One of the most celebrated and beloved jazz musicians, trumpeter and vocalist Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong (1901–1971), had hit recordings for 50 years, appeared in more than 30 motion pictures, and performed all over the world. His music is still heard everywhere today, yet few people know of his life outside the spotlight. After the death of Armstrong’s wife, Lucille, in 1983, archivists were astonished to find that their Queens, New York, house held a treasure trove of home-recorded reel-to-reel tapes, photographs, scrapbooks, papers, gold-plated trumpets, and more. These materials have been preserved in the Louis Armstrong Archives at Queens College while the Armstrong house undergoes renovation before opening as a national historic museum in the fall of 2003. LOUIS ARMSTRONG: THE OFFSTAGE Story OF SATCHMO is the official guide to the stunning collection of the Louis Armstrong House & Archive. It includes a wealth of original autobiographical manuscripts, candid photos, and transcripts from the musician’s private recordings—published here for the first time.