Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big-band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions. In the opinion of Bob Blumenthal of The Boston Globe "In the century since his birth, there has been no greater composer, American or otherwise, than Edward Kennedy Ellington." A major figure in the history of jazz, Ellington's music stretched into various other genres, including blues, gospel, film scores, popular, and classical. His career spanned more than 50 years and included leading his orchestra, composing an inexhaustible songbook, scoring for movies,...
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quick facts
Birthdate:April 29, 1899
Birthplace:Washington, D.C.
Date of death:May 24, 1974
Members:Duke Ellington, Wellman Braud, Clark Terry, Jimmy Blanton, Ben Webster, Paul Gonsalves, Julian Priester, Paul Horn, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Ivie Anderson, Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams, Barney Bigard, Ray Nance, Juan Tizol, Sonny Greer, Fred Guy, Wallace Jones, Lawrence Brown, Harry Carney, Otto Hardwicke, Mercer Ellington, Russell Procope, Money Johnson, Eddie Preston, Booty Wood, Malcolm Taylor, Chuck Connors, Norris Turney, Harold Ashby, Joe Benjamin, Rufus Jones, William "Cat" Anderson, Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman, John Sanders, Jimmy Woode, Sam Woodyard, Aaron Bell, Shorty Baker, Al Lucas, Joe Nanton, Herbie Jones, Buster Cooper, Jeff Castleman, Steve Little, Willie Cook, Andres Meringuito, Eddie Mullins, Matthew Gee, Jimmy Johnson, Harold Minerve, Vince Prudente, Russ Andrews, Dave Taylor, Al Rubin, Fred Stone, Jimmy Grisson, Billy Strayhorn, Arthur Whetsel, Freddy Jenkins
Height:6' 1"
Religion:Christianity
Also known as:Duke Ellingtton, The Duke, Duke Elinton

Honors and Awards

The Duke at Fargo 1940: Special 60th Anniversary Edition
Grammy Awards
Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
The Duke at Fargo 1940: Special 60th Anniversary Edition
The Ellington Suites
Grammy Awards
Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
New Orleans Suite
Grammy Awards
Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
YearAward & CategoryAlbum/Song
1968 Won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album ...and His Mother Called Him Bill
1967 Won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album The Far East Suite: Special Mix
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Record label for Duke Ellington

Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Founded:1888

Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company—successor to the Volta Graphophone Company....
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Victor Talking Machine Company
Victor Talking Machine Company
Founded:1901
Founders:Emile Berliner, Eldridge R. Johnson

The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey. The company was founded by Eldridge R. Johnson, who...
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Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records

Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment. Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company . The company first began producing phonographs in 1916, then began marketing their own...
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Verve Records
Verve Records
Founders:Norman Granz
Parent company:Universal Music Group

Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously. The Verve catalog grew...
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Movies with appearances by Duke Ellington

  • The Timex All-star Swing Festival
  • Duke Ellington: Live at Tivoli Gardens: Parts 1 and 2
    Duke Ellington: Live at Tivoli Gardens: Parts 1 and 2
  • Duke Ellington: Berlin Concert: 1969
    Duke Ellington: Berlin Concert: 1969
  • Duke Ellington: Tivoli 1969
    Duke Ellington: Tivoli 1969
  • On the Road With Duke Ellington
    On the Road With Duke Ellington
TitleReleasedGenre
The Timex All-star Swing Festival 1972
Duke Ellington: Live at Tivoli Gardens: Parts 1 and 2 1971
Duke Ellington: Berlin Concert: 1969 1969
Duke Ellington: Tivoli 1969 1969
On the Road With Duke Ellington 1967 Documentary
The Intimate Duke Ellington 1967
Harold Arlen: An All-Star Tribute 1965 Musical
Duke Ellington: London Concert: 1964 1964
Newport Jazz Festival 1962 1962
Jazz Festival: Vol. 2 1962
Jazz Icons: Duke Ellington: Live in '58 1958
Norman Granz: Improvisation 1950
Upbeat in Music 1943 Short Film
Cabin in the Sky 1943 Black-and-white
Big Band: Artie Shaw & Duke Ellington 1940
Symphony in Black 1935 Short Film
Check and Double Check 1930 Comedy
Black and Tan 1929 Musical
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Written works by Duke Ellington

  • Jump for joy (A Jazz Hour With Series)
    Jump for joy (A Jazz Hour With Series)
  • Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
    Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
  • Sophisticated Ladies
    Sophisticated Ladies
  • Music is my mistress
    Music is my mistress
  • The Genius of Duke Ellington
    The Genius of Duke Ellington
Title
Jump for joy (A Jazz Hour With Series)
Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Sophisticated Ladies
Music is my mistress
The Genius of Duke Ellington
Vol. 1 - Duke Ellington
Play the Duke
Classic Duke Ellington
All Time Favorite Ellington Classics
Mood indigo
Lee Evans Arranges Duke Ellington
The Songs Of Duke Ellington
great music of Duke Ellington
Music of Duke Ellington
The Great of Duke Ellington
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Birthplace of Duke Ellington

Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Founded:July 16, 1790
Population:638,432

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a federal district to become the national capital as permitted by...
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Personal relationships of Duke Ellington

Edna Thompson
Edna Thompson
Relationship type:Marriage
Together since:July 2, 1918

Edna Thompson was the wife of Duke Ellington. He wed her when he was 19, in 1918. She was his childhood sweetheart. They were later separated but have one child, their son Mercer Ellington. Edna Thompson had two kids.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q:
    Duke Ellington's music was released by which record company?
  • A:
    Record labels that Duke Ellington worked with include Columbia Records, Victor Talking Machine Company, Brunswick Records, Verve Records and Impulse! Records.
  • Q:
    Where did Duke Ellington's career start?
  • A:
    The band started in Washington.
  • Q:
    How did Duke Ellington die?
  • A:
    His death was caused by lung cancer.
  • Q:
    What music instruments are played by Duke Ellington?
  • A:
    Duke Ellington plays the piano and jazz piano.
  • Q:
    Which album titles have been released by Duke Ellington?
  • A:
    The following music albums were released:
    - Duke Ellington: Solos, Duets, and Trios
    - New York Concert
    - Piano in the Foreground
    - Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies (Original Broadway Cast)
    - Midnite Jazz & Blues: Tea for Two
    - The Complete Capitol Recordings of Duke Ellington
    - Duke Ellington's Greatest Hits
  • Q:
    What style of music does Duke Ellington play?
  • A:
    Songs by Duke Ellington are in the dixieland genre.
  • Q:
    What was Duke Ellington's occupation?
  • A:
    Duke Ellington was an accomplished bandleader, pianist, jazz composer and composer.
  • Q:
    What religion did Duke Ellington practice?
  • A:
    Duke Ellington was in the Christianity denomination.
  • Q:
    Where was Duke Ellington born?
  • A:
    Duke Ellington was born in Washington.
  • Q:
    What ethnicity was Duke Ellington?
  • A:
    African American was the heritage of his family predecessors.
Duke Ellington Photo Gallery

Awards & Accolades

  • Best Instrumental Composition
    1961
  • Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
    1966

Quotes

  • ”No man, let her hang loose…!!! It`s great !!!”

    - Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
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