In this new collection of interviews, Steve Cushing once again invites readers into the vaults of Blues Before Sunrise, his acclaimed nationally syndicated public radio show. Icons from Memphis Minnie to the Gay Sisters stand alongside figures like schoolteacher Flossie Franklin, who helped Leroy Carr pen some of his most famous tunes; saxman Abb Locke and his buddy Two-Gun Pete, a Chicago cop notorious for killing people in the line of duty; and Scotty "The Dancing Tailor" Piper, a font of knowledge on the black entertainment scene of his day. Cushing also devotes a section to religious artists, including the world-famous choir Wings Over Jordan and their travails touring and performing in the era of segregation. Another section focuses on the jazz-influenced Bronzeville scene that gave rise to Marl Young, Andrew Tibbs, and many others while a handful of Cushing's early brushes with the likes of Little Brother Montgomery, Sippi Wallace, and Blind John Davis round out the volume.Diverse and entertaining, Blues Before Sunrise 2 adds a chorus of new voices to the fascinating history of Chicago blues.| Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Introduction PART ONE: TALKIN' 'BOUT YOU Abb Locke Talks about Two-Gun Pete Brewer Phillips on Memphis Minnie Louise "Mattie" Johnson (with her sister, Dorothy) Dick LaPalm Talks about Nat King Cole Grady Freeman Theautry Jones PART TWO: AMEN CORNER Clarence Small Reverend F. W. McGee Jr Pastor Donald Gay PART THREE: BRONZEVILLE Andrew Tibbs Bill Samuels Marl Young Scotty Piper (The Mayor of Forty-Seventh Street) PART FOUR: SHORT-ORDER CHICAGO Little Brother Montgomery "Robert Jr." Lockwood Sippie Wallace Johnny Lewis Homer Harris Blind John Davis Arbee Stidham Collenane Cosey Roosevelt Sykes Index Back cover | "Rarely are sequels better than the originals, but Blues Before Sunrise 2 is a happy exception. Cushing delivers another truly significant contribution to the blues literature."—Edward Komara, editor of Encyclopedia of the Blues
"In this entertaining and informative collection of interviews, [Cushing] showcases many facets of the Chicago blues scene." —No Depression
"By asking insightful questions and letting the artists speak for themselves, Cushing manages to bring to life the excitement of by-gone eras, and shines a light on the impact of obscure artists as well as known legends across several musical genres . . . Highly recommended!" —Blues Blast Magazine
|Steve Cushing has hosted Blues Before Sunrise for forty years. He is the author of Blues Before Sunrise: The Radio Interviews and Pioneers of the Blue Revival.