Johnny Dodds was born on April 12, 1892, in Waveland, Mississippi, and became one of the most influential jazz clarinetists of the early 20th century. Growing up in a musically rich environment, Dodds began playing the clarinet at the age of 17, initially self-taught before studying with Lorenzo Tio and Charlie McCurdy. He moved to New Orleans in his youth, where he played with notable bands, including those of Kid Ory and Joe "King" Oliver.

Dodds relocated to Chicago in the early 1920s and joined Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, with whom he made his first recordings in 1923. He became a prominent figure in the Chicago jazz scene, performing with Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven, Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, and leading his own sessions under the name Johnny Dodds' Black Bottom Stompers. His style was characterized by a distinctive tone, rich in blues inflections, and he was known for his heartfelt, blues-laden playing.

Despite the decline in his career during the Great Depression and health issues that limited his recordings in the 1930s, Dodds remained an influential musician. He recorded his last sessions in 1938 and 1940 before passing away from a stroke on August 8, 1940, in Chicago. His contributions to jazz were recognized posthumously with his induction into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame in 1987. Dodds' legacy endures, having influenced later clarinetists, including Benny Goodman, who admired his tone and musical expressiveness.