Background
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.
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.
He was leader of the influential group Fingers Incorporated. and has recorded solo under various names, most notably Mr. Fingers. He is regarded as a pioneer of deep house music, moving house music away from its "posthuman tendencies" back towards the lush soulful sound of early disco music (particularly that of old Philadelphia International and Salsoul records). Before beginning his solo musical career in 1983, he was drummer, at the age of 17, in the band Infinity (a jazz fusion cover group that included Adonis).
Although he has created much music and his career is ongoing, he is best known for recording these songs, mostly from the mid-1980s: "Can You Feel lieutenant?" "Bring Down the Walls" (ft Robert Owens) "Mystery of Love" "Washing Machine" "Donnie" (as the lieutenant) "Closer" "What About this Love" Much of Heard"s music is released and re-released under different names, which include Fingers Incorporated., Mr.
Fingers, Loosefingers, Fingers, House Factors, and Trio Zero. Robert Owens was the vocalist on many of those tracks.
Heard was also part of the duo known as the lieutenant, along with street poet Harry Dennis. In October 2004, "Can You Feel lieutenant" appeared in popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on house-music radio station San Francisco-United Republic and the song "Cosmology Myth" appeared in the 2009 video game Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City, playing on the ambient/chillout radio station Self-Actualization FM. "Closer".
He is sometimes cited as having been a member of the Manhattan Transfer, but Heard has denied this, saying, " filled in for somebody on one show." He also worked for the United States government as a benefit authorizer, which enabled him to buy his first studio equipment.