The Ed Sullivan Show releases rare Louis Armstrong performances

In the first video, Louis Armstrong gives a comedic performance as he sings and plays with opera star Robert Merrill on the April 17, 1955 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. In the first song, "Vesti la giubba”, Armstrong sings the operatic piece from Pagliacci in exchange for Merrill to perform Armstrong’s “Honeysuckle Rose” where Louis pulls out his trumpet and plays a powerful duet with the opera singer. The duet ends with a reprise of "Vesti la giubba” by Merrill with comedic reactions from Armstrong.

In the second video, he performs "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" with Gary Crosby on the May 15, 1955 Sullivan episode, which features a strong trumpet solo from Armstrong following a harmonious duet with Crosby who improvises Armstrong’s iconic voice to close out the dynamic performance.

These clips released from the Sullivan Show archives provide insight into the cross-genre performances black jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong performed in order to be showcased to a national audience in a segregated America.

New videos are updated to The Ed Sullivan Show’s official YouTube channel and EdSullivan.com.

About The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show is the most popular primetime variety show in American history. For nearly a quarter century, Ed Sullivan hosted the greatest array of talent on television, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and Motown artists such as The Supremes, The Temptations and The Jackson 5. Every Sunday night at 8pm on CBS from 1948-1971, The Ed Sullivan Show showcased a wide variety of pop culture from the worlds of music, comedy, novelty and much more. The library of 1,000 hours includes over 10,000 performances.

About SOFA Entertainment

In 1990, Andrew Solt founded SOFA Entertainment Inc. and acquired The Ed Sullivan Show from the Sullivan family. In 2020 Josh Solt left Google to lead SOFA as CEO of the company. The Ed Sullivan Show is the most revered variety show in American television history. SOFA Entertainment is the copyright holder of the original Ed Sullivan programs and over 150 hours of newly created programming.

About UMe

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) is the global catalog and special markets division of Universal Music Group (UMG). Working closely in concert with UMG’s record labels, territories and operating companies, UMe provides a frontline approach to catalog management, an emphasis on strategic marketing initiatives and creating opportunities in new technologies.

Go to these websites for more information about the Louis Armstrong House Museum and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation: https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org and https://louisarmstrongfoundation.org