Studebaker John

Studebaker John
Studebaker John performing in August 2010
Studebaker John performing in August 2010
Background information
Birth nameJohn Grimaldi
Born (1952-11-05) November 5, 1952 (age 72)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
GenresChicago blues[1]
Occupation(s)Guitarist, harmonica player, singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, harmonica
Years active1970s–present
LabelsRetread Records, Avanti, Double Trouble, Blind Pig, Evidence, Delmark

John Grimaldi (born November 5, 1952) , better known by his stage name Studebaker John is an American blues guitarist and harmonica player.[1] He is a practitioner of the Chicago blues style, with his stage name arising from an automobile he once owned.[1]

Biography

He was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Studebaker John's father was an amateur musician, and he played early in life at the Maxwell Street flea market.[1] Grimaldi began playing harmonica at age seven. In the 1970s he put together his band, the Hawks, and worked as a construction worker while recording and performing on the side.[1] He recorded extensively for Blind Pig Records in the 1990s.[2] Grimaldi counts Hound Dog Taylor as the reason he began playing slide guitar.[3] Atom Egoyan chose three of John's songs for his 1993 film Calendar, and included two songs in his 1994 film Exotica. In 1995, John played on Little Mack Simmons', High & Lonesome album.[3]

Discography

  • Straight No Chaser (Retread Records RRLP-0003, 1979)
  • Rockin' The Blues '85 (Avanti Records 603071, 1985; CD reissue: Double Trouble 3031, 1992)
  • Nothin' But Fun (Double Trouble 3025, 1990)
  • Born To Win (Double Trouble 3027, 1991)
  • Too Tough (Blind Pig 5010, 1994)
  • Outside Lookin' In (Blind Pig 5022, 1995)
  • Tremoluxe (Blind Pig 5031, 1996)
  • Time Will Tell (Blind Pig 5042, 1997)
  • Promise Of Love (Avanti [UPC: 800492185656], 2000)
  • Howl With The Wolf (Evidence 26112, 2001)
  • Between Life & Death (Avanti [UPC: 620673230827], 2004)
  • Self-Made Man (Avanti [UPC: 800492176456], 2006)
  • Waiting On The Sun (Avanti [UPC: 800492193583], 2008)
  • That's The Way You Do (Delmark 810, 2010) with the Maxwell Street Kings
  • Old School Rockin' (Delmark 818, 2012)
  • Kingsville Jukin' (Delmark 830, 2013) with the Maxwell Street Kings
  • Eternity's Descent (Avanti [UPC: 692193999515], 2015; reissue: Pepper Cake/ZYX Music [UPC: 090204527397], 2018)
  • Songs For None (Red White 'n' Blues/Avanti [UPC: 8712618203323], 2018)
  • The Resonator (Pepper Cake/ZYX Music [UPC: 194111014961], 2022)[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Studebaker John Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "STUDEBAKER JOHN". All About Blues Music. November 2, 2013. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 169–70. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  4. ^ "Studebaker John Albums and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2023.