Was duke ellington gay

Inspired by his grandmother, he displayed musical talent from a young age, even saving up money from odd jobs to buy his own upright piano.

Billy Strayhorn amp Aaron : The two men met in , and Ellington immediately hired Strayhorn as second piano and arranger for the Duke Ellington Orchestra

Strayhorn took him up on the offer. There he met his first partner, fellow black musician Aaron Bridgers. Ellington retained many of the copyrights for Strayhorn compositions, and even received their royalties. Strayhorn (seated at piano) and (left to right) Duke Ellington, Leonard Feather, and Louis Armstrong in Strayhorn was a gifted composer and arranger who seemed to flourish in Duke's shadow.

But he had mixed feelings about his hidden role within the orchestra, and began branching out later in his career, releasing a few solo albums. He did become her mentor, vocal coach, and close friend. Ellington was arguably a father figure and the band was affectionately protective of the diminutive and mild-mannered Strayhorn, nicknamed by the band "Strays", "Weely", and "Swee' Pea".

A civil rights advocate, he attended the March on Washington, but his health declined soon after. Ellington was so impressed by what Strayhorn played for him that he invited him to come to New York City, even though there were no official open positions in the band.

Inhe had the chance to meet Duke Ellington, who was passing through his hometown of Pittsburgh. Ellington used. They lived together from until when Bridgers moved to Paris in Throughout his life, Strayhorn was surprisingly open about being gay.

As a LGBT composer and pianist himself, he produced well-known pieces like “Take The ‘A’ Train” and “Chelsea Bridge.”. But his contributions went largely uncredited, or at least downplayed. As the world celebrates Ellington's birthday, we look back on his openly gay pianist, composer, and friend Billy Strayhorn.

Lena Horne ended up falling in love anyway, and said she would have married Strayhorn had he been straight.

Gay men in classic : BILLY STRAYHORN (–) was a midth-century jazz pianist, arranger, and composer who toiled for three decades under the long shadow of Duke Ellington

Billy Strayhorn was a close contemporary of Duke Ellington for many decades. American jazz composer and pianist, and the longtime unsung collaborator of Duke Ellington.

He died from cancer brought on by excessive drinking and smoking, in the company of Bill Grove, his partner at the time. Brian Epstein Reed Erickson E. Billy Strayhorn to — American jazz composer and pianist, and the longtime unsung collaborator of Duke Ellington.

He wanted to be a classical pianist, but black classical musicians were practically nonexistent, and he soon gravitated towards jazz instead. Purchase a print.