[Duke Ellington’s 40th birthday celebration hosted by President Nixon at the White House] Some of the men who had worked at the White House for twenty or thirty years said there had never been a night like that before, and I believe them. The party went on until after two o'clock. Can you imagine Billy Eckstine, Lou Rawls, and Joe Williams, all at the mike at the same time, each singing the other's blues? Can you imagine me dancing with Carmen De Lavallade? Can you imagine Vice President Agnew playing "Sophisticated Lady," or the lovely First Lady's handsome husband playing "Happy Birthday" in the key of G? Many great pianists played on that piano that night, including Earl Hines, who broke it up with "Perdido," but the big moment for me was when I saw my man, The Lion, playing the President's concert grand, still with his derby on his head! << less