"Weather Bird" is a musical composition by Joe Oliver. However Thomas Brothers has suggested that it was composed by

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

, because Armstrong sent a lead sheet of "Weather Bird Rag" to Washington, D.C. for copyright in April 1923 and that, despite its 1923 copyright date, it was composed by Armstrong during his time on the Mississippi river boats. On December 5, 1928,

and

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

recorded it as a duet between trumpet and piano. That recording is regarded as the "most famous duet in jazz history". (In fact, it was issued by

Okeh Records Okeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name was spelled "OkeH" from the initials of Ott ...

as Louis Armstrong's "trumpet solo with piano accompaniment by Earl Hines" and is sometimes considered a solo. Armstrong had also performed the composition before, as second cornet with Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in 1923.) Citing its improvisational sound, Brothers describes this recording as "fun and exceptional, a worthy document of a unique musical friendship."

Awards

The recording by Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines was inducted in the

Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...

in 2008.

References

{{reflist Jazz compositions Louis Armstrong songs Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients