John Thomas Peek was born in 1928. His father, a trumpet player and band leader, began giving him truumpet lessons at age 12. He began playing dance music at 14 and continued through high school. Between his junior and senior high school year he player with the " Carolina Cotton Pickers Orchestra". He was a graduate of Washington high School and received a B.A. Degree with distinction from Clark College under the directon of Waymon Carver and Music History from Dr. J. DeKoven Killingworth. John also studied trumpet with Max Friedentard during the years 1947-1949. In 1954 John was appointed Director of the Atlanta Youth Mason Band for three years, and from 1957 to 1961 Musical Director for organist Cleveland Lyons. In 1988, John with his wife Carrie Whaley Peek organized a non-profit corporation, Music South Corporation(MSC) the umbrella for the African American Philharmonic Orchestra which was created in 1989.The orchestra was only one of four African American orchestras in the country at that time. The orchestra played for Mayor Maynard Jackson, Ambassador Andrew Young, Bishop Tutu, Winnie and Nelson Mandela, and Maya Angelou in Atlanta.

Over the years John's musical talents have been numberous and diverse, ranging from directing his own groups, teaching and consulting to many schools and church music programs. He has performed with many national and international artistts such as Ray charles, B.B. King, Arthur Prysock, Woody Herman, Tuth Brown, Little Richard, Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Natalie Cole, Slappy White, The Temptations, The Dells and Barry White. He was an early mentor to Atlanta's own Duke Pearson and other famous musicians. John has had the distinct honor of conducting the Trujillo, Peru Symphony Orchestra while visiting Truillo, Peru.