Ellington began piano lessons at the age of seven, but as a child he was not immediately fascinated by the instrument. He was particularly interested in baseball and sometimes preferred sports to practicing the piano. His personality, however, was already distinctive. His polished appearance and confident manner led a childhood friend, Edgar McEntee, to give him the nickname “Duke.” Ellington later explained that his friend believed he needed a title to be worthy of constant companionship. The nickname remained with him throughout his life and eventually became one of the most famous names in American music.
As a teenager, Ellington’s relationship with music changed dramatically. Around the age of fourteen, he began visiting a poolroom where he heard local pianists performing. These musicians introduced him to styles of playing that were very different from the formal lessons he had received. Ellington became fascinated by ragtime and the rhythmic possibilities of the piano. He began observing other musicians carefully, copying their techniques, and developing his own musical ideas.
His early musical education was therefore unusual. Much of what he learned came not from formal institutions but from listening to working musicians. He heard performers in Washington, D.C., as well as during trips to Philadelphia and Atlantic City. He studied the playing of musicians such as James P. Johnson, Luckey Roberts, Eubie Blake, and other important pianists. These encounters introduced him to stride piano, ragtime, blues, and other African American musical traditions that would later become important components of his own style.
