Hour Four of Blues Before Sunrise (01/25/26) is where the program fully plugs in and leans forward. This hour captures the blues at its most assertive — amplified, urban, and emotionally direct. The songs here don’t drift or linger; they testify. Built largely on postwar Chicago, Texas, and West Coast sounds, this stretch of the show crackles with electricity and purpose, revealing how the blues evolved without losing its backbone.

The hour opens with a commanding run from B.B. King. “Think It Over” sets a thoughtful tone, while “Don’t Answer the Door” (Parts I & II) brings swagger and warning in equal measure. By the time “Paying the Cost to Be the Boss” arrives, King has established complete authority — not just as a guitarist, but as a storyteller who understands power, pride, and consequence. His phrasing is conversational yet precise, every note shaped by intent.

Junior Parker follows with “Sweet Home Chicago” and “Mother-in-Law,” grounding the hour firmly in Chicago blues tradition. Parker’s smooth delivery contrasts nicely with the edge of the previous tracks, proving that toughness doesn’t always need volume. His voice carries confidence without strain, making these recordings feel lived-in rather than performed.

Johnny Ace’s “How Can You Be So Mean” shifts the mood again, adding vulnerability and heartbreak. Ace’s emotional openness is striking — his voice fragile but sincere, pulling listeners closer before the rhythm kicks back in with Pee Wee Crayton’s “Texas Hop.” Crayton injects West Coast swing into the mix, followed by the moody, late-night feel of “Blues Afterhours.” These instrumentals and near-instrumentals act like streetlights passing by, transitional moments that keep the hour moving.

Mercy Dee Walton’s “Trailing My Baby” and “G.I. Fever” add grit and humor, balancing personal longing with sharp observation. Mercy Dee’s voice feels conversational, almost spoken, embodying the workingman’s blues with honesty and wit. From there, the hour tightens up rhythmically with Good Rockin’ Robinson’s “L.C.’s Shuffle,” a pure groove that exists to keep bodies moving and heads nodding.

The emotional center of the hour arrives with Otis Rush’s powerful trio: “All Your Love,” “Checking on My Baby,” and “Love That Woman.” Rush’s guitar tone is urgent and exposed, his vocals aching without melodrama. These tracks don’t just express longing — they lean into it, creating tension that never fully resolves. Eddie Boyd’s “24 Hours” continues that thread, its sense of desperation perfectly suited to the late-night slot.

Junior Wells’ “You Don’t Care” snaps the listener back to reality with sharp-edged harmonica and attitude. From there, Snooky Pryor’s “Hold Me in Your Arms” and Floyd Jones’ “Any Old Lonesome Day” soften the attack just enough to allow reflection. Homesick James’ “Lonesome Ole Train” reinforces the recurring theme of movement and distance — a motif that runs quietly through the entire show.

The hour closes with Big Boy Spires’ “Tired of Being Mistreated,” a raw, defiant statement that feels like both an ending and a challenge. It’s the perfect capstone for an hour that refuses to romanticize the blues. This is music born of pressure, shaped by experience, and delivered without apology.

Hour Four stands as the show’s muscular core — blues that don’t whisper, don’t wander, and don’t back down.

Hour Four Playlist

THINK IT OVER – B.B. King

DON’T ANSWER THE DOOR (PTS I & II) – B.B. King

PAYING THE COST TO BE THE BOSS – B.B. King

SWEET HOME CHICAGO – Junior Parker

MOTHER-IN-LAW – Junior Parker

HOW CAN YOU BE SO MEAN – Johnny Ace

TEXAS HOP – Pee Wee Crayton

BLUES AFTERHOURS – Pee Wee Crayton

TRAILING MY BABY – Mercy Dee

G.I. FEVER – Mercy Dee

L.C.’S SHUFFLE – Good Rockin’ Robinson

ALL YOUR LOVE – Otis Rush

CHECKING ON MY BABY – Otis Rush

LOVE THAT WOMAN – Otis Rush

24 HOURS – Eddie Boyd

YOU DON’T CARE – Junior Wells

HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS – Snooky Pryor

ANY OLD LONESOME DAY – Floyd Jones

LONESOME OLE TRAIN – Homesick James

TIRED OF BEING MISTREATED – Big Boy Spires