By joining various rock bands, John eventually met Jay Truax. He and Jay became good friends, and both moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. where they formed a rock group called Spirit Of Creation. Later, when the group disbanded and Jay moved to Hawaii, John stayed behind and played with several local bands.

John was satisfied with his life, or so he thought. He'd gained recognition as a drummer and had, in a sense, become a "mini-celebrity" in Salt Lake. John was unprepared for the change his life would undergo when Love Song came to Salt Lake in the summer of 1970.