John Crawford

John Buckner Crawford (born January 17, 1957) is an American singer-songwriter known for co-founding the pop group Berlin who scored several hit songs in the 1980s. Crawford's career as a musician began in junior high after breaking his leg during a basketball game. In an attempt to fight off the boredom of being injured, he picked up a guitar and began taking lessons at a musical instrument retailer in nearby Fullerton, California, where his teacher put him in touch with future Berlin band members Dan Van Patten and Chris Velasco and Tyson Cobb. John attended El Dorado High School in Placentia, California.

The three soon formed a band named The Toys with vocalist Ty Cobb at the helm. Crawford, Cobb and the others were influenced by then-current punk rockers like the Sex Pistols along with Synthpop band Ultravox, though Crawford has cited KISS as an early influence as well.

After a name change to Berlin, the band stayed together for about three years and was finally let go, Cobb was out and a string of vocalists ensued. In 1980 Berlin released the EP Information on Zone H. Records with Virginia Macolino fronting the group. The band signed to I.R.S. Records briefly in 1980, releasing the single "A Matter of Time", before suddenly disbanding in 1981.