Duke Ellington Duke Ellington By the time of his passing, he was considered amongst the world's greatest composers and musicians. The French government honored him with their highest award, the Legion of Honor, while the government of the United States bestowed upon him the highest civil honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He played for the royalty and for the common people and by the end of his fifty-year career, he had played over 20,000 performances worldwide. He was the Duke, Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy Ellington was born into the world on April 28, 1899 in Washington, D.C. Duke's parents Daisy Ken