John was born during the Second World War in Western Nebraska. He studied Ag Engineering for three years at Lincoln, NE then changed majors and schools. He finished his education at now Southern Nazarene University and graduated with a BS in Physics. John married his current wife, and only wife, in 1967 and moved to Twin Falls to work in research. It took him 40 years to realize there there was no future in that. (just kidding).

John joined the Magic Valley Gospel Opry a year or two before it became the Magic Valley Jubilee. I have it from a good source that he does not talk much. He says his mother told him when he was little that you have two ears and one mouth… therefore you should listen more than you talk.