Date of Birth: December 7, 1910
Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Date of Death: August 24, 1978
Place of Death: New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Ethnicity: Italian/Sicilian
Louis Prima was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. He was nicknamed “The King of Swing.” He performed New Orleans jazz, swing music, jump blues, and later with a big band group and as a Vegas lounge act.
He was the son of Angelina (Caravella) and Anthony Prima. His father was born in New Orleans, to Italian parents. His mother was born on Ustica, a small Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Louis was married to singer Gia Maione, until his death. He had a daughter with his former wife Louise Polizzi; a daughter with his former wife Tracelene Barrett; two children with his former wife, jazz and popular music singer Keely Smith; and two children, singer and songwriter Lena Prima, and jazz singer Louis Prima, Jr., with Gia.
Louis’s paternal grandfather was Leonardo/Leonard Di Prima/Prima (the son of Francesco Prima and Francesca Nastaci). Leonardo was a Sicilian emigrant, from Salaparuta, Trapani.
Louis’s paternal grandmother was named Elisabetta/Elizabetta/Elisabeth Antiochia.
Louis’s maternal grandparents were named Luigi Caravella and Margherita Valente/Valenti. Margherita was born in Palermo, Sicily.
Sources: Genealogies of Louis Prima – https://www.wikitree.com
https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Louis Prima (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com
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