BORN: December 25, 1886, LaPlace, Louisiana

DIED: January 23, 1973, Honolulu, Hawaii

Within hours of turning 21, Laplace native Kid Ory took the train to New Orleans, where he immediately found musical employment in the Storyville district. Three weeks later, the King of the Tailgate Trombone sent for his band, which was an instant hit in New Orleans. When trumpeter Joe Oliver left the band, Ory gave teenager Louis Armstrong his first pro...