She studied music at Chicago College and the New York College of Music. She was eventually convinced to go to New Orleans and begin a career as a jazz musician. Upon arriving in New Orleans, Lil was able to connect with many top ensembles. Joe “King” Crawford hired her as a pianist in 1921. (Dunbar, 2011, p. 270) This was the group that Louis Armstrong would later join, in which Lil and Louis would fall in love and later marry in 1924. She eventually convincing Louis to break away from King Oliver's group, and she and Louis joined with Johnny Dodds, Kid Ory and Johnny St. Cyr as the "Hot Five". This would last from 1925 to 1927. They would later rename themselves the "Hot Seven" and through Lil's organizational work, effort and songwriting, they would become a well-known name in the jazz world..