There were two pianos in the Ellington home, but Duke focused more on commercial art and playing baseball.

Ellington’s pay for the evening was 75 cents, he’d said, adding that it was “the most money I had ever seen … I rushed all the way home to my mother with it.

Primarily a music composer, Ellington worked with a number of lyricists for some of his most well-known songs including “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Mood Indigo,” “Echoes of Harlem,” “Concerto for Cootie,” “Don’t get Around Much Anymore,” and many more.

The popularity of big bands waned after World War II bu Ellington kept his band together, paying expenses from his royalties as a composer.

Since his death in 1974, Ellington’s many achievements continue to be explored; his music remains alive.