Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Duke Ellington sits in a category of his own for me. He dragged jazz out of the dance hall and into the concert hall, treating his orchestra as a single instrument he played through arrangement. Pieces like Solitude and It Don't Mean a Thing still feel impossibly alive decades on. The accolades, a Pulitzer special citation, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement, barely capture it. What moves me most is the half-century of leadership, writing for each musician's specific voice. That is the music of someone who genuinely believed in people, and it shows in every bar.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Duke Ellington
- Name (Japanese)
- デューク・エリントン
- Reading
- でゅーく・えりんとん
- Born
- April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Boar
- Origin
- Washington, D.C., United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- pianist / composer / autobiographer / jazz musician / conductor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Armstrong High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1959 Spingarn Medal
- 1969 Presidential Medal of Freedom
- 1966 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1968 Grammy Trustees Award
- 1957 German Film Award for best original music
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1999 Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me) | — | |
| Notable work | It Don't Mean a Thing | — | |
| Notable work | Solitude | — | |
| Notable work | Black, Brown and Beige | — | |
| Notable work | Harlem | — | |
| Notable work | Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Duke Ellington born?
April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974.
Where is Duke Ellington from?
Duke Ellington is from Washington, D.C., United States.
What does Duke Ellington do?
Duke Ellington works as pianist, composer, autobiographer, jazz musician, conductor.
What is Duke Ellington known for?
Notable works include Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me), It Don't Mean a Thing, Solitude.
Pianist — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.