Hour Four jumps in with teeth showing—an hour built around the commanding voices and sharp-edged West Coast blues that defined so much of the postwar scene. It all begins with Big Mama Thornton, whose presence sets the tone instantly. “Hound Dog” remains one of the greatest vocal performances ever put on tape—ferocious, rhythmic, and saturated with authority. “Just Like a Dog Barking Up” keeps her at the center, a reminder that Thornton could turn even a simple blues phrase into something muscular and unforgettable.

From there we move into the remarkable run of Ray Agee sides—an artist who has never quite achieved household-name status, but who cut some of the most consistently strong and emotionally direct records of the 1950s and early ’60s. “The Wobble Lou” brings a bit of swagger; “I Gotta Have Your Love” and the duets with Wilma Jean Hill and Elly Johnson showcase Agee’s versatility and ability to create tension and tenderness in equal measure. “When the Deal Goes Down” and “You Hit Me Where It Hurts” have that unmistakable Los Angeles R&B feel—horns punchy, rhythm section lean, vocals right on top of the beat. “The Monkey on My Back” and “Mistake in Life” close out his block with a sense of lived-in regret. It’s a rare treat to feature Agee this heavily, but the hour proves just how strong a case he makes for broader recognition.

The middle stretch of the hour shifts toward the Bay Area and Central California, with Jimmy Wilson’s “Mistake in Life” sliding naturally into K.C. Douglas’ tough, unvarnished blues. “Mercury Boogie” is still one of Douglas’ signature sides—fun, loose, and anchored in the dancefloor. “Lonely Boy Blues” shows his quieter, more reflective side; “Trailing My Baby” moves with a rolling, hypnotic rhythm that reminds listeners just how deep the West Coast country blues tradition ran.

Mercy Dee Walton turns the page with “Things Ain’t What They Use to Be,” one of those perfectly phrased, deceptively simple records that reveals more emotion with each listen. James Reed’s “Big Eyes” and Little Caesar’s “Don’t Ever Leave Me Again” widen the lens, bringing in voices that bridged jump blues, early R&B, and the rising urban club sound. Each track feels like an overheard conversation from a barlit corner of a city that never quite goes to sleep.

Frank Motley’s “First Stage of the Blues” keeps the groove moving, with that horn-led drive he specialized in, before Johnny Fuller steps up with two strong cuts: “Don’t Talk About Me” and “Remember.” Fuller is another figure whose catalog reveals a deep and nimble range—blues, R&B, early rock ’n’ roll—and his presence near the end of the hour gives the final stretch a sense of propulsion.

Big Mama Thornton returns to close the hour, tying it back to the place where it began. Her voice, weathered but unstoppable, wraps the set in the electric realism that defines the hour: no frills, no polish, just the truth delivered at full volume.

Hour Four is the gritty core of this week’s show—where tough guitar lines, horn-driven arrangements, and powerhouse vocals meet the stories of working lives, midnight mistakes, and hard-earned wisdom. It’s the blues of cities, bars, and backrooms—and it fits Blues Before Sunrise like a glove.

HOUR #4 — PLAYLIST

HOUND DOG — Big Mama Thornton

JUST LIKE A DOG BARKING UP — Big Mama Thornton

THE WOBBLE LOU — Ray Agee

I GOTTA HAVE YOUR LOVE — Ray Agee / Wilma Jean Hill

MY SILENT PRAYER — Ray Agee / Elly Johnson

WHEN THE DEAL GOES DOWN — Ray Agee

YOU HIT ME WHERE IT HURTS — Ray Agee

THE MONKEY ON MY BACK — Ray Agee

MISTAKE IN LIFE — Jimmy Wilson

MERCURY BOOGIE — K.C. Douglas

LONELY BOY BLUES — K.C. Douglas

TRAILING MY BABY — Mercy Dee Walton

THINGS AIN’T WHAT THEY USE TO BE — James Reed

BIG EYES — Little Caesar

DON’T EVER LEAVE ME AGAIN — Frank Motley

FIRST STAGE OF THE BLUES — Johnny Fuller

DON’T TALK ABOUT ME — Big Mama Thornton

REMEMBER — Johnny Fuller