Duke Ellington (1899-1974)

Edward Kennedy Ellington, also known as Duke Ellington, was an American composer and pianist. Born in 1899, he lived in Washington DC for most of his childhood. Duke wrote his first composition in 1914. He did not know how to read or write music and had created the piece entirely by ear. He formed his first group in 1917 and was well-respected among white and black crowds, rare to find in the heavily-segregated early 1900s. Ellington stayed in the industry through the early post-war years and appeared in festivals in the mid-1950s to appeal to newer generations. Ellington continued to perform through the early 1970s, right up to his death. Numerous memorials have been placed to honor his legacy in jazz and orchestra.