John was born on a farm at Marton Blackpool. He started singing in school and church choirs, and also singing songs and reciting poems taught to him by his mother who had learnt them from older generations of the family.
After a brief fling in a skiffle band in the late 50's, his singing career took a rest until 1977 when he became part of the four-piece madcap band "Distressed Gentlefolk", performing in the clubs and pubs of the area, to the amazement of everybody. This band continued with various line-ups until 1991.
Since that time John has been a member of the "Elderly Brothers" and "Fleetwood Mashers" with Ian Gartside and others, and has also made a name for himself as an entertainer in his own right, generally singing songs and reciting poems of a humourous nature that he has collected from various sources. The tunes to these songs usually being re-arranged by himself to adapt to his unusual style of guitar and banjo playing.