Will Weldon

William "Casey Bill" Weldon (February 2, 1901 or December 10, 1909 – September 28, 1972) was an American country blues musician.

Some details of Weldon's life are unconfirmed. According to some sources, he was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and later lived and worked in Chicago. He reportedly made his way to Chicago via Kansas City, which gave rise to his nickname, a version of K.C. He was one of the early musicians who recorded playing slide guitar. He played upbeat, hokum and country blues tunes. Playing a National steel guitar flat on his lap Hawaiian style, he was known as the "Hawaiian Guitar Wizard".

According to some sources, Weldon was married to the singer and guitarist Memphis Minnie in the 1920s, but this is now believed to be a misidentification. Only recently it has been widely accepted that he is not the musician, Will Weldon, who recorded between 1927 and 1928 as a member of the Memphis Jug Band.

Weldon cut over 60 sides for Bluebird and Vocalion. He was also an active session guitarist, performing on records by Teddy Darby, Bumble Bee Slim, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Memphis Minnie. On Memphis Minnie's last recording for Bluebird Records, in October 1935, Weldon accompanied her for the first time. He played on two sides, "When the Sun Goes Down, Part 2" and "Hustlin' Woman Blues". He had solo hits with his two best-known songs, "Somebody Done Changed the Lock on That Door" and "We Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town".

According to some sources, after his divorce from Memphis Minnie, he married the blues singer Geeshie Wiley. They disappeared from the public eye soon after, and he had stopped recording by 1938. He is believed to be the William Weldon who died in Kansas City in 1972.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 10, 1909 (Pine Bluff), Died 1960

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, songwriter, mandolin, composer

Notes: Listing for Will Weldon, also known as Kansas City Bill Weldon, or K. C. Bill Weldon.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 50 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-37941 10-in. 2/24/1927 Sun brimmers Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar, songwriter, vocalist  
Victor BVE-37942 10-in. 2/24/1927 Stingy woman Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist, songwriter  
Victor BVE-37943 10-in. 2/24/1927 Memphis jug Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor BVE-37944 10-in. 2/24/1927 Newport News blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor BVE-37963 10-in. 2/28/1927 I raised my window and looked at the risin' sun Ollie Rupert Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars and jew's harp instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-37964 10-in. 2/28/1927 Ain't goin' to be your low down dog Ollie Rupert Female vocal solo, with 2 guitars and jew's harp instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-38657 10-in. 6/9/1927 Sometimes I think I love you Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-38658 10-in. 6/9/1927 Sunshine blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar, songwriter, vocalist  
Victor BVE-38659 10-in. 6/9/1927 Memphis boy Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-38660 10-in. 6/9/1927 I'm looking for the bully of the town Memphis Jug Band Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40312 10-in. 10/19/1927 I packed my suitcase, started to the train Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40313 10-in. 10/19/1927 State of Tennessee blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40314 10-in. 10/19/1927 Bob Lee Junior blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40315 10-in. 10/19/1927 Kansas City blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor BVE-40320 10-in. 10/20/1927 Beale Street mess around Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40321 10-in. 10/20/1927 I'll see you in the spring, when the birds begin to sing Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40322 10-in. 10/20/1927 Turpentine blues Will Weldon Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40323 10-in. 10/20/1927 Hitch me to your buggy, and drive me like a mule Will Weldon Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40324 10-in. 10/20/1927 Vol Stevens blues Vol Stevens Male vocal solo, with banjo-mandolin and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-40325 10-in. 10/20/1927 Baby got the rickets Vol Stevens Male vocal solo, with banjo-mandolin and guitar instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-41817 10-in. 2/1/1928 Snitchin' gambler blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-41818 10-in. 2/1/1928 Evergreen money blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-41888 10-in. 2/13/1928 Coal oil blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-41889 10-in. 2/13/1928 Papa Long blues Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BVE-41890 10-in. 2/13/1928 Peaches in the springtime Memphis Jug Band Vocal and instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 50 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Weldon, Will," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/210864.

Weldon, Will. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/210864.

"Weldon, Will." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/210864

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