Born in Hamlet, NC on September 23, 1926, and raised in High Point, John Coltrane grew up surrounded by music and faith. His father, John R. Coltrane, was a tailor who played violin and ukulele. His mother, Alice Blair Coltrane, was a church pianist. His maternal grandfather, Rev. William Wilson Blair, served as a minister and presiding elder in the AME Zion Church. His musical foundation grew through community and school bands, including the band at William Penn High School. Listening to Count Basie’s records featuring Lester Young sparked an early love of jazz; Johnny Hodges became a major influence on his alto saxophone playing, followed by Charlie Parker. Behind the extraordinary musician were family members, teachers, neighbors, and other Black artists who helped nurture his gift. Coltrane moved to Philadelphia in 1943 and went on to become one of jazz’s most influential voices. His Southern roots—the blues, the church, and the spiritual life of his family—helped shape the searching sound we hear in works like Giant Steps and A Love Supreme. #blksouth #johncoltrane #jazz #thesouth