Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. was born August 17, 1932, in Atlanta, Georgia. His mother started him on piano before he was six; at twelve he shifted toward brass instruments, including mellophone, baritone horn, and trumpet, before eventually returning to piano as his primary instrument. His uncle gave him the nickname "Duke," a nod to Duke Ellington. He moved to New York in January 1959, played with the Art Farmer-Benny Golson Jazztet, then joined the quintet co-led by Donald Byrd and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, and was soon recording for Blue Note as a leader in his own right. Donald Byrd's own career is covered in full in his JazzProfiles.com profile.

From 1963 to 1970, Pearson produced numerous recording sessions for Blue Note while also recording most of his own albums as a leader. After saxophonist Ike Quebec's death, he took over as the label's A&R man, a role he held until 1971, effectively shaping the sound and direction of Blue Note's output during one of its most creatively significant stretches. He also led a big band from 1967 to 1970 and again in 1972, hiring players including Pepper Adams, Chick Corea, Lew Tabackin, Randy Brecker, and Garnett Brown.

Pearson's own compositions became jazz standards in their own right: the somber "Cristo Redentor," written for Donald Byrd, "Sweet Honey Bee," recorded by himself and Lee Morgan, and "Jeannine," one of the most-covered pieces in the modern jazz repertoire. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1970s and died at Atlanta Veterans Hospital on August 4, 1980.

Pearson's dual role, working pianist/composer and Blue Note's own A&R gatekeeper, gave him a rare vantage point on soul-jazz's development in the 1960s, shaping the label's output as much through his production judgment as through his own compositions and performances.