Duke Ellington was born in Washington D.C., and from an early age he loved music . When he was four years old, he listened to his mother play a popular piano tune called “The Rosary” and he cried, saying, “It was so pretty. So pretty.” Not long after that, at the age of seven, he began to play piano himself.
What was Duke Ellington personal life like?
At the age of 19, Ellington married Edna Thompson , who had been his girlfriend since high school, and soon after their marriage, she gave birth to their only child, Mercer Kennedy Ellington. On May 24, 1974, at the age of 75, Ellington died of lung cancer and pneumonia.
What sport was Duke Ellington interested in?
Though Ellington took piano lessons, he was more interested in baseball .
What made Duke Ellington unique?
While a masterful and sensitive pianist, Ellington ultimately proved that his true instrument was the American Orchestra itself . ... A masterful composer of pop melodies, a keen orchestrator, and an endless innovator, Ellington also saw the potential of the American Orchestra to tackle longer-form compositions.
What was Duke Ellington’s legacy?
He was noted for his inventive use of the big band orchestra and for his eloquence and charisma . His reputation continued to rise after his death and he was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize Special Award for music in 1999.
What is Duke Ellington famous for?
Duke Ellington was the greatest jazz composer and bandleader of his time. One of the originators of big-band jazz, he led his band for more than 50 years and composed thousands of scores.
Who did Duke Ellington marry?
“Music is my mistress,” he wrote, “and she plays second fiddle to no one.” Mr. Ellington married Edna Thompson in 1918. Their son, Mercer, was born the following year.
What impact did Duke Ellington have?
Duke Ellington was one of the most important creative forces in the music of the twentieth century. His influence on classical music, popular music, and, of course, jazz , simply cannot be overstated. He was born Edward Kennedy Ellington in Washington, D.C. on April 29, 1899, into a middle class black family.
Who is Duke in big mouth?
Edward “Duke” Kennedy Ellington , (AKA “Ghost of Duke Ellington”), was a 20’s composer and pianist who died in 1974. In-universe he died in Nick’s house in suburban NYC and now his ghost resides in the attic.
What obstacles did Duke Ellington face?
The 1930s found him caught up in a musical and social whirlwind: In addition to touring, playing Broadway shows, appearing in movies like Symphony in Black: A Rhapsody of Negro Life, and broadcasting on radio, Duke Ellington shattered some longstanding racial barriers by performing in theaters and hotels that had once ...
Why was Duke Ellington important in the 1920s?
The fame and fortune they got gave Ellington the chance to create and compose more unique music for settings in the ballroom, nightclub, theater, concert hall, and cathedral. He later also created his own jazz orchestra for which he also composed pieces of music for.
Why did Duke Ellington called his music American music?
Duke Ellington called his music “American Music” rather than jazz. ... He gave American music its own sound for the first time . In his fifty year career, he played over 20,000 performances in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East as well as Asia.
Did Duke Ellington ever get married?
On July 2, 1918, Ellington married Edna Thompson who was from a prominent Washington family. On March 11, 1919, their son, Mercer Kennedy Ellington, was born.
What was Count Basie’s real name?
“Count” Basie, Jr. was a native of Kansas City, Missouri. And while that’s where Basie and his band rose to national fame, the jazz great’s origins can be traced to a house located just blocks away from the historic theater that today bears his name. William Basie was born at 229 Mechanic Street on August 21, 1904.
What famous nightclub hired Duke as a bandleader?
Among the many seminal figures of jazz and blues who performed at the Cotton Club , bandleader Duke Ellington was perhaps the most closely associated with the venue.
