Born: February 3, 1898, Memphis, Tennessee
Died: August 27, 1971, Chicago
Lillian Harden
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American singer, pianist, composer, and arranger. Hardin was a successful musician in her own right, but is best known for the important role she played in the musical development of her husband, Louis Armstrong.
Lillian Hardin's career seemed to begin and end with Louis Armstrong. She first met Armstrong while playing in King Oliver's Band in the 1920s and was the one to recognize his talent and encourage him to strike out on his own. She died while playing a tribute concert for Armstrong shortly after his death. Yet her musical life was more than just a footnote to Armstrong's; she made important contributions to the world of jazz.
Lillian Hardin began studying piano at an early age, and received a mainly classical training. She attended Fisk University and later earned a teaching diploma from the Chicago College of Music (1928) and a postgraduate degree from the New York College of Music (1929). But even by then, she had established herself in the world of New Orleans and Chicago jazz. From 1921 to 1924 she played with King Oliver's Band. She played piano and sang with Armstrong's bands, and wrote music and arrangements for them. This same group also made recordings with her as the leader.
Hardin's marriage to Armstrong began to have difficulties during the late 1920s, and the couple separated in 1931. Hardin continued her career in New York and Chicago, leading various bands (including an all-female band), doing studio recordings for Decca, and playing piano in clubs. She was one of the first players to bring a classically-trained technique to jazz performance and one of the few women (other than singers) to make an important mark in early jazz.
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