The Resume

(April 29, 1899-May 14, 1974)
Birth name was Edward Kennedy Ellington
Sold peanuts at baseball games
Studied piano with Harvey Brooks, Doc Perty and Louis Brown
Formed his first group (1917)
Became well-known through radio music
Married Edna Thompson (1919)
Moved to New York (1923)
Ran his own band
Awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom (1969)
Played numerous musical instruments and several different styles
Died of cancer

Why he might be annoying:

The members of his band changed a lot.
His band was largely forgotten from 1942 to 1956.
He played a lot of practical jokes.
He separated from his wife and lived with two dancers (at different times).
He still has a website nearly 30 years after his death.

Why he might not be annoying:

His work helped form modern jazz.
He didn't publicly face much racism.
He was a devout Christian.
During World War II, he kept his orchestra functioning normally.
He entertained US presidents and foreign heads of state.

Credit: Wang

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
• Appeared on PBS' American Masters
• AV Club's 30 Greatest Performances of the National Anthem (Ranked: 22)
• Bisexuals
• Carnegie Hall Concerts
• Central Park Statues
• Dean Martin Show Guests [A-K]
• Dick Cavett Show Guests
• Ed Sullivan Show Guests
• Famous Dukes
• Film Composers
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (Ranked: 1966)
• I am on a U.S. Postage Stamp [D-G]
• I Attended Nat King Cole’s Funeral [February 18, 1965]
• I Covered 'Frankie and Johnny'
• I Covered 'Stagger Lee'
• I Did Not Graduate High School [C-E]
• I Died in 1974 (Ranked: 75)
• I Have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[C-E]
• I Have Lung Cancer
• I Have Synesthesia
• I Recorded ‘Autumn Leaves’
• I Sing About New York
• I'm Buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx
• Jazz Artists
• Las Vegas Walk of Stars Honorees
• Linda Ronstadt Covered My Song
• Look at Me, I Got a Microphone
• Lycos' Top 10 Jazz Searches [June 2000] (Ranked: 6)
• My Music was Lost in the 2008 Universal Studios Fire
• My Song is on Rhino's 'Say It Loud: A Celebration of Black Music in America'
• My Song is on Sony's 'Soundtrack for a Century'
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 2007)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1990)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1999)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1981)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1975)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1976)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 2011)
• Person to Person - Guests [A-K]
• Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
• Profiles 9251-9500 (Ranked: 9343)
• Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Musical Stars of the 20th Century (Ranked: 60)
• Red Skelton Show Guests
• Songs of the Century [2001] (Ranked: 17)
• Spingarn Medal Winners (Ranked: 1959)
• The Chipmunks Covered My Song
• The My Hero Project
• Wang's Profiles [Series 1]
• What's My Line - Mystery Guests [1950-1967]

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 14 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 10 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 90 Votes: 45.56% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 88 Votes: 43.18% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 75 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 23 Votes: 43.48% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 25 Votes: 44.00% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 23 Votes: 56.52% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 21 Votes: 19.05% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 101 Votes: 46.53% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 437 Votes: 45.08% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 52 Votes: 38.46% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 75 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 73 Votes: 45.21% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 158 Votes: 37.34% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 92 Votes: 34.78% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 127 Votes: 44.88% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 224 Votes: 40.62% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 363 Votes: 41.87% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 568 Votes: 42.08% Annoying
In 2003, Out of 1607 Votes: 42.50% Annoying