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Louis Armstrong was born in the Storyville District of New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 4, 1901. He celebrated his birth as July 4, 1900 because that is what he was always told and believed. His real date of birth was not known until after his death July 6, 1971. His father left the family soon after he was born, his mother left Louis and his sister Beatrice, in the care of his grandmother most of the time. However he always believed the love of his family helped him make it through those rough times. On New Year’s in 1913, Louis shot off a pistol into the air and was arrested. This turned out to be a very fortunate occurrence for Jazz and probably for him; he was admitted to the city's Colored Waif's Home for Boys. In this home he began his tutorship of Peter Davis who was the music instructor there. He began to study music, first vocal, and then percussion, then he became a bugler, and finally began to play a cornet. The music he played was very structured, mostly marches and other ensemble music. Armstrong was released from the waif’s home at fourteen and began work. He sold papers, unloaded boats, and sold coal from a horse and cart. Soon later he began listening to bands at clubs like the Come Clean Dance Hall, Fun