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Albert Omega Sears was born February 21, 1910 in Macomb, Illinois. His first major gig came in 1928 when he replaced Johnny Hodges in Chick Webb’s ensemble. The Thirties had him first playing with Elmer Snowden, then led his own groups between 1933 and 1941.

In the early 1940s he joined Andy Kirk and Lionel Hampton before he became a member of Duke Ellington’s Orchestra in 1944, replacing Ben Webster. He remained with Ellington until 1949, when first Jimmy Forrest and then Paul Gonsalves took over his chair. He played with Johnny Hodges in 1951–52 and recorded the tune Castle Rock with him. The tune became a hit but unfortunately was released under Hodges’s name.

Sears was in Alan Freed’s band when Freed did live shows, being introduced as “Big Al Sears”. He played as a studio musician on R&B albums in the 1950s and recorded two albums for Swingville in 1960. He also owned several record labels, including Arock, Serock, and Gator.

Tenor saxophonist and bandleader Al Sears, who recorded four albums as a leader, transitioned on March 23, 1990 in St. Albans, New York at the age of 80.

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