Jazz Music: Duke Ellington

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Duke Ellington was born April 29, 1899. He was a major figure in the world of Jazz music. His career lasted more than half of a century. In the 1940’s his fame rose after composing many of his most famous works. Duke’s sense of musical drama is what made him stand out. His personal life was unknown but he married at the age of 19 to Edna Thompson, who shortly after there marriage gave birth to there only child Mercer. Ellington died on May 24, 1974 at the age of 75 due to lung cancer and pneumonia. His finally words were “Music is how I live, why I live, and how I will be
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