John Brim born 10 April 1922

John Charles Brim (April 10, 1922 – October 1, 2003 was an American Chicago blues guitarist, songwriter, and singer. 

Although not often credited as a big name of the post-war Chicago blues, John Brim has been instrumental in creating the genre and most of his recordings may be considered as classics, notably the wonderful Rattlesnake and Tough times. He may be best-known for writing and cutting the original "Ice Cream Man" that David Lee Roth and Van Halen covered on their first album. 

John was born in Hopkinsville. Kentucky and picked up his early guitar licks from the 78s of Tampa Red and Big Bill Broonzy before venturing first to Indianapolis in 1941 and Chicago four years later. He met his wife Grace in 1947; fortuitously, she was a capable drummer who played on several of John's records. In fact, she was the vocalist on a 1950 single that signalled the beginning of her hubby's discography. In 1953, the Brims settled in Gary, Indiana, a city of steel mills which employed many African-Americans and supported a small, but rewarding, blues club scene. Up to that point, the Brims had recorded only fitfully, for small labels like Fortune in Detroit, where they accompanied the veteran pianist Big Maceo, and Random and JOB in Chicago. 

                              

Later that year, however, John Brim attracted the attention of the leading Chicago blues label, Chess, and recorded his composition Rattlesnake, assisted by the city's hottest backing group, Little Walter And The Aces. Tough Times, cut the same year with Reed on harmonica, confirmed the arrival of a lively songwriter with excellent connections, though neither release made much impression on the market. Rattlesnake, his answer to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog," was pulled from the shelves by Chess for fear of a plagiarism suit). 

Cut in 1953, the suggestive "Ice Cream Man" had to wait until 1969 to enjoy a very belated release. Brim's last Chess single, "I Would Hate to See You Go," was waxed in 1956 with a stellar combo consisting of harpist Little Walter, guitarist Robert Jr. Lockwood, bassist Willie Dixon, and drummer Fred Below (clearly, Chess had high hopes for Brim, but to no avail). A later Chess single, That Ain't Right, coupled with Go Away, in 1955, was slightly more successful but, soon afterwards, Brim closed his recording account. He and Grace separated in 1964, and, for much of the 60s and 70s, earned their living outside music. Brim operated a dry cleaners and a record store. 

None the less, the blues press frequently reported that John Brim had been playing in this or that club, or rehearsing with so-and-so, and, in 1989, he returned to recording with a good session in the company of younger players such as guitarist John Primer and harmonica player Billy Branch. In 1991, he played at the Chicago blues festival and, three years later, made the album The Ice Cream Man for Tone-Cool Records. It was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award as the Best Traditional Blues Album of the Year.

He continued to perform occasionally around Chicago and was a regularly featured performer at the Chicago Blues Festival beginning in 1991, when he was backed by a Chicago blues band, the Ice Cream Men (drummer Steve Cushing, guitarists Dave Waldman and "Rockin'" Johnny Burgin, and harmonica player Scott Dirks). The name of the band was coincidental; they were not Brim's regular band and had been using the name because the members had previously worked with the Chicago bluesman Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers, who worked as an ice cream man on Chicago's South Side. 

When he was 80 years old, he played the 2002 Chicago Blues Festival, but it was to be one of his last appearances. Brim, who lived in Gary, IN, died on October 1, 2003 at the age of 81 following a year-long battle with heart cancer. 

(Edited from AllMusic, The Guardian  & Wikipedia)