Harford (he would change his name to Hartford later in life at the behest of Chet Atkins)[REF] was born on December 30, 1937 in New York City to parents Dr. Carl and Mary Harford.
After high school he enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis, completed 4 years of a commercial arts program and dropped out to focus on his music; however, he did later receive a degree in 1960.