The Duke of Jazz
Duke Ellington
::Birth::
- Duke Ellington was born on April 29th, 1899
::Hometown::
- He grew up in Washington D.C.
::Education::
- Went to Armstrong Manual Training School. (To study Commercial Art)
- He got his first piano lesson at the age of 7.
::Jobs::
- First Job was selling peanuts at a Washington senator’s Baseball game.
- Worked as a Butler in White House
- Small dance band “The Washingtonians.
:: Known For::
· Jazz composer.
· Worked in films (Check & Double Check)
· Wrote for an Orchestra (Double Brass Jazz)
· Revived at the Newport Jazz Festival after the newer jazz styles took him out of the business.
::Death::
- Died of Lung Cancer & Pneumonia on May 24, 1974
- One month after his 75th birthday!