Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings

Who Is Studebaker John? Studebaker John Grimaldi Was Born In An Italian-American Section Of Chicago And Started Playing Harmonica At Age 7. Under The Spell Of Music He Heard On Maxwell Street Chicago’s Famed Blues Melting Pot Grimaldi Began Performing As Studebaker John And The Hawks In The ‘70s. The Band Name Referenced The Studebaker Hawk A Car Grimaldi Still Owns Today And Was Also Intended As A Tribute To His Friend J.B. Hutto And The Hawks. John Began Playing Guitar After A Life-Changing Experience Of Seeing Hound Dog Taylor And The Houserockers Perform. “…Hound Dog Started Playing Hitting Notes That Sent Chills Up And Down My Spine. He Was Versatile And Powerful And Would Play Rhythm As Well As Leads. I Left There Knowing What I Wanted To Do. I Had To Play Slide Guitar.” 1978 After Playing At Various Chicago Clubs John Records His First Record Straight No Chaser Released On Retread Records. His Second Recording Rocking The Blues Is Released In 1985 On Avanti Records. John Continues To Work Clubs And Concerts In Chicago And The Mid-West Region. 1988 Nothin’ But Fun Is Released In Europe On Belgium’s Double Trouble Label. A European Tour Follows In Support Of This Recording. Due To The Success Of This Release Born To Win Also On Double Trouble Is Released In 1990 Resulting In More European Tours. At Home John Continues To Play Throughout The Midwest. The Chicago Tribune Hails John As “a Blues Classic”. 1991 John Joins The Yardbirds & Pretty Things To Record A St. George And Demon Records’ Release Of Classic Chicago Blues. This Recording Leads To Another Demon Records’ Release Wine Women & Whiskey. 1992 Rockin’ The Blues Is Re-Released On The Double Trouble Label. 1993 Canadian Filmmaker Atom Egoyan Selects Three Songs From Nothin’ But Fun And Born To Win To Include In His Film Calendar. 1994 John Records Too Tough His 1st Release On Blind Pig Records. Also In 1994 Atom Egoyan Produces Another Film Exotica Featuring Two Songs From Too Tough. 1995 Nothin’ But Fun Is Renamed Outside Lookin’ In And Becomes John’s 2nd Blind Pig Records Release. 1996 John Collaborates With Record Producer Jim Gaines On His 3rd Blind Pig Release Tremoloxe. Studebaker John & The Hawks Tour Throughout The USA Canada & Europe In Support Of This New Release. 1997 Time Will Tell John’s 4th Blind Pig Recording Is Released. Songs From The CD Are Featured In The 2001 Film Cowboy Up Starring Kiefer Sutherland And Darrel Hannah. John’s Music Is Also Used For A CNN/NASCAR Raceway Break-Theme And In A Ford Thunderbird Commercial Shown During The 2002 Season Premiere Episode Of Fox TV’s “24”. 2001 Howl With The Wolf Released On Evidence Music Revisits John’s Roots One Last Look At The Past Before Looking Exclusively To The Future. 2004 The Avanti Records’ Release Between Life & Death Showcases John’s Unique Songwriting Talents And His Blazing Guitar And Harmonica Technique Creating A New Sound That Transports The Blues Genre Into The 21st Century. CD 2006 Avanti Records’ Self-Made Man Contains Nearly 80 Minutes Of All Original Steamy Blues And Smokin’ Blues-Rock Incorporating Chicago Boogie Swamp Swing And Harmonica Blues All Recorded With A Live-In-The-Studio Sound That Is True To Studebaker John’s Stage Performances. As A Songwriter And Musician Studebaker John Has Emerged As A Major Creative Force In The World Of The Blues Today. Ahead Of The Pack With Vision And Foresight Creating A New Standard And Landscape For This Music’s Future… With John At The Wheel The Future Is Now! Website Studebaker John read less