Swing into the Jazz Age: Top 10 Fun Facts About Duke Ellington You Never Knew!

1. Harlem's Swingin' Sugar Hill

Before swiping right to Harlem's Sugar Hill, "Duke" went steady with the "A" Train: Duke Ellington lived in the trendy Sugar Hill neighborhood with Billy Strayhorn, where they rubbed elbows with renowned figures like Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, and Thurgood Marshall, making it a central hub during the Harlem Renaissance.
Source => nytimes.com

2. Jazz Frat Boy Serenades

If Duke Ellington were a frat boy in a modern-day movie, he would have surely been the pledge who serenaded the party with his illustrious tunes and led the ultimate jazz rendition of "beer pong": As it turns out, Duke Ellington was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the first black Greek letter organization, sharing his brotherhood with esteemed civil rights icons like Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall.
Source => studymoose.com

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=> Fun Facts about Jazz

3. Dapper Duke's Fashion Line

Duke Ellington, the man who put the "haute" in "haute couture" and could out-dapper even the most determined dandy: He acquired his nickname because of his exceptional sense of style, which included custom-made suits, silk ties, and a signature fedora. So fashionable was Duke that in the 1940s, he even founded his own clothing line, "Ellington Clothes."
Source => study.com

4. Dissolvin' Injustice Duke

Who knew that Duke Ellington was an early fighter for civil rights and even a secret superhero – "Dissolvin' Injustice Duke": Duke Ellington deftly fought racial inequality through hosting benefit concerts for the falsely imprisoned Scottsboro Boys and including anti-segregation clauses in his contracts, using his music to challenge racist beliefs and celebrate black excellence.
Source => theconversation.com

5. Baseball to Ivory Tickler

Before attaining his "Duke-ly" demeanor and tickling the ivories like a pro, young Ellington was a baseball enthusiast and peanut merchant, unknowingly developing his secret sauce while manning the soda fountain at the Poodle Dog Cafe: Ellington received his royal nickname from childhood friend Edgar McEntree and was initially more focused on baseball before becoming inspired by local poolroom pianists, leading him to compose his first piece, the "Soda Fountain Rag," while working as a soda jerk.
Source => myblackhistory.net

6. Presidential Cake Frosting

If Duke Ellington were a cake, he'd be a multi-layered, harmoniously flavored jazz cake with a rich presidential frosting: Ellington had a career spanning over four decades, pushing the limits of jazz music, and even had President Nixon personally award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House celebration where Nixon himself played the piano and sang "Happy Birthday" to honor the maestro's 70th milestone.
Source => presidency.ucsb.edu

7. Multitalented Jazz Legend

Before swinging jazz notes, Duke was swinging baseball bats: Duke Ellington had a penchant for baseball, often participating in pickup games with fellow musicians and friends, while also dabbling in painting and cooking as creative outlets alongside his legendary music career.
Source => sacjazz.org

8. A Train of Talent

It's not often you find drugstore delivery boys trading their bottle-cap tips for rhythmic riffs, but when you hop on board the "A" Train of talent, anything can happen: Duke Ellington's renowned tune,"Take the 'A' Train," was actually the brainchild of teenage Billy Strayhorn, who was working as a soda jerk and drugstore delivery boy when he met Ellington. A party fueled the composition, that was later penned by Strayhorn himself, along with originally written lyrics substituted later by vocalist Joya Sherrill – all in tribute to the A Line subway, Harlem's pride, echoing as an African American anthem.
Source => jaquo.com

9. Jazz Bomb Superhero

If Duke Ellington was a superhero, his power would be the Jazz Bomb, dropping thousands of groovy tunes on unsuspecting audiences: Truth be told, this legendary musician was also an insanely prolific composer, crafting over 3,000 melodic masterpieces, including the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical "Sophisticated Ladies" featuring his iconic jazz hits.
Source => scribd.com

10. Regal Royal Tenenbaums

Straight outta Royal Tenenbaums and into the jazz scene: Duke Ellington was dubbed "Duke" by a childhood friend, struck by his princely air of elegance and classy demeanor. This regal moniker was proudly worn by Ellington throughout his career, often seen in stylish suits and exuding sophistication fit for a king.
Source => broadwaylicensing.com