During the last 25 years of his life Louis Armstrong fronted his All Stars Dixieland jazz band, usually five additional musicians and a female singer. While much has been written about Louis there has been much less coverage of his All Stars. This book has four parts: 1. Louis's early years and the lead-up to the formation of the All Stars. 2. The All Stars through the years; A timeline of the band including changes in its composition, major recordings and concerts, overseas tours. 3. The Musicians; biographies of the 46 musicians who were members of the All Stars, the detail depending on the percieved significance of each. 4. Life with Louis; especially where it impacted on the All Stars: touring, on stage, relationships with management. There is a comprehensive list of references and a detailed index.