[1] He is a practitioner of the Chicago blues style, with his stage name arising from an automobile he once owned.

Studebaker John's father was an amateur musician, and he played early in life at the Maxwell Street flea market.

In the 1970s he put together his band, the Hawks, and worked as a construction worker while recording and performing on the side.

[2] Grimaldi counts Hound Dog Taylor as the reason he began playing slide guitar.

In 1995, John played on Little Mack Simmons', High & Lonesome album.