- Born
- 29 April 1899, Washington, D.C., United States
- First work
- 1926: East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
- Peak
- 1932 to 1944 (estimated)
- Last work
- 1967: The Far East Suite
- Died
- 24 May 1974, New York City, United States; aged 75; illness
Duke Ellington
Music: composer, pianist, bandleader, United States
Duke Ellington was an American composer, pianist and bandleader who stands as one of the towering creators in twentieth-century music. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1899, he relocated to New York in the 1920s, achieving nationwide fame through radio broadcasts from Harlem's Cotton Club. Over a career spanning five decades, Ellington composed thousands of pieces, treating his orchestra as his personal instrument and crafting timeless standards such as Mood Indigo and Satin Doll, alongside ambitious suites and film scores. His 1956 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival revitalised his global touring career. Ellington died of lung cancer in New York City in May 1974 at seventy-five.
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Signature works
- Mood Indigo song1930
- It Don't Mean a Thing song1932
- In a Sentimental Mood song1935
- Take the "A" Train song1941
- Black, Brown and Beige album1943
- Ellington at Newport album1956
- Anatomy of a Murder film1959
Honours
- Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1969
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 1966
- Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, 1999
Groups: Duke Ellington Orchestra, Duke Ellington and his Washingtonians.