Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an influential American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. His career spanned over 50 years during which he led his jazz orchestra and became a pivotal figure in the history of jazz. Ellington's body of work includes over a thousand compositions, with many becoming jazz standards. Born in Washington, D.C., he was a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance and is remembered for his innovative use of the orchestra and his charisma. He received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 1999.