From The Archives: Satchmo Plays On the Hill

Jazz legend Louis Armstrong performed at Hartwick on April 17, 1958, playing before a crowd of 900 fans at the fieldhouse (near the current location of Shineman).

Describing the College as “real lovely,” Armstrong’s visit was a memorable one.

The event is well-documented in the College Archives, which include a souvenir booklet, photographs of Armstrong attending a reception in the Commons with Mrs. M.A.F. Ritchie (wife of then-president Miller A.F. Ritchie), and a student newspaper article proudly proclaiming, “Satchmo Grants Interview to Hilltops Hack.”

Tickets to the show were $2 each, generating a $150 profit for the Student Senate.

Louis Armstrong Program from Performance at Hartwick College and Hilltops Article

Photo is part of the collection in Hartwick College Paul F. Cooper, Jr. Archives.

February 5, 2025

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