He started keyboarding at the age of 7 and taught him self harmony when he turned 17!
Biography
Duke Ellington was born as Edward Kennedy Ellington on April 29, 1899 in Washington D.C. He started keyboarding at the age of 7 and taught himself harmony and the piano at the age of 17. When he was a little kid he lived with his grandparents. When he was a young man he learned to play the piano. He didn’t go to piano lessons every day some days he didn’t want to go. When he went to a pool room he heard a person and then he started to take his piano lessons more seriously. After he finished middle school he dropped out. His first job was working as a butler.
He was influenced by American music at a young age. He created his own type of music. A man named Fats Waller inspired Duke to play music. Duke Ellington called his music "American Music" rather than jazz.
He went to school in Washington, DC and was tutored by Henry Grant at Armstrong High School, with whom he studied harmony. Duke Ellington’s earliest influences were with ragtime pianists when he was the age 7. In 1919, he formed a small band. In 1920 he moved to New York with his wife and son Mercer And played at Barron Wilkins’ Club.
Duke as a child even had fans. Duke’s parents put him in lessons but he refused and wanted to play baseball. He often joked that he played the piano to impress the ladies. When he got older he wore flashy clothes and slicked his hair back. Duke did not just write jazz songs, he also composed ballets, musicals, film scores, and more. Duke was a very talented person.
Duke Ellington first played in New York City in 1923. Duke Ellington led his band for more than half a century! He also composed thousands of scores. He died in 1974.
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External Links
Schirmer Music PublishersDuke Elington.com