Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899–1974)
Billy Strayhorn (1915–1967)

Time-line 1926–1967

1926 1938 1956 1974
COTTON CLUB DAYS
and National Radio 		BIG BAND SWING ERA EXTENDED COMPOSITIONS
and OVERSEAS TOURS
| | | | | |
1 6 7 9 15 17
  1. 1926 "Bubber" Miley (growl trumpet) joins the Ellingtonians **
  2. 1927 "Birmingham Breakdown" (Brunswick 28/02/27)
  3. 1927 "Black and Tan Fantasy" (Victor 26/10/27)
  4. 1929 Regular Saturday night broadcasts from the Cotton Club on national radio
  5. 1931 "Creole Rhapsody" (Victor 11/06/31) - both sides of a 12-inch 78 shellac
  6. 1933 Elgar and Ellington meet socially in London at Prince of Wales reception
  7. 1933 Ellington visits cottage of Anne Hathaway (Shakespeare's wife) in Stratford-upon-Avon
  8. 1935 "Reminiscin' in Tempo" (ARC 12/09/35) - four sides of two 10-inch 78 shellacs
  9. 1938 Billy Strayhorn joins Ellington as an apprentice
  10. 1939 ASCAP strike
  11. 1941 "Take the A-train" (Victor 15/02/1941)
  12. 1955 33⅓ rpm microgroove vinyl LPs (but only mono till c. 1960)
  13. 1956 Newport Jazz Festival|"Diminuendo & Crescendo in Blue"|
  14. 1956 Ellington on cover of TIME magazine
  15. 1957 "Such Sweet Thunder" Suite premiere at Shakespeare Festival (Stratford-upon-Avon, Ontario, Canada)
  16. 1957–1975 Many overseas "goodwill"tours + many extended compositions
  17. 1969 Ellington awarded USA Presidential Medal of Freedom at 70th Birthday Bash at White House