John Warnock graduated from Tucson High School, then attended Amherst College in Massachusetts, Oxford University in England, and the New York University School of Law. After teaching at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, he returned to Tucson in 1990 to join the English Department at the University of Arizona.
During his time in Laramie (1969-1989), the author played with a bluegrass band that over that time released two albums, Laramie (Mercury, 1970) and The Laramie Daily Record (Sun Country, 1979).
He also loves and plays Mexican music.
He is now Professor Emeritus at UA and lives in Tucson with his wife Tilly.