Sharon Preston-Folta updates memoir on Louis Armstrong secret

Sharon Preston-Folta has updated and reissued her 2012 memoir, Little Satchmo: Living in the Shadow of My Father, Louis Daniel Armstrong. The new edition is published by St. Petersburg Press. The release coincides with the 125th anniversary of Armstrong's birth this year.

Preston-Folta, a longtime Sarasota resident, explains the timing connects the book to a documentary film. That adaptation aired on PBS and won a Southeastern Emmy Award. "And, it turns out, this is the year of my father's 125th birthday," she says. "So it was a great opportunity to re-publish the story, tie it in with the documentary, and really upgrade the presentation."

The family kept Armstrong's paternity a secret for decades. Armstrong was married to Lucille, who was not Sharon's mother. Sharon's mother was Lucille "Sweets" Preston, a vaudeville dancer. The two women shared a first name but different surnames. The secret persisted until Armstrong died in 1971.

Sweets Preston met Armstrong in the early 1950s while both performed at Harlem's Cotton Club. They also toured together in package shows. Sharon was born on June 24, 1955. Armstrong never publicly acknowledged the daughter, but he directed his manager to send monthly support payments. He visited frequently and allowed Sharon to join his entourage for concerts in the New York area.

Preston-Folta collected mementos from her father, including cards, letters, signed photographs, and cassette tapes. Armstrong recorded songs on the tapes and acted as a personal DJ for mother and daughter. In one letter, he addressed Sharon as "Little Satchmo." He wrote that he was saving money specifically for her college education. "Whatever college she wishes to go to I've got her covered," the letter states.

In November 1962, Armstrong purchased a house for Sweets and Sharon in Mount Vernon, New York. Preston-Folta notes this occurred in the 12th year of the relationship. Sweets Preston believed Armstrong would leave his fourth wife and marry her. Armstrong had promised this during private moments in Harlem and Mount Vernon. He died still married to Lucille Armstrong.

The memoir explores the emotional impact of the secrecy. "The universal story is forgiveness, and owning the experience without the shame," Preston-Folta says. She describes how the lack of answers as a child led to feelings of shame. "So the secrecy led to the shame, because I had so many questions that weren't answered."

Sweets Preston initially opposed the book's publication. She told Sharon, "You were well taken care of.. Your father provided for you. I provided for you. You had a good life." Preston-Folta argues that owning her legacy was necessary before passing it to her grandchildren. Sweets Preston lived until 2020, dying at age 98. She attended several book and film appearances and observed that audiences embraced her rather than judging her.

The original 2012 book ended with a letter to Armstrong. The reissued version ends with a letter to Sweets Preston. Preston-Folta attempted a legal claim to her heritage but the effort concluded without a result. Lucille Armstrong died in 1983, leaving a diminished estate. "Working through the book, I gained an intellectual understanding of why they did not acknowledge me," Preston-Folta says.

Preston-Folta holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Iona University. She spent nine years as an Account Executive at WUSF. She currently works as a consultant and voiceover artist. The book documents a life shaped by a famous father who remained a private figure to his child.