Arguably the greatest composer that America has ever seen, Duke Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington D.C. In the early 1920's, Ellington ventured to New York where he would establish a long career as a bandleader, pianist, and prolific arranger and composer. Some famous jazz tunes written by Duke Ellington include "In a Sentimental Mood," "It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing," "Mood Indigo," and "Satin Doll." Ellington's career spanned sixty total years and led to the formation of some of the greatest big bands that jazz has ever seen.