Between 1917 and 1919, Ellington started his professional music career. During the day, he had a job painting signs. At night, he played the piano. Sometimes, he got work playing the piano from people that he met in his other job. He started his first band, "The Duke’s Serenaders". They played in Washington, D.C. and Virginia at dances and parties. The other musicians in his band were Otto Hardwick, on bass and then saxophone; Arthur Whetsol on trumpet; Elmer Snowden on banjo; and Sonny Greer on drums. They played for both white and black people, which was unusual then.