Biography Of Duke Ellington Essay, Research Paper

Duke Ellington, by the time of his passing, was considered

amongst the world’s greatest composers and musicians. The French

government honored him with their highest award, the Legion of Honor,

while the government of the United States bestowed upon him the

highest civil honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He played for

the royalty and for the common people and by the end of his fifty-year

career, he had played over 20,000 performances worldwide.

Duke Ellington – Edward Kennedy Ellington – was born into the

world on April 28, 1899 in Washington, D.C. Duke’s parents Daisy

Kennedy Ellington and James Edward Ellington served as ideal role

models for young Duke and taught him everything from proper table

manners to an understanding of the emotional power of music. Duke’s

first piano lessons came around the age of seven or eight and appeared

to not have that much lasting effect upon him. It seemed as if young

Duke was more inclined to baseball at a young age. Duke got his first

job selling peanuts at Washington Senator’s baseball games. This was

the first time Duke was placed as a “performer” for a crowd and had to

first get over his stage fright. At the age of fourteen, Duke began

sneaking into Frank Holliday’s poolroom. His experiences from the

poolroom taught him to appreciate the value in mixing with a wide

range of people. As Duke’s piano lessons faded into the past, Duke

began to show a flare for the artistic. Duke attended Armstrong Manual

Training School to study commercial art instead of an

academically-oriented school. Duke began to seek out and listen to

ragtime pianists in Washington and during the summers, where he and

his mother vacationed in Philadelphia or Atlantic City. While

vacationing in Asbury Park, Duke heard of a hot pianist named Harvey

Brooks. At the end of his vacation Duke sought Harvey out in

Philadelphia where Harvey showed Duke some pianistic tricks and

shortcuts. Duke later recounted that, “When I got home I had a real

yearning to play. I hadn’t been able to get off the ground before, but

after hearing him I said to myself, ‘Man you’re going to have to do

it.’” Thus the music career of Duke Ellington was born

Duke was taken under the wings of Oliver “Doc” Perry and Louis

Brown who taught Duke how to read music and helped improve his overall

piano playing skills. Duke found piano playing jobs at clubs and cafes

throughout the Washington area. Three months shy of graduation, Duke

dropped out of school and began his professional music career. In late

1917, Duke formed his first group: The Duke’s Serenaders.

Between 1918 and 1919, Duke made three significant steps towards

independence. First, he moved out of his parents’ home and into a home

he bought for himself. Second, Duke became his own booking agent for

his band. By doing so, Ellington’s band was able to play throughout

the Washington area and into Virginia for private society balls and

embassy parties. Finally, Duke married Edna Thompson and on March 11,

1919, Mercer Kennedy Ellington was born.

In 1923, Duke left the security that Washington offered him and

moved to New York. Through the power of radio, listeners throughout

New York had heard of Duke Ellington, making him quite a popular

musician. It is also in that year that Duke made his first recording.

Ellington and his renamed band, The Washingtonians, established

themselves during the prohibition era by playing at places like the

Exclusive Club, Connie’s Inn, the Hollywood Club (Club Kentucky),

Ciro’s, the Plantation Club, and most importantly the Cotton Club.

Thanks to the rise in radio receivers and the industry itself, Duke’s

band was broadcast across the nation live on “From the Cotton Club.”

The band’s music along with their popularity spread rapidly.

In 1928, Ellington and Irving Mills signed an agreement in which

Mills produced and published Ellington’s music. Recording companies

like Brunswick, Columbia, and Victor came calling. Duke’s band became

the most sought after band in the United States and even throughout

the world. Some of Ellington’s greatest works include, Rockin’ in

Rhythm, Satin Doll, New Orleans, A Drum is a Women, Take the “A”

Train, Happy-Go-Lucky Local, The Mooche, and Crescendo in Blue. Duke

Ellington and his band went on to play everywhere from New York to New

Deli, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London. Ellington and his

band played with such greats as Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy

Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Louis Armstrong. They

entertained everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to President Nixon.

Before passing away in 1974, Duke Ellington wrote and recorded

hundreds of musical compositions, all of which continue to have a

lasting effect upon people worldwide for a long time to come.