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A drug store with a soda fountain like this one inspired "Soda Fountain Rag"
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Duke Ellington's Early Years
At age 15, Ellington worked at a soda fountain and wrote his first song, "Soda Fountain Rag." By his late teens, he was making enough money to help his parents move into a better house. One of Ellington's first professional gigs was a party where he played so long that his hand bled. He earned 75 cents. "It was the most money I had ever seen," he said. "I rushed all the way home to my mother with it. But I could not touch a piano key for weeks . . . " What do you think was Ellington's next move?
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