Ellington said Duke went on to share that wisdom with his pal Tony Bennett. “He told Tony Bennett that everybody should do at least two things you can succeed in even if they may not be related ...

In 1969, Richard Nixon held a 70 th birthday party for Duke Ellington to award him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Cab Calloway and Dizzy Gillepsie were all in ...

Duke Ellington's legacy in American music is unrivalled. Since his death in 1974 recognition of his many achievements has steadily grown. The vastness and depth of his recordings is bewildering.

American big band leader and legendary jazz pianist Duke Ellington. (Keystone/Getty Images) Editor's note: This segment was rebroadcasted on Dec. 25, 2024.

Duke Ellington's 80-minute concert at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw was filmed in black & white for television and recorded for radio. At this point in his career, Ellington had quite a following, aided ...

Duke Ellington had a touch so elegant and a band so great, he raised the roof on American jazz and invited in multitudes. From the Cotton Club to Carnegie Hall, he could set a mood indigo or set ...

Many critics consider Duke Ellington to be the most important composer in the history of jazz. Along with his jazz compositions, he wrote film scores and stage musicals. The Duke at His Best has ...

Mercedes Ellington is keeping her grandfather’s iconic sound alive. The uptown eatery named for iconic composer and bandleader Duke Ellington will finally be the home to his music on Sunday.

Overview Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was an African-American jazz composer, orchestrator, bandleader and pianist who led one of the greatest jazz bands, wrote more than 1,500 compositions ...

Ellington died in 1974, and a few years later his family decided to officially release "Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940, Live." In 1980, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental ...

Duke Ellington plays his piano 50 years after he bought it in the 1920s. Getty Images. Jazz fans will want to “Take the ‘A’ Train” to Harlem next week.

Duke Ellington, shown in 1969, kept his personal life out of the spotlight, but author Terry Teachout delves into that little-known side of the jazz great. Some years back, I received a phone call ...