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Duke Ellington: White House
built 237 days ago
The Duke did not get into long analysis of his own work. Yet, he was more than capable of translating his work into the words that stretch across eternity. Of "Mood Indigo", he said, "just a story about a little girl and a little boy. They are about eight and the girl loves the boy. They never speak of it, of course, but she just likes the way he wears his hat. Everyday he comes to her house at a certain time and she sits in her window and waits.
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In 1917, Ellington formed his first group, The Duke’s Serenaders. Between 1918 and 1919, he worked toward his independence by moving out of his parents' home into a house he purchased himself. Then he became his own agent, and began to perform throughout the D.C. area and Virginia.
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Born into a middle-class American black family, Ellington was the son of a former White House butler. He acquired his title “Duke” for teenage elegance, a nickname given by his friends. As a boy, he dressed elegantly.
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