John grew up in Charlotte, NC, and attended East Mecklenburg High School, where he began his musical studies as a trombone player. He served as trombone section leader for two years and received the Marching Eagle Award both years. After graduation, director Michael Soltys hired John as a marching instructor for the following two years. He later studied trombone under Derl Sanderson of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and George Broussard at East Carolina University.

John earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from East Carolina University. In 1985, he marched with the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. He also began studying guitar in 1978 and has led praise and worship music on guitar and piano for decades, incorporating the CAGED fretboard system into both his playing and teaching.

For the past 36 years, John has worked as a band director in public and private schools while also teaching private lessons. In 1992, he founded the middle and high school band programs at Northwood Temple Academy in Fayetteville, where his ensembles earned numerous Superior ratings at NC Band Festivals. During his time at Northwood, he also led worship on guitar and keys and served as the school’s orchestrator and music director. He recently moved to Mooresville to help care for his elderly parents.

Throughout his career, John has composed more than 600 band arrangements for all instruments and written 20 high school musicals. He also served as Minister of Music at Lebanon Baptist Church in Eastover, NC, where he directed the choir and led both traditional and contemporary services while performing on piano and guitar. He is the author of The Wright Band Method, a band method book series available through TheWrightBandMethod.com and J.W. Pepper.

In 2023, John received the Award of Excellence from the Southeastern Band Masters Association in recognition of his band performances at state festivals, his method books, and his educational instrumental videos on YouTube.

John and his wife of 37 years now live in Mooresville. They have one son, a daughter-in-law, a granddaughter, and another granddaughter on the way in February. These days, John proudly goes by his favorite title yet: Grandpa Wright.