A man is a god in ruins.
- Duke Ellington Quote

A problem is a chance for you to do your best.
- Duke Ellington Quote

By and large, jazz has always been like the kind of a man you wouldn't want your daughter to associate with.
- Duke Ellington Quote

Critics have their purposes, and they're supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what they did.
- Duke Ellington Quote

Fate is being kind to me. Fate doesn't want me to be too famous too young.
- Duke Ellington Quote

Gray skies are just clouds passing over.
- Duke Ellington Quote

It's like an act of murder; you play with intent to commit something.
- Duke Ellington Quote

Love is supreme and unconditional; like is nice but limited.
- Duke Ellington Quote

Now I can say loudly and openly what I have been saying to myself on my knees.
- Duke Ellington Quote

On becoming more acquainted with the word of the Bible, I began to understand so much more of what I had been taught, and of what I had learned about life and about the people in mine.
- Duke Ellington Quote

Playing "bop" is like playing Scrabble with all the vowels missing.
- Duke Ellington Quote

There are two kinds of worries - those you can do something about and those you can't. Don't spend any time on the latter.
- Duke Ellington Quote

There is hardly any money interest in art, and music will be there when money is gone.
- Duke Ellington Quote