Born Cornelius Hodges on July 25, 1907 in Cambridge Massachusetts, the alto saxophonist is better known by his stage name Johnny Hodges. Best remembered for his work with Duke Ellington’s big band, he also had an impressive catalog of releases as a leader in his own right. Earlier in Johnny Hodges career, he used to play both alto and soprano saxophone, but beginning in 1946, he refused to play soprano. Along with Benny Carter, his is considered one of the greatest alto saxophonists of the big band era. After spending the early part of his career playing in New York with Sidney Bechet, Chick Webb, and others, he was hired by Duke Ellington in 1928 when he decided to expand his orchestra. Johnny Hodges’ playing became one of the most recognizable sounds in Ellington’s orchestra, and he used this popularity to his advantage. In the late 1930s and through the 1940s, Johnny Hodges released a series of singles that were credited to Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra. With heavy involvement from Duke Ellington and members of his orchestra, these singles were more side projects than actual solo releases. However, Johnny Hodges shocked everyone when he stopped playing with Ellington in March 1951 in order to officially lead his own orchestra. Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra released a series of singles between 1951 and 1955 including “You Blew Out the Flame in My Heart” (1951), “Sideways” (1952), “Wham!” (1953), “Easy Going Bounce” (1954), and “I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart” (1955). Johnny Hodges also released a series of albums and EPs including In a Tender Mood (1952), The Blues (1954), and Creamy (1955). Johnny Hodges returned to the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1955, just a short time before Ellington experienced a resurgence in popularity. Johnny Hodges would continue to release recordings with his own orchestra as well including The Big Sound (1957) and Blues A-Plenty (1958). By the beginning of the 1960s, Johnny Hodges retired the orchestra and began recording under his own name. His musical career as a recording artist and live performer continued until his death on May 11, 1970 of a heart attack.
