On September 23, 1926, John William Coltrane was born in Hamlet, North Carolina. John’s father was his first influence on his music career, for he played many instruments. As Coltrane grew, he developed a passion for jazz through artists like Lester Young and Count Basie. Coltrane put his passion to use when in his early teens he began to play the alto saxophone. In 1943, he moved to Philadelphia to study music, but ended up being enlisted in the navy. While stationed in Hawaii, he performed often and made a recording with a quartet of sailors.