Willis Conover and Duke Ellington were good friends and they got to know each other already when Conover arrived in Washington D.C. in the late 1940’s.
Source: Digital Library, North Texas University, Willis Conover Collection
Over the years, Conover interviewed Ellington many times and when one listens to the interviews, it is obvious that the two men respected each other highly. This comes through very clearly in this last interview that Conover made with Ellington in April 1973.
Source: Digital Library, North Texas University, Willis Conover Collection