[5] Born on the South Side of Chicago, Heard grew up hearing jazz and Motown at home, and could play several instruments from a young age.
[1] Before beginning his solo musical career in 1983, he was the drummer, at the age of 17,[6] in the band Infinity (a jazz fusion cover group that included Adonis).
According to Heard, “I guess it wasn’t customary for the drummer to have musical ideas…I ended up having to buy my own synthesizer and a drum machine”.
"[3] Despite initially not having a connection to Chicago's club scene, he eventually met singer and DJ Robert Owens at a party and the two formed the group Fingers Inc. along with Ron Wilson.
[10] Much of Heard's music has been released and re-released under different names, including Loosefingers, Fingers, House Factors, and Trio Zero.