Bird grew up in a musical family, and started playing bass in the mid 1960’s when he was 13 years of age. He then started playing in night clubs, at festivals and at private parties with local bands in Starkville, MS, Columbus, MS and Jackson, MS.

In 1979 he began playing in Birmingham, AL with the band High Roller, and did some session work at the Music Place Recording Studio, formerly New London, and later some sessions at Boutwell Recording Studio. Around that time he met Don Tinsley, a multi-talented instrumentalist/song writer/singer who was interested in putting a band together to show case his original songs.

Don got Bird and Rick Kurtz, both from High Roller, and Lolly Lee and Marcel Nichols together (along with support from High Roller band mate Mike Matos) to form The Mortals. Mike later played drums after Marcel left, then moved to guitar, keyboards and vocals when Bryan Owings was able join the band. When the Mortals disbanded in 1984, Bird, Rick and Bryan joined up with Mike Duke (formerly with Wet Willie) to form Mike and the Maximums.

Since then Bird has played in many different bands, and at the age of 73, is still actively playing music. He is married to Melanie Fairchild Crain and they have two children (Alex and Laura Austin) and 4 grandchildren.