John Ford was born in 1952 and raised in Oklahoma City and started playing drums at the early age of 13. By his 16th birthday, he began sitting in with various bands. He briefly left Oklahoma City at 17 years of age and joined his first band, the Funke Bunch in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Upon returning to Oklahoma City, he formed his own band, The Funke Music Machine and enjoyed a timeline of eight years with them.

By 1976 he merged with the California Malibus and began touring. They traveled with the Chilites, SOS Band, Denise LaSalle, Chocolate Milk and Johnny Taylor, for nine months through Chicago, Atlanta, Montgomery, Denver, Dallas, Jackson, MS, and Kansas City, MO. He completed another 3 years with the group before moving to Dallas.

Having met Harvey Mason in 1977, John began to shape his sound evenly performing the standards required yet polishing up signature licks distinctive to his own sound. He joined the group, Destinee, in 1980 in Dallas and performed in Japan with them as a short promotional tour 1991-92.

Returning to Dallas, John immediately sought out Johnny Taylor and his accompaniment of solid musicians. Here he focused on the growth that would eventually mold him into a Band Leader experienced enough to guide his own crew and significantly exert a positive influence in all selected music.

Armed with a format, and having experienced various approaches to Band directing, he returned home to OKC and performed with and observed musicians for several years. He worked with any and all local groups both inside and out of the studios. Setting on a choice group of performers, he put together his band, 411. John has assembled eight very talented musicians and, currently, performs nightly in Oklahoma City.