Louie Bellson Smithsonian Interview Block 739 (Q11535)

I think he - the only one he confided in was Billy Strayhorn, because he knew Billy Strayhorn was going to be exactly like what he's thinking too. So when they did His Mother Called Him Billy Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington had a hand in that too, but he gave all the credit to Billy Strayhorn. I think Duke Ellington masterminded the whole thing. He was the perfect conductor too, because he let ...