Johnny Hodges was born in July 25, 1906 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He started out playing the drums and piano. When he was 14, he started playing the saxophone. He was self taught, but later took some lessons on the soprano saxophone with Sidney Bechet. He played with Bechet in various groups in the early and mid 1920’s. In 1926 he joined Chick Webb’s band and took up alto as his main instrument.

In 1928, Hodges joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He stayed with the orchestra until 1951, when he left to play with a smaller group. Then in 1955, he rejoined the orchestra. He played in the Duke Ellington Orchestra for a total of 38 years.

Here he is in a 1965 performance.