – Vol. 3) (Dot, 1961)
• Doin' the Twist with Louis Prima (Dot, 1961)
• The Wildest Comes Home! (Capitol, 1962)
• Lake Tahoe, Prima Style (Capitol, 1962)
• Italian Favorites with Phil Brito (Tops, 1963)
• Prima Show in the Casbar (Prima Magnagroove, 1963)
• The King of Clubs (Prima Magnagroove, 1964)
• Let's Fly with Mary Poppins with Gia Maione (Prima Magnagroove, 1965)
• The Golden Hits of Louis Prima (Hanna Barbera, 1966)
• Louis Prima On Broadway (United Artists, 1967)
• The Jungle Book (Disneyland, 1967)
• The New Sounds of the Louis Prima Show (De-Lite/Prima Magnagroove, 1968)
• More Jungle Book...Further Adventures of Baloo and Mowgli with Phil Harris (Disneyland, 1969)
• Blast Off! The Live New Sound of Louis Prima (Quad/Prima Magnagroove, 1970)
• The Prima Generation '72 (Prima Magnagroove; Brunswick, 1972)
• Angelina (Prima Magnagroove, 1973)
• Let's Hear It for Robin Hood (Buena Vista, 1974)
• The Wildest '75 (Prima Magnagroove, 1975)
• Let's Swing It (Classic Jazz/Charly [UK], 1994)
• I Wanna Be Like You (Walt Disney [France], 1995)

Selected singles

• "Dinah" / "Chinatown, My Chinatown" (1933) Bluebird
• "That's Where the South Begins" / "Jamaica Shout" (1934) Brunswick
• "Long About Midnight" / "Stardust" (1934) Brunswick
• "Sing it Way Down Low" / "Let's Have a Jubilee" (1934) Brunswick
• "I Still Want You" / "Breakin' the Ice" (1934) Brunswick
• "House Rent Party" / "Bright Eyes" (1935) Brunswick
• "It's the Rhythm in Me" / "Worry Blues" (1935) Brunswick
• "Hi Ho Trailus Bootwhip" / "I'll Walk Alone" (1945) Mercury
• "I Beeped When I Shoulda Bopped" / "The Manuelo Tarantel" (1949) Mercury

See also

In Spanish: Louis Prima para niños

• Italians in New Orleans