Source Material: Robert Nighthawk – “Blues Before Sunrise”

Robert Nighthawk (a.k.a. Robert Lee Mccoy) was a blues musician from Helena, Arkansas who started recording in the 1930s.  He continued to record sporadically up until the ’60s, but Nighthawk made most of his impact off wax.  He was a beloved musician in the south, particularly in Helena, Memphis, and Mississippi.  He was known for his local performances, and he had an impact on Muddy Waters early in his career.  In the mid ’30s, Nighthawk moved to St. Louis, and he began performing as Robert Lee Mccoy; he recorded with a number of blues legends like Sonny Williamson, Big Joe Williams, and Henry Townsend.

After his time in St. Louis, he disappeared briefly, and when he resurfaced in 1948, he started recording as Robert Nighthawk.  Over the next two decades, he released music on Artistocrat Records and Chess Records (the home of Muddy Waters), but Nighthawk’s sound was largely overshadowed by his old friend.  In the latter part of his career, Nighthawk recorded “Blues Before Sunrise,” and I think it’s a great example of his style and his evolution.

Robert Nighthawk – “Blues Before Sunrise”