Hour Two is a rolling journey through the heart of postwar rhythm, jump blues, boogie-woogie, and mid-century gospel uplift—a broad, colorful hour that moves like a traveling revue. It starts in the bars, dances through the clubs, and ends in the church. Only Blues Before Sunrise could put all that together and make it feel like one continuous line.
Amos Milburn gets things moving with a four-song streak—prime, piano-driven, nightlife blues. These are records made for neon lights, full bars, and jukebox glow, and they set the perfect tone. Little Willie Littlefield keeps the boogie rolling before the hour slides gracefully into powerhouse R&B voices: Ruth Brown with her effortless fire; Big Maybelle roaring through “Rambling Blues,” and Titus Turner bringing grit and swagger.
Plas Johnson’s “Bar-B-Que” is a groove break—smooth, infectious, and cool-toned—before Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson shifts the set back into sly, urbane blues. Floyd Dixon follows, keeping that West-Coast polish alive.
Then the hour takes an unexpected and moving turn: the appearance of James P. Johnson, Ethel Waters, the Dixie Jubilee Singers, Rev. J.M. Gates, Brother Joe May, and the Original Gospel Harmonettes. It’s a whole different emotional register—blues roots giving way to sacred lift. These sides add weight and perspective, turning the second half of the hour into a small spiritual arc. By the time the Harmonettes close their performance, the transition from juke joint to gospel pulpit feels natural, earned, and deeply human.
Hour Two is a reminder that the musical world of the ’40s and ’50s wasn’t split into compartments—dance, blues, R&B, and gospel all spoke to the same audiences, often on the same nights. This hour brings that world back to life.
Hour 2 Playlist
- DOWN THE ROAD APIECE — Amos Milburn
- REAL COOL — Amos Milburn
- BYE BYE BOOGIE — Amos Milburn
- HEN PARTY — Amos Milburn
- THE MIDNIGHT WAS SHINING — Little Willie Littlefield
- 5-10-15 HOURS — Ruth Brown
- RAMBLING BLUES — Big Maybelle
- DON’T TAKE EVERYONE TO BE YOUR FRIEND — Titus Turner
- BAR-B-QUE — Plas Johnson
- KING FOR A DAY BLUES — Eddie Cleanhead Vinson
- DOIN’ THE TOWN — Floyd Dixon
- WORRIED & LONESOME BLUES — James P. Johnson
- YOU CAN’T DO WHAT MY LAST MAN DID — James P. Johnson
- YOU’RE LUCKY TO ME — Ethel Waters
- MEMORIES OF YOU — Ethel Waters
- SON DON’T RISE IN THE MORNING — Dixie Jubilee Singers
- ADAM & EVE IN THE GARDEN — Rev. J.M. Gates
- OLD SHIP OF ZION — Brother Joe May
- NO NO NOTHING CAN CHANGE ME — Original Gospel Harmonettes