Born to Swing: Lil Hardin Armstrong's Life in Jazz

Here is the story of "Hot Miss Lil" Hardin Armstrong, legendary jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader—and a female pioneer on the music stage.

Ever since she was a young girl, Lil Hardin played music with a beat. She jammed at home, at church, and even at her first job in a music store. At a time when women's only place in jazz was at the microphone, Lil earned a spot playing piano in Chicago's hottest band. She went on to achieve fame as a bandleader and composer, and "swung" with many of ...