Mercer Kennedy Ellington was an American trumpeter, composer, and arranger. Born on March 11, 1919, he was the son of Duke Ellington. He began his musical career by writing “Pigeons and Peppers” at age eighteen, which was recorded by his father. In the late 1930s and 1940s, Ellington led his own bands that featured future jazz luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Dorham. He composed notable pieces like “Things Ain't What They Used to Be” and “Jumpin' Punkins”. He contributed to his father's orchestra as a composer, alto horn player, copyist, and trumpeter, taking over as leader of the Duke Ellington Orchestra after his father's death in 1974. Under his leadership, the band toured Europe in 1975 and 1977. His album Digital Duke (1987) won the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. He died of a heart attack on February 8, 1996.
