The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Casey Bill Weldon
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Casey Bill Weldon
Tim Toberer


From:
Nebraska, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2023 7:10 am    
Reply with quote

I did a search of the forum and didn't find any dedicated threads to this mysterious trailblazer. So here it is! I have been listening to his complete recordings for the past week or so and feel he deserves some attention. If you care to go down the rabbit hole here is what is known about him. Not much! http://bluesoterica.com/the-casey-bill-weldon-page

I looked for anyone who has tabbed out or recorded anything that resembles Casey Bills playing and I can't find anything except this bit from Michael Messer's forum https://michaelmesser.proboards.com/thread/1919/casey-bill-weldon

If anyone has worked out any of this stuff, I would be interested to hear some insights! I love his playing, it is completely unique and he doesn't sound like anyone else I have heard. I have been listening pretty obsessively to all the early Cliff Bruner and Milton Brown stuff as well, which is from the same time. There is little resemblance between Bob Dunn's playing and Casey Bill, but there is a striking resemblance in the standard guitar playing of Dickie McBride and Big Bill Broonzy. These must be among the very first single note jazz lines played on a standard guitar, and they are still inspiring. One person who really comes to mind when listening to Casey Bill's hot numbers is Bob Wills, with Casey Bill hollering "Yeah!" It sounds uncannily similar. Leon McAuliffe also sounds more inspired by Casey Bill than Bob Dunn to my ears at least. What do you think??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxLyXYCXqKM

On a whole separate note, it must be said that Casey Bill was one of the earliest and possibly greatest blues poets of the pre-war era. His songwriting is unmatched and his singing rivals any of the early jazz or blues crooners.

this one is my favorite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9IwZ108AVE

here he is selling his soul before Robert Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbJtFn47XCg

This one had me laughing my tail off as I flew down the interstate! After they broke the bed, they made a pallet on the floor!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWhxAcBM4Bg

It is impossible to know what happened back then, who copied who etc. but what I do know is thankfully Casey Bill left an incredible musical legacy! Enjoy!!


Last edited by Tim Toberer on 27 May 2023 8:26 am; edited 1 time in total
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Joe Cook


From:
Lake Osoyoos, WA
Post  Posted 18 May 2023 5:20 am    
Reply with quote

Thanks for posting this, Tim. I was not familiar with his music. It's amazing and needs to be heard.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Tim Toberer


From:
Nebraska, USA
Post  Posted 18 May 2023 7:27 am    
Reply with quote

Joe Cook wrote:
Thanks for posting this, Tim. I was not familiar with his music. It's amazing and needs to be heard.


Absolutely! I started listening to Casey Bill when I was in high school. I am 46 now and getting into steel guitar and I feel like I am hearing him for the first time! His music is very approachable for a beginner coming from a folk-rock-blues background and trying to learn swing. I strung up an old 12 string Harmony yesterday with a raised nut and new bridge for 7 string lap steel. Tuned F tuning (low to high) CFACFAC the advice from the forum link I posted is correct, this is the tuning! Home base at the 7th fret. I am starting to find some of his pet licks. This is probably the most fun I have had since I started!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Paul Spafford


From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Post  Posted 22 May 2023 10:08 pm     Re: Casey Bill Weldon
Reply with quote

Great article, Tim. I discovered Weldon a few years ago. Love his stuff!

Through the "Similar artists" links on Spotify, I then discovered Black Ace. A very different style from Weldon, but also cool. I’m obsessed with playing the blues on all kinds of "weird" instruments - mandolin, Irish tenor banjo, plectrum banjo (well, a five with the drone string removed, so a pre-plectrum), and of course lap steel - so I perk up my ears whenever someone plays the blues lap-style.
View user's profile Send private message

Tim Toberer


From:
Nebraska, USA
Post  Posted 25 May 2023 5:08 am     Re: Casey Bill Weldon
Reply with quote

Paul Spafford wrote:
Great article, Tim. I discovered Weldon a few years ago. Love his stuff!

Through the "Similar artists" links on Spotify, I then discovered Black Ace. A very different style from Weldon, but also cool. I’m obsessed with playing the blues on all kinds of "weird" instruments - mandolin, Irish tenor banjo, plectrum banjo (well, a five with the drone string removed, so a pre-plectrum), and of course lap steel - so I perk up my ears whenever someone plays the blues lap-style.

Glad you enjoyed the article! I can't get enough of prewar blues, string band etc. I really love the old blues tunes and can listen all day 1-4-5. I really love any of the old tunes that venture into more jazzy changes like this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGLjIPZtWd4

Casey Bill doesn't dance through the changes as elegantly as King Bennie or Bob Dunn, but he does alright!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Bill McCloskey


From:
Nanuet, NY
Post  Posted 25 May 2023 7:36 am    
Reply with quote

I've been listening to Casey Bill for quite a while now. He and Kokomo Arnold are featured on the Bottleneck Guitar Trendsetters of the 1930's a wonderful record I haven't listened to for a while. Got it playing now. Thanks for the reminder.



_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Chris Clem

 

From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 25 May 2023 8:41 am    
Reply with quote

If I recall correctly wasn't he married to Memphis Minnie sometime in the early 1920s?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Tim Toberer


From:
Nebraska, USA
Post  Posted 25 May 2023 2:31 pm    
Reply with quote

Chris Clem wrote:
If I recall correctly wasn't he married to Memphis Minnie sometime in the early 1920s?

From what I have read it seems possible, but unlikely as there is no direct evidence. Casey Bill did record with her, but there was a Will Weldon who played guitar in Memphis Jug band that seems to be a different person. Possibly she married the other Will Weldon? My question is how did he supposedly live into the 1970's, but they can't even find a picture of him?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP