His professional jazz performance career lasted from the 1960s to the early 2010s, during which he also worked as a visual artist, producing drawings, paintings, and sculptures.
In the 1970s, he performed with Toshiko Akiyoshi, Count Basie, Louie Bellson, John Collins, Joe Henderson, Ahmad Jamal, Blue Mitchell and Oscar Peterson.
[10] Heard also played with Vuckovich's band on their first "Club Date" show on PBS, which was picked up by at least 120 cities in the U.S.
In addition to Heard and Vuckovitch, the band included Tom Harrell on trumpet, and Sherman Ferguson on drums.
[15] Before his retirement he had managed to record with musicians such as Spanish pianist Tete Montoliu, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Art Pepper, Clark Terry, Pharoah Sanders, Zoot Sims and Joe Williams.
[16] After taking time out from music to do painting, he returned to the scene and played with Benny Carter, Jamal and others.
[9] In 2005, he had his album The Jazz Composer's Songbook released on Straight Ahead Records and produced by Stewart Levine and mastered by Bernie Grundman.
[17] Around the mid-2000s onwards, his group The John Heard Trio played at Charlie O's club in Van Nuys.
In 2005, the group consisted of John Heard on bass, Tom Garvin on piano and Roy McCurdy on drums.