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Andy McGhee was born on November 3, 1927 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Graduating from the New England Conservatory in 1949 the saxophonist worked for a short time with trumpeter Roy Eldridge and local Boston musician Fat Man Robinson. After marrying in 1950, McGhee served in the Army in Korea and at Fort Dix, New Jersey where he played in an Army band and gave lessons to other musicians.

From 1957 to 1963 McGhee worked with Lionel Hampton’s band, touring the United States, Europe, and the Far East. During his tenure with Hampton, he composed the song, McGhee, that was recorded on The Many Sides of Lionel Hampton. He went on to work with Woody Herman from 1963 to 1966.

Joining the faculty of Berklee College of Music in 1966, Andy taught  saxophonists Bill Pierce, Javon Jackson, Donald Harrison, Antonio Hart, Sam Newsome, Richie Cole, Greg Osby, and Ralph Moore. While devoting his time to teaching, McGhee wrote the instruction books Improvisation for Saxophone and Flute: The Scale/Mode Approach and Modal Strategies for Saxophone.

In the late Seventies he teamed again with Lionel Hampton and the Lionel Hampton Alumni Band as part of The Boston Globe Jazz Festival, performing with Bob Wilber, Ernie Wilkins, Teddy Wilson, Alan Dawson and Terri Lynne Carrington. and Hampton on vibraphone. The early 1990s, saw McGhee touring again with Lionel Hampton as member of the Golden Men of Jazz tour with Harry “Sweets” Edison, Clark Terry, Benny Bailey, Al Grey, and Benny Golson.

In 2006 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. On October 12, 2017, tenor saxophonist and educator Andy McGhee passed away at the age of 89.

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