Hour 4 of this week’s Blues Before Sunrise continues our celebration of Jody Williams, picking up where the intimate interview left off and shifting back into the music. If Hours 3 and 5 are bookends of conversation and legacy, then Hour 4 is the heart of the story — a chance to hear Williams in action, surrounded by the peers and collaborators who defined the golden era of Chicago blues. This set bridges solo artistry and ensemble energy, reminding us how Williams’ guitar not only stood out but also elevated everyone around him.
The hour opens with Billy Stewart’s “Billy’s Blues Pt. 2.” Stewart was a dynamic vocalist and pianist whose records brought a blend of swing and grit. Here, Williams’ guitar weaves through the arrangement with sharp punctuation, providing that unmistakable stinging tone that always left a mark. It’s a lively beginning, brimming with confidence and setting the stage for the hour’s mix of intensity and subtlety.
From there, we step into one of the great mid-century R&B duos: Mickey & Sylvia with their enduring hit “Love Is Strange.” This record, equal parts playful and seductive, became a defining anthem of the 1950s. Williams wasn’t on this track, but it represents the soundscape of the era in which he flourished. Its inclusion here highlights the kind of crossover energy that blues guitarists like Williams could tap into — a reminder that the boundaries between blues, R&B, and early rock ‘n’ roll were far more porous than the labels suggest.
The spotlight returns to Williams himself with “Hide Out” and “Lucky Lou.” “Hide Out” is lean and driving, built on riffs that snap with authority. Meanwhile, “Lucky Lou” remains his most famous calling card — sly, catchy, and dripping with personality. Hearing them side by side reinforces how Williams could create instrumentals that stayed in your ear long after the needle left the groove. These are guitar showcases, pure and simple, the sound of a player whose imagination never ran dry.
Williams’ influence is perhaps most clearly heard through his peers. Otis Rush’s “Groanin’ the Blues” features the kind of mournful guitar interplay that marked the West Side sound. Rush’s anguished vocals are matched by guitar lines that echo the pain in every syllable, and Williams’ spirit feels present here as part of the larger Chicago guitar language. Together, these records chart how blues guitar evolved during the late 1950s — pushing beyond the Delta roots into urban sophistication.
The set takes an unexpected detour with Buddy Morrow’s “Rib Joint.” Known primarily as a big band leader and trombonist, Morrow’s foray into a grittier, groove-driven cut shows how the energy of blues and R&B spread across genres. Placed in this hour, it works as a reminder that Williams’ guitar existed in a bustling, diverse musical environment where lines blurred between jazz, swing, R&B, and the blues.
The hour rounds out with “What Kind of Gal Is This” by Jody Williams and “Don’t Stay Out All Night” by Billy Boy Arnold. Together, they form a fitting pair: Williams bringing his guitar fire to the forefront, and Arnold demonstrating the deep partnership the two shared. Arnold’s harmonica and vocals ride above Williams’ riffs, proof of the trust and chemistry that made their sessions timeless.
By the end of Hour 4, listeners have traveled through a landscape that showcases Jody Williams in all dimensions: solo innovator, ensemble player, peer among giants, and a connective thread in the wider Chicago blues community. It’s a musical portrait that makes clear why his return in 2000 felt like the reappearance of a long-lost legend. His guitar didn’t just play the blues — it shaped them.
Hour 4 Playlist
- Billy’s Blues Pt. 2 – Billy Stewart
- Love Is Strange – Mickey & Sylvia
- Hide Out – Jody Williams
- Lucky Lou – Jody Williams
- Groanin’ the Blues – Otis Rush
- Rib Joint – Buddy Morrow
- What Kind of Gal Is This – Jody Williams
- Don’t Stay Out All Night – Billy Boy Arnold