Hour Four is where Blues Before Sunrise plugs directly into the wall socket. This is the electric hour — raw, muscular, and deeply rooted — anchored by the towering presence of Howlin’ Wolf and expanded outward to honor two architects of modern American groove: Steve Cropper and Phil Upchurch. It’s an hour that reminds us how blues didn’t just survive the postwar era — it expanded.

The set opens with an extended run of Howlin’ Wolf, and there’s no easing into it. “Chocolate Drop” announces Wolf’s authority immediately, his voice sounding less like a singer and more like a force of nature. What follows is a masterclass in Chicago blues power and pacing. Tracks like “My Baby Walked Off,” “Bluebird Blues,” and “I Got a Woman” show Wolf’s range — from menace to longing — while always keeping one foot planted firmly in the earth.

By the time we reach “The Sun Is Rising” and “Driving This Highway,” the story of urban blues is fully formed. Wolf’s recordings weren’t polished for comfort; they were designed to tell the truth loudly. His voice, phrasing, and presence feel timeless here, reminding us why nearly every major blues and rock vocalist who followed had to reckon with his influence.

The hour then shifts gears to acknowledge Steve Cropper, whose passing we note not with silence, but with sound. “The Story of Green Onions” offers context and perspective, followed by the immortal groove itself. Booker T. & the MGs’ “Green Onions” remains one of the most economical and effective recordings in American music history — a lesson in restraint, tone, and feel. “Behave Yourself” and “Ain’t It” reinforce just how deep that Memphis pocket ran.

From Memphis we slide seamlessly into the world of Phil Upchurch, a musician whose versatility made him invaluable across genres. “You Can’t Sit Down” still does exactly what the title promises, while “Love Is Strange” (with Chaka Khan) shows Upchurch’s ability to modernize without losing soul. “Black Gold” closes the tribute with authority, reminding us that Upchurch wasn’t just a sideman — he was a stylist and innovator in his own right.

Hour Four isn’t nostalgic. It’s instructive. This is music that explains itself by existing — blues as electricity, groove as legacy, and influence as something you can hear, feel, and trace forward. In the late-night flow of BBS, this hour stands tall, unapologetic, and alive.

Hour 4 Playlist

CHOCOLATE DROP – Howlin’ Wolf

MY BABY WALKED OFF – Howlin’ Wolf

BLUEBIRD BLUES – Howlin’ Wolf

I GOT A WOMAN – Howlin’ Wolf

BABY RIDE WITH ME – Howlin’ Wolf

THE SUN IS RISING – Howlin’ Wolf

MY BABY STOLE OFF – Howlin’ Wolf

DRIVING THIS HIGHWAY – Howlin’ Wolf

STORY OF GREEN ONIONS – Steve Cropper

GREEN ONIONS – Booker T. & the MGs

BEHAVE YOURSELF – Booker T. & the MGs

AIN’T IT – Booker T. & the MGs

YOU CAN’T SIT DOWN – Phil Upchurch

LOVE IS STRANGE – Phil Upchurch / Chaka Khan

BLACK GOLD – Phil Upchurch