What's Your Story with Jaime & Stan

Stepping Out of a Music Legend's Shadow with Sharon Preston- Folta | Ep. #90

Episode Summary

Listen in as we explore a deeply guarded piece of music history and the profound emotional toll of family secrets. In this episode, you'll hear Sharon Preston-Folta share her extraordinary journey of growing up as the unacknowledged daughter of jazz legend Louis Daniel Armstrong, and how she transformed a legacy of shadows into a testament of resilience.

Episode Notes

Listen in as we explore a deeply guarded piece of music history and the profound emotional toll of family secrets. In this episode, you'll hear Sharon Preston-Folta share her extraordinary journey of growing up as the unacknowledged daughter of jazz legend Louis Daniel Armstrong, and how she transformed a legacy of shadows into a testament of resilience.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The untold history of Black Vaudeville, the Apollo chorus girls, and the reality of touring the Chitlin Circuit in the 1940s and 50s.
• The shocking moment a 10-year-old Sharon discovered her father's "other" life and wife while watching the Johnny Carson show.
• How she navigated the complex feelings of betrayal, anger, and teenage acting out after realizing she was being kept a secret.
• Her inspiring pivot to channel her theatrical DNA into a successful 30-year broadcasting career as a single mom.
• The powerful journey to write Little Satchmo and produce an award-winning documentary, ensuring she was no longer erased from her father's history.

If you discovered a massive, world-altering family secret, how do you think you would handle it? 
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