Edward Kennedy Elington was born to Daisy and James William Ellington on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. He was the sone of a middle class family. Edward started to learn how to tplay the piano at the age of seven. he got bored of learning from is teach and began teaching himself new style of playing. Edward loved music. he got his insperation from famous ragtime musicans like Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton and Willie "The Lion" Smith
Elington got the name Duke from a friend he knew as a child.his friend say him as very good charecter and classic stlye. His friend quoted,When you were in his presence, you felt it. If no one knew him and he were in... [a] room, everybody would be drawn to him. Duke was very populer with his friends and was very ofetn invited to parties and dance and played the piano at many.
After leaving school he worked as a sign-painter and a clerk while running his first band. Duke First band included
Sonny Greer (drums) and Otto Hardwick (tenor sax). with the Arrival With the arrival of James "Bubber" Miley (trumpet) and Joe "Trickey Sam" Nanton (trombone) the bands reputation grew as they became bettter | 
