Because of his noble character. Even though he was easy-going stylish and graceful, he was normally generous and he was a natural born leader. The 'Duke' was born on 29 th April, 1899, in Washington DC. He learnt to play the piano when he was seven, but it wasn't until he was a teenager that he decided to improve his skills and took his playing more seriously. In 1923, he moved to New York and formed a band of his own. (...) were eager to sing them up and they embarked on a long and successful career.