Jim Brewer, born James Brewer on October 3, 1920, in Brookhaven, Mississippi, passed away on June 3, 1988, in Chicago, Illinois. He was an accomplished African-American blues singer and guitarist, whose exceptional talent remained largely underappreciated during his lifetime.

Brewer relocated to Chicago in 1940, where he would reside until his death. Despite his new environment, his guitar playing remained deeply rooted in the Mississippi style he had developed in his youth. His musical repertoire was influenced by the prominent blues artists of the 1940s and 50s, including Big Bill Broonzy, Tampa Red, Big Maceo, and Peetie Wheatstraw, with whom he spent time in St. Louis. Reflecting on his experiences, Brewer recounted to Paul Oliver, “I went down to St. Louis, spent four or five years down there, woofin' and beefin' aroun' and blowin' my top as usually. An' I met a feller there down on Market and Main and places in East St. Louis, name of Peetie Wheatstraw. …I use to run aroun' with him quite a bit.”

Gospel music significantly influenced Brewer, leading him to navigate the tension between blues and gospel throughout his career. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he dedicated himself almost entirely to gospel music. It was during this period that Oliver first encountered him, describing Brewer as performing with a gospel group under the guidance of a passionate preacher on the streets of South Sangamon in Chicago, just a short distance from his home. However, Brewer's commitment to gospel was not unwavering, as Oliver noted, “On another day we heard him with Blind Gray and recorded him playing I'm So Glad Good Whiskey's Back (Heritage HLP 1004).” Brewer himself acknowledged the duality of his musical pursuits, stating, “Well lots of people say, 'What profit you in the world if you gain the world and lose your soul?'—Well I realize that's true too. But you got to live down here just like you got to make preparations to go up there. …You got to live this life, and you got to obey God. And God give me this talent and he knew before I came into this world what I was goin' to make out of this talent.”

During the 1930s in Brookhaven, he honed his skills by performing religious songs on the streets. His father encouraged him to explore blues music for greater financial gain, which led Brewer to perform at social events after learning his repertoire from records. By the mid-1950s, he had returned to Chicago, where he married Fannie, whose mother gifted him an electric guitar and amplifier. Brewer returned to Maxwell Street, where he had initially started performing in the early 1940s, and focused primarily on gospel music.

In 1962, Brewer seized an opportunity to perform blues at a concert at Northwestern University, which marked a shift in his career. He also began a long-term engagement at the No Exit Cafe, which lasted for two decades. Throughout his career, Brewer played at major festivals and clubs across the United States, Canada, and Europe. His work was documented by Swedish Radio in 1964, and he recorded for the Heritage label, as well as for Pete Welding’s Testament label, Milestone, and Storyville. He released full-length albums, including "Jim Brewer" (Philo, 1974) and "Tough Luck" (Earwig, 1983). Additionally, Brewer was filmed performing alongside his wife on Maxwell Street in 1964 for the documentary "And This Is Free."