James Charles Heard (August 10, 1917 in Dayton, Ohio – September 27, 1988 in Royal Oak, Michigan), better known as J. C. Heard, was a United States swing, bop, and blues drummer.

Heard was a supportive drummer, versatile enough to fit comfortably into swing, bop and blues settings. He obtained his first important professional job with Teddy Wilson in 1939 and continued performing into the 1980s. He performed with Lena Horne, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, Benny Carter, Cab Calloway, Erroll Garner, Jazz at the Philharmonic, Pete Johnson, Charlie Parker, Sir Charles Thompson, Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge besides leading his own groups.