Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington was a famous jazz performer and songwriter.

Muppet Babies episode 305 featured a spoof of Ellington's radio show (1943, 1945-1946), with Baby Rowlf as a big band conductor. Grenoldo Frazier, from the first cast of Sesame Street Live, performed as Duke in the revue Billy, Lena and The Duke: A Night of Ellington Music!

In the special A Walking Tour of Sesame Street with James Earl Jones, Jones' introduction includes a stutle reference to "Flugel Street Rags", an Ellington song. Saying he's on the most famous street in the world, he continues that "it's not Flugel Street, and it's not Pennsylvania Avenue… It's not even the street where you live!"

Songs performed by the Muppets

 * "It Don't Mean a Thing" performed in episode 216 of The Muppet Show
 * "Just Squeeze Me" performed in episode 520 of The Muppet Show.