Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer, pianist, and big-band leader. Ellington was recognized in his lifetime as one of the greatest jazz composers and performers. photo by carbonated on Flickr

fotopedia

Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou Williams, New York, N.Y., ca. 1946.
Mary Lou Williams (May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Williams wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements, and recorded more than one hundred records. Wikipedia 

Jackie Gleason

Comedian, actor, composer and conductor, educated in New York public schools. Jackie Gleason (February 26, 1916 – June 24, 1987) was a master of ceremonies in amateur shows, a carnival barker, daredevil driver, a disc jockey and later a comedian in night clubs. He designed his own fantastic round house that was built in Peekskill, New York, in the 1950s and remains a modern marvel. The set of "The Honeymooners" (1955) show was based on Jackie's childhood home on Chauncey Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant (originally Bushwick) area of Brooklyn, New York. The apartment building is still there and looks very much the same as in Jackie's time.

Source: worldufophotosandnews
 

Giuseppe Verdi

Italian romantic composer, mainly of opera, born Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi, (10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901), he was part of European Romanticism, and was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century. His works are frequently performed in opera houses throughout the world and, transcending the boundaries of the genre, some of his themes have long since taken root in popular culture – such as "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto, "Va, pensiero" (The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) from Nabucco, "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" (The Drinking Song) from La traviata and the "Grand March" from Aida. Verdi’s masterworks dominate the standard opera repertoire a century and a half after their composition. 

Source: wikipedia | tchaikovsky-research

Carmen McRae

Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable. McRae drew inspiration from Billie Holiday, but established her own distinctive voice. She went on to record over 60 albums, enjoying a rich musical career, performing and recording in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Source: israbox

Fats Waller

Fats Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943), born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer. Waller was one of the most popular performers of his era, finding critical and commercial success in his homeland and in Europe. He was also a prolific songwriter and many songs he wrote or co-wrote are still popular, such as "Honeysuckle Rose", "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Squeeze Me".

Source: wikipedia | doctormacro

Audie Murphy

Audie Leon Murphy (June 20, 1924 – May 28, 1971) was the most highly decorated American soldier in World War II. Through LIFE magazine's July 16, 1945 issue ("Most Decorated Soldier"/cover photo), he became one of the most famous American soldiers of WWII and widely regarded as the most decorated American soldier of the war. After the war he became a celebrated movie star for over two decades, appearing in 44 films.He later had some success as a country music composer.

Source:  wikipedia

Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-born American composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. He published his first song, "Marie from Sunny Italy", in 1907 and had his first major international hit, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" in 1911.

Source: wikipedia |  hubpages

Duke Ellington

Jazz Legend  Duke Ellington, One of the Greatest. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American composer, pianist, and big-band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions. In the opinion of Bob Blumenthal of The Boston Globe, "In the century since his birth, there has been no greater composer, American or otherwise, than Edward Kennedy Ellington."

Source: wikipedia | snspost

Jelly Roll Morton

Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, Chicago, September 1926, Jelly Roll Morton is shown lecturing his very first Red Hot Peppers band. Standing left to right: Omer Simeon, Andrew Hilaire, John Lindsay, Johnny St. Cyr, Kid Ory and George Mitchell - courtesy of Ate van Delden

Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (October 20, 1885 – July 10, 1941), known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, band-leader and composer.

Source: doctorjazz | google

Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades.

Source: marcmyers

Charlie Chaplin

Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE  (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I. Chaplin used mime, slapstick and other visual comedy routines, and continued well into the era of the talkies, though his films decreased in frequency from the end of the 1920s.

Charlie Chaplin as “The Little Tramp”

 Source: fycharliechaplin | kids.britannica | wikipedia