Billy Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American
jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger, best remembered for his long-time collaboration with bandleader and composer
Duke Ellington that lasted nearly three decades. Though classical music was Strayhorn's first love, his ambition to become a classical composer went unrealized because of the harsh reality of a black man trying to make his way in the world of classical music, which at that time was almost completely white. He was introduced to the music of pianists like
Art Tatum and
Teddy Wilson at age 19, and the artistic influence of these musicians guided him into the realm of jazz, where he remained for the rest of his life. This photograph of Strayhorn was taken by
William P. Gottlieb in the 1940s.
Photograph credit: William P. Gottlieb; restored by Adam Cuerden
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