Duke Ellington's best song...
“What tune have you written would you think is the best?”
Without hesitation, 66 year old, Duke Ellington responds, “Oh, the one coming up tomorrow. Always.”
“Alright, put it this way. Make it commercial. What one has made you the most money?”
Duke shrugs, “Oh, I never look at money.”
The interviewer — who just had dinner with Duke — sees his chance, “I noticed that tonight when you had dinner, you didn’t pick up the check.”
Everyone laughs.
(Source: CBC, Byng Whittaker Interview, recorded September 2, 1965)
Click here to watch the full interview on YouTube.