13 Facts About Duke Pearson

Duke Pearson studied the instrument until he was twelve, when he took an interest in brass instruments: mellophone, baritone horn and ultimately trumpet.

Duke Pearson was so fond of the trumpet that through high school and college he neglected the piano.

Duke Pearson attended Clark College while playing trumpet in groups in the Atlanta area.

Duke Pearson himself confessed in a 1959 interview that he was "so spoiled by Kelly's good piano" that he decided to switch to piano again.

Duke Pearson performed with different ensembles in Georgia and Florida, including with Tab Smith and Little Willie John, before he moved to New York City in January 1959.

Duke Pearson had been able to get at least one song, "Tribute to Brownie", recorded by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet on their 1957 album, Sophisticated Swing.

Duke Pearson was the accompanist for Nancy Wilson on tour in 1961.

The composition, Duke Pearson later commented, was inspired by a trip he took to Brazil while touring with Wilson.

From that year until 1970, Duke Pearson was a frequent session musician and producer for numerous Blue Note albums while recording his own albums as bandleader.

The Byrd-Duke Pearson band consisted of musicians such as Chick Corea, Pepper Adams, Randy Brecker, and Garnett Brown; the latter three were members of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis band that played the same night club, The Village Vanguard, but on different nights.

Duke Pearson eventually retired from his position with Blue Note in 1971 after personnel changes were made; co-founder Alfred Lion retired in 1967 after the label was sold to Liberty Records the previous year, and co-founder Francis Wolff died in 1971.

Duke Pearson opted to teach at Clark College in 1971, toured with Carmen McRae and Joe Williams through 1973, and eventually re-formed his big band during that time.

Duke Pearson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1970s, from which he died in 1980 at Atlanta Veterans Hospital.