JOHNNY HODGES has spent a lifetime playing piano
in theme parks and pizza parlors, churches and cathouses, nightclubs
and bars, accompanying silent movies, and in movies and TV shows.
Johnny began his musical career on a high note when, at the
age of 10, he performed Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas”
on piano on KNBC radio in Los Angeles – his first professional
gig. Fascinated by Jo Ann Castle’s pianistics on the Lawrence
Welk show, he began arranging tunes in the ragtime style. He
expanded his knowledge and understanding of blues, jazz and
honky-tonk by soaking up everything from the piano playing at
Shakey’s pizza parlors to the Dixieland of Disneyland’s
Firehouse Five plus Two. In the mid-’60s, while studying
theater and music at Cal State Fullerton and Fullerton College,
he landed a piano-playing job at Smilin’ Sam’s pizza
parlor on nearby St. College Blvd.
In the service during the next couple of years, Johnny was stationed
in Heidelberg, Germany, and regularly played ragtime and Stride
piano at two famed nightclubs, Storyville and Cave 54. Once
back at home in the U.S., Johnny bought a camper and lived the
life of an itinerant ragtime pianist – constantly on the
move and bringing great American piano music to every corner
of the U.S. The ’70s brought a steady stream of piano-playing
work for Hollywood’s movie and TV industries. In 1981,
while visiting with pianist friend Judy Carmichael at Disneyland,
Johnny was invited by Judy to play the piano. He wound up being
hired and playing there for 25 years, earning the nickname Hot
Fingers. He’s been retired since 2006 but remains a constant
advocate of music education, encouraging young pianists to play
for audiences. After playing at various OCRS musicales throughout
this past year, he’s happy to be making his RagFest debut.
