Hour Two of this week’s Blues Before Sunrise bridges the polished swing of the opening hour and the deep piano focus to come. It’s a rich mix of postwar rhythm and blues, jump blues, and gospel—tracing the musical currents that fed directly into the piano-driven sounds highlighted later in the program. There’s a sense of movement here, both stylistically and emotionally, as the music shifts from dancefloor energy to spiritual reflection.

Nappy Brown opens with “Coal Miner,” setting a gritty, blues-soaked tone with his powerful vocal delivery. Charles Brown follows with “Snuff Dippin’ Mama,” bringing a smoother, more relaxed West Coast blues feel. His piano-based style subtly reinforces the show’s larger theme, even before the official spotlight begins.

Bull Moose Jackson’s “I Want a Bowlegged Mama” adds humor and swagger, while Ruth Brown’s “Daddy Daddy” injects energy and vocal authority. Together, they represent the livelier side of early R&B—music built for jukeboxes and crowded rooms, but still rooted firmly in the blues.

Roy Milton’s “Little Boy Blue” continues that rhythmic drive, leading into Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” where jazz phrasing and blues feeling intersect. Ivory Joe Hunter’s “Did You Mean It” slows things down again, offering a more intimate, piano-centered performance that hints at the deeper exploration coming in later hours.

Dave Bartholomew brings a strong New Orleans influence with “Carnival Day” and “That’s How You Got Killed Before,” adding rolling rhythms and a sense of place. Crippled Clarence follows with “Streamline Train” and “Brownskin Girl,” reaching back toward earlier blues traditions while still fitting comfortably within the postwar sound.

Ethel Waters anchors the middle of the hour with a series of recordings—“Lonesome Walls,” “If You Ever Change Your Mind,” “What Goes Up,” and “Y’ Had It Comin’ to Ya’.” Her presence ties together multiple eras of Black music, from vaudeville and early blues to more modern interpretations. Her phrasing and emotional clarity remain as strong as ever, providing a steady center to the hour.

As the hour moves toward its close, the focus shifts to gospel. The Birmingham Jubilee Singers’ “Crying to the Lord” introduces a spiritual tone, followed by Rev. E.D. Campbell’s “Take Me to the Water.” The Five Trumpets’ “My Chains Fell Off” and the National Kings of Harmony’s “Do Not Pass Me By” continue that progression, bringing the hour to a powerful and reflective conclusion.

Hour Two works as both a transition and a foundation. It connects the dots between styles—swing, blues, R&B, and gospel—while quietly reinforcing the importance of the piano and the voices that carried these songs forward. By the time the hour ends, the stage is fully set for the deep dive into postwar piano masters that follows.

Playlist – Hour Two

Coal Miner – Nappy Brown
Snuff Dippin’ Mama – Charles Brown
I Want a Bowlegged Mama – Bull Moose Jackson
Daddy Daddy – Ruth Brown
Little Boy Blue – Roy Milton
It Ain’t Necessarily So – Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson
Did You Mean It – Ivory Joe Hunter
Carnival Day – Dave Bartholomew
That’s How You Got Killed Before – Dave Bartholomew
Streamline Train – Crippled Clarence
Brownskin Girl – Crippled Clarence
Lonesome Walls – Ethel Waters
If You Ever Change Your Mind – Ethel Waters
What Goes Up – Ethel Waters
Y’ Had It Comin’ to Ya’ – Ethel Waters
Crying to the Lord – Birmingham Jubilee Singers
Take Me to the Water – Rev. E.D. Campbell
My Chains Fell Off – Five Trumpets
Do Not Pass Me By – National Kings of Harmony