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Will Weldon [Casey Bill]

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 December 10, 1909 (Pine Bluff), Died September 28, 1972

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1938

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, vocalist, guitar, steel guitar

Notes: Also known as Casey Bill, Casey Bill Weldon, Levee Joe, Kansas City Bill, and the Hawaiian Guitar Wizard.

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-96220 10-in. 10/31/1935 My stove won't work Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-96221 10-in. 10/31/1935 Somebody changed the lock on my door Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-96222 10-in. 10/31/1935 Long-eared mule Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-96223 10-in. 10/31/1935 Somebody's been talkin' to you Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-96224 10-in. 10/31/1935 Howlin' dog blues Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-96225 10-in. 10/31/1935 Your wagon's worn out now Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-96258 10-in. 11/1/1935 Please come down to my house Washboard Rhythm Kings [1935 Bluebird ensemble] Washboard band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-96259 10-in. 11/1/1935 Brown skin mama Washboard Rhythm Kings [1935 Bluebird ensemble] Washboard band, with kazoo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-96260 10-in. 11/1/1935 Street walkin' blues Washboard Rhythm Kings [1935 Bluebird ensemble] Washboard band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-96261 10-in. 11/1/1935 Arlena Washboard Rhythm Kings [1935 Bluebird ensemble] Washboard band, with male vocal solo and kazoo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-100307 10-in. 4/1/1936 Let me be your butcher Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-100308 10-in. 4/1/1936 I got a letter this morning Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-100309 10-in. 4/1/1936 I'm a stranger in your town Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-100310 10-in. 4/1/1936 Has my gal been here Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-100323 10-in. 4/2/1936 Blues everywhere I go Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-100324 10-in. 4/2/1936 Somebody's got to go Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-100325 10-in. 4/2/1936 Casey blues Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-100326 10-in. 4/2/1936 I'se just a bad luck man Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Victor BS-030808 10-in. 12/16/1938 I believe you're cheatin' on me Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-030809 10-in. 12/16/1938 Way down in Louisiana Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-030810 10-in. 12/16/1938 You gotta do your duty Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-030811 10-in. 12/16/1938 Midnight blues Casey Bill Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and string bass composer, vocalist  
Brunswick E2948-E2949 10-in. 4/30/1926 Long-eared mule Hill Billies String band, with male vocal solo composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Weldon, Will [Casey Bill]," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106845.

Weldon, Will [Casey Bill]. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106845.

"Weldon, Will [Casey Bill]." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106845

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