Louisiana native, John Beasley is a third generation musician. His father is a pianist, bassoonist and composer. His mother is a brass instrumentalist, band conductor and orchestrator. His grandfather was a trombonist. Growing up around musicians, Beasley also learned how to play trumpet, oboe, drums, saxophone and flute, mainly because of his mother's need for wind and brass instrumentalists for her bands. Declining an oboe scholarship from the Julliard after high school because of his stronger love for jazz