Hour Two of Blues Before Sunrise (01/25/26) is where the show pivots from rural roots toward the buzz of nightlife and the pull of the church pew. This hour lives in motion — trains rolling, bands swinging, hearts breaking, and spirits searching for relief. It’s an hour that captures the blues as lived experience, not nostalgia: Saturday night bleeding straight into Sunday morning.
The set opens strong with Bull Moose Jackson’s “We Can Talk Some Trash,” a tune that announces attitude right out of the gate. Jackson’s delivery is sly and confident, blending humor with swagger in a way that perfectly sets the tone. From there, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson takes over with “Lonesome Train” and “Person to Person,” two sides that highlight his sharp lyric sense and horn-driven sophistication. Vinson always sounds like he’s reporting from the scene — these aren’t abstract blues, they’re lived conversations.
Ruth Brown follows with “Lucky Lips” and “9-10-15 Hours,” reminding us why she was one of the great crossover figures of early R&B. Her voice is playful but grounded, capable of turning heartbreak into dance-floor momentum. Percy Mayfield’s “Louisiana” slows things down just enough, introducing a reflective tone that balances the energy without killing the groove.
Cecil Gant’s “Rock Little Baby” brings a warm, rolling piano feel, while 3 Bits of Rhythm’s “Bronzeville Jump” snaps everything back into motion. This is music built for crowded rooms and clinking glasses, where the blues doesn’t sulk — it struts.
Annie Laurie’s “St. Louis Blues” provides a nod to tradition, grounding the hour in one of the most enduring compositions in the genre. From there, Nappy Brown’s “It Don’t Hurt No More” pushes things forward emotionally, suggesting resilience rather than resignation.
The heart of the hour belongs to Ethel Waters, whose multi-part selections — “Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and the extended “Porgy” takes — reveal her remarkable expressive range. Waters bridges vaudeville, blues, jazz, and theater with ease. These tracks feel intimate and theatrical at the same time, capturing an era when genre lines were still fluid and artists moved freely between worlds.
As the hour begins to turn inward, the spirituals arrive — not as an interruption, but as a natural continuation. The Morris Brown Quartet’s “Blind Man Stood on the Roadside” carries quiet power, while Rev. J.M. Gates’ “Samson & the Woman” brings sermonizing drama, mixing scripture with showmanship. Gates understood that storytelling was the key to keeping attention — sacred or secular.
The set closes with the Flying Clouds of Detroit’s “Peace in the Valley,” a perfect benediction. After an hour of jukebox energy, romantic tension, and worldly concerns, the song offers calm without false promises. It doesn’t erase the troubles heard earlier — it simply acknowledges them and offers rest.
Hour Two works because it refuses to separate the blues from the lives that created it. These are songs for working people, dancing people, praying people — often the same folks at different times of day. It’s an hour that reminds us the blues didn’t exist in isolation; it shared space with laughter, desire, exhaustion, and faith.
By the time the final notes fade, listeners are left standing at a crossroads — one foot in the club, one foot in the church — which is exactly where the blues has always thrived.
Hour Two Playlist
WE CAN TALK SOME TRASH – Bull Moose Jackson
LONESOME TRAIN – Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson
PERSON TO PERSON – Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson
LUCKY LIPS – Ruth Brown
9-10-15 HOURS – Ruth Brown
LOUISIANA – Percy Mayfield
ROCK LITTLE BABY – Cecil Gant
BRONZEVILLE JUMP – 3 Bits of Rhythm
ST. LOUIS BLUES – Annie Laurie
IT DON’T HURT NO MORE – Nappy Brown
CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE (TK A) – Ethel Waters
CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE (TK B) – Ethel Waters
PORGY (TK A) – Ethel Waters
PORGY (TK B) – Ethel Waters
PORGY (TK C) – Ethel Waters
BLIND MAN STOOD ON THE ROADSIDE – Morris Brown Quartet
SAMSON & THE WOMAN – Rev. J.M. Gates
PEACE IN THE VALLEY – Flying Clouds of Detroit