Hour 3 of this week’s Blues Before Sunrise dives headfirst into the early recordings and pre-war blues traditions that form the bedrock of American roots music. This set feels like a journey through a box of treasured 78s—full of earthy storytelling, quirky characters, and timeless rhythms that have echoed through decades of blues history.
The hour opens with Gus Cannon’s “Madison Street Rag,” a lively banjo-and-guitar romp that captures the energy of street performance and jug band music in its prime. Cannon’s work is a reminder that the blues didn’t always start in dim-lit clubs—it often thrived in the open air, where every note had to compete with the noise of the street.
From there, Furry Lewis brings the classic folk-blues narrative to life with “Billy Lyons & Stack-O-Lee,” his version of the infamous Stagger Lee tale. The Mississippi Sheiks follow with “Stop & Listen Blues,” their tight ensemble playing and smooth vocal blend standing as a testament to why they remain one of the most celebrated string bands of the era.
Walter Vincson’s “How Did It Happen” keeps the Sheiks’ spirit alive with his nimble guitar and conversational delivery, while Harry Chatmon’s “Deep Blue Ocean Blues” adds a melancholy, piano-driven elegance. The set turns theatrical with Hattie McDaniels’ “That New Lover Maker of Mine,” a sly, spoken-and-sung number steeped in vaudeville charm.
The quirky humor continues with Vance Dixon’s “Meat Man Pete,” blending novelty jazz and blues in a style tailor-made for speakeasies. Nora Lee King’s “Let Me Rock You Home” and Emerson Houston’s “Strange Man Blues” return to a more grounded blues vocal tradition, each rich with emotion and storytelling. Napoleon Fletcher’s “She Showed It All” and Joe Pullum’s “Rack It Back” keep the wit and wordplay flowing.
The set takes a more raucous turn with Hezekiah Jenkins’ “Shout You Cats” and the rollicking “Royal Palm Special” from Lee Can & Cooksey. Martin & Roberts’ “Maxwell & Peoria” drops a slice of street-corner Chicago into the mix, while Julius King’s “If You See My Lover” and “My Baby Ooo” add sweet, plaintive melodies.
The hour closes with One-String Sam’s raw “All My Money’s Gone,” a mesmerizing performance on a single-stringed diddley bow, followed by “Goldrush,” a tune whose very title captures the excitement and restlessness that have always driven American music forward.
Hour 3 is a history lesson and a party rolled into one—an hour that shows how the earliest blues and folk traditions carried both the humor and heartbreak of everyday life, and how those roots continue to nourish the music heard today.
Playlist – Hour 3
- Madison Street Rag – Gus Cannon
- Billy Lyons & Stack-O-Lee – Furry Lewis
- Stop & Listen Blues – Mississippi Sheiks
- How Did It Happen – Walter Vincson
- Deep Blue Ocean Blues – Harry Chatmon
- That New Lover Maker of Mine – Hattie McDaniels
- Meat Man Pete – Vance Dixon
- Let Me Rock You Home – Nora Lee King
- Strange Man Blues – Emerson Houston
- She Showed It All – Napoleon Fletcher
- Rack It Back & Etc – Joe Pullum
- Shout You Cats – Hezekiah Jenkins
- Royal Palm Special – Leecan & Cooksey
- Maxwell & Peoria – Martin & Roberts
- If You See My Lover – Julius King
- My Baby Ooo – One-String Sam
- All My Money’s Gone – Goldrush