Coley was born John Edward Colley in Dallas, Texas, United States. He grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry, early rock and roll, singing church hymns and was trained as a classical pianist. At 16, while at W. W. Samuell High School in Dallas, Coley, along with schoolmate Dan Seals, joined the group Theze Few, which later became Southwest F.O.B. and toured the Texas music scene where they had one hit, "The Smell of Incense", which in 1969 rose to number 43 on the charts. This band played on the bill with Led Zeppelin and other acts.

While in the band, Seals and Coley began their own acoustic act, Coley and Wayland. The act was renamed England Dan & John Ford Coley, and the duo was signed by A&M Records. In 1971, the two moved to Los Angeles where they opened for numerous bands.^[3] Their first break came in 1972 with the song "Simone". It became a number one hit in Japan and was popular in France. However, "Simone" did not fare as well in the United States, and the two were released from their contract with A&M after three albums.

Two years later, they acquired another record deal from Atlantic Records subsidiary Big Tree Records and released the song "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight". Overall they had four top-ten hits and two top-twenty hits. They were nominated for a Grammy Award, received triple-platinum and gold records and released eight albums; additionally, other recordings were released abroad.

The duo disbanded in 1980.^[2]

Coley formed another group that released an album on A&M Records: Leslie, Kelly and John Ford Coley (featuring sisters Leslie and Kelly Bulkin).^[2] He acted in teen films in the 1980s, acquired a small ranch in the 1990s, and wrote songs for film and television. He returned to touring in 1996. Coley plays with groups and artists including Ambrosia and Terry Sylvester (formerly of The Hollies), Three Dog Night, Lou Gramm (of Foreigner), Christopher Cross, Poco, Stephen Bishop, Al Stewart, Edgar Winter and others.

In 1996, Coley made a trip south for Tin Pan South and began making trips to Nashville to be part of the music community. He moved his family and horses across country to Tennessee in 1999. While in Tennessee, Coley, once a Baháʼí, converted back to Christianity.^[4] Coley continues to perform internationally.

On August 11, 1997, a handyman in Long Island, New York was arrested for impersonating Coley.^[5]

Albums edit

• Smell of Incense - Southwest F.O.B., 1969
• England Dan and John Ford Coley - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1971
• Fables - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1972
• I Hear Music - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1976
• Nights Are Forever - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1976
• Dowdy Ferry Road - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1977
• Some Things Don't Come Easy - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1978
• Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1979
• Just Tell Me You Love Me - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1980
• Leslie, Kelly and John Ford Coley - Leslie, Kelly and John Ford Coley, 1980 (A&M Records)
• The Best of England Dan and John Ford Coley - England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1980
• Live from the Philippines - John Ford Coley, 2009
• Eclectic - John Ford Coley, 2016^[6]
• Long Way Home (Live in Israel & L.A.) - John Ford Coley, 2020^[7]

• Official website