Duke Ellington Autographs
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based in New York City from the mid-1920s and gained a national profile through his orchestra's appearances at the Cotton Club in Harlem. A master at writing miniatures for the three-minute 78 rpm recording format, Ellington wrote or collaborated on more than one thousand compositions; his extensive body of work is the largest recorded personal jazz legacy, and many of his pieces have become standards. He also recorded songs written by his bandsmen, such as Juan Tizol's "Caravan", which brought a Spanish tinge to big band jazz.
At the end of the 1930s, Ellington began a nearly thirty-year collaboration with composer-arranger-pianist Billy Strayhorn, whom he called his writing and arranging companion. With Strayhorn, he composed multiple extended compositions, or suites, as well as many short pieces. For a few years at the beginning of Strayhorn's involvement, Ellington's orchestra featured bassist Jimmy Blanton and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster and reached a creative peak. Some years later following a low-profile period, an appearance by Ellington and his orchestra at the Newport Jazz Festival in July 1956 led to a major revival and regular world tours. Ellington recorded for most American record companies of his era, performed in and scored several films, and composed a handful of stage musicals.
Read more about Duke Ellington on Wikipedia
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Current items with a signature of Duke Ellington
These are the most current items with a signature of Duke Ellington that were listed on eBay and on other online stores - click here for more items.
Traded items with a signature of Duke Ellington
The most expensive item with a signature of Duke Ellington (RARE Billy Strayhorn Duke Ellington Signed Music Contract Autograph PSA DNA Auto) was sold in May 2025 for $3,297.25 while the cheapest item (2025 Historic Autograph Company Yesteryear Duke Ellington 1/1) found a new owner for $0.99 in June 2025. The month with the most items sold (8) was March 2025 with an average selling price of $137.49 for an autographed item of Duke Ellington. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in November 2022 with $600.00 and the month that saw the lowest prices with $6.99 was May 2023. In average, an autographed item from Duke Ellington is worth $99.49.
Most recently, these items with a signature of Duke Ellington were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
Latest News about Duke Ellington
Five Minutes That Will Make You Love Duke Ellington (08/03/2022): We asked jazz musicians, writers and others to tell us what moves them. Listen to their choices. 
Review: An Orchestra Manages to Capture That Ellington Swing (03/25/2022): At Carnegie Hall, the American Symphony Orchestra and Leon Botstein made a case for Duke Ellington works still rarely heard from classical ensembles. Hal Singer, Influential Saxophonist, Is Dead at 100 (09/12/2020): A Tulsa massacre survivor, he worked with Duke Ellington and others contributed to the birth of rhythm and blues and rock ’n’ roll. Hal Singer, Saxophonist and Tulsa Massacre Survivor, Dies at 100 (09/11/2020): He worked with Duke Ellington and others, and his honking tenor saxophone contributed to the birth of rhythm and blues and rock ’n’ roll. The Swinging, Jamming Musical Charms of 1940s Soundies (06/11/2020): Once upon a time you could drop a dime in a movie jukebox to hear — and watch — musical greats like Duke Ellington and Gene Krupa.
Older News Stories about Duke Ellington
The Duke Ellington Legacy's CD 'Single Petal of a Rose' (07/2012): The Duke Ellington Legacy’s latest album, titled Single Petal of a Rose , features special guest Houston Person on tenor saxophone. read more
