- Fact 2 - Date of Birth: Duke Ellington was
born on July 6, 1971
- Fact 3 - Place of Birth: Corona,
Queens, New York City
- Fact 4 - Full Name: Edward Kennedy
Ellington
- Fact 5 - Lifespan: 1899 – 1974
- Fact 6 - Name of mother and father:
His parents names were James Edward Ellington and
Daisy Kennedy Ellington
- Fact 7 - Family background: His
family were descended from slaves. His parents were both
pianists and encouraged their son to learn music and play the
piano - Duke Ellington was taught by the jazz pianist Harvey
Brooks
- Fact 8 - Childhood and education: A
clever and artistic child Duke Ellington studied music and art
at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York
- Fact 9 - Nickname: When he was
still at school he gained his nickname, "Duke," after a friend
recommended that Ellington should have some sort of title for
his musical talent
- Fact 10 - His first important job
was at the Cotton Club in Harlem
- Fact 11 - Duke Ellington became
well known as a successful bandleader and musician and toured
the world including Europe, South America and Australia
- Fact 12 - His co-arranger was Billy
Strayhorn
- Fact 13 - The most famous works by
Duke Ellington include "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "Mood
Indigo," and "I Let a Song Get Out of My Head."
- Fact 14 - In 1959 Duke Ellington
was awarded the Springarn Medal from the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was awarded
the Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon
- Fact 15 - Duke Ellington referred
to his music as "American Music" rather than jazz music
- Fact 16 - Date of Death: Duke Ellington died
on May 24, 1974 in New York from lung cancer
- Fact 17 - In 1999 the Pulitzer Prize Board awarded a special
posthumous honor to Duke Ellington
- Fact 18 - His music lives on and
the musical works of Duke Ellington including over 1000
compositions including music such as Dixieland, Big
band, Swing, blues, gospel, film scores, Classical music and
Orchestral jazz
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