Topic: Casey Bill Weldon amazing slide sustain

[islandgal]

I'm a big fan of Casey Bill Weldon, who was known as the "Hawaiian Guitar Wizard", since he played a National steel guitar flat on his lap, Hawaiian style.

The way he sustains the note at the end of Midnight Blues is quite stunning. I love his voice too.

It seems he doesn't get a lot of mention, so I thought I would throw this out to more potential fans.

[David Kaatz]

To me, it sounds like he is playing an electric lap steel. I have no evidence other than my ears.

Dave

[Stuart]

I agree, Dave, although I hear resonance that suggests it might be a reso with a pickup. I did a little searching and it appears that after the pickup was invented in the early 30s, things took off. Electric lap steels (starting with Beauchamp/Rickenbacker) were available and it looks like DeArmond produced stand alone pickups by the mid-30s, so by the time December 16, 1938 rolled around (when "Midnight Blues" was recorded), Casey Bill had options. Of course, this tells you nothing about which guitar and pickup / mic - amplification combo he used for this specific recording. But IMHO, it was a very good one.

[blueshome]

By the time of this session Bill had adopted an electric guitar. Prior to that he used a single cone, likely a Style O.

[Stuart]

Thanks, blueshome. Any idea re: what make and model?

[dj]

Casey Bill Weldon played an electric guitar on his Bluebird session on December 16, 1938.  The titles were I Believe You're Cheatin' On Me, Way Down In Louisiana, You Gotta Do Your Duty, and Midnight Blues.  Interestingly, Tampa Red also used an electric guitar on his session that day.  Both sessions were held at the Leland Hotel in Aurora Illinois.

Though...  he may be the electric steel guitarist on Curtis Jones' September 27th 1938 session (I'm With You Again, I'm Losing My Mind Over You, Reefer Hound Blues, and War Broke Out In Hell).

By the way, Living Blues issue 228, December 2013, has a good article by Jim O'Neal untangling Casey Bill's life story as far as possible.  He was born Nathan Hammond in Conway County Arkansas on February 2 1901 (according to his Death Certificate), and is definitely NOT the Will Weldon who played with the Memphis jug band.

[waxwing]

Interesting history, but I'm hearing more tremolo on that long note than actual sustain. Maybe I'm wrong but I thought sustain, on a guitar, was how long a note continues to ring after being struck. Tremolo is a technique of striking a string repeatedly at a relatively fast rate. On an acoustic guitar the natural sustain of the instrument can be increased with vibrato, either with a slide or by slightly bending/unbending the fretted string, or by sliding the note upward as the energy of a long vibrating string increases as the string is shortened. Obviously with an electrified giuitar the sustain of the amp can be adjusted to achieve whatever duration is desired. Not denying that this is an electric guitar, which it certainly sounds like in terms of attack and aggresive tone.

Wax

[Stuart]

Thanks, DJ and Wax. I'm listening to the YT recording through computer speakers or headphones--not exactly the ideal setup. Plus, at 70 my hearing isn't exactly what it once was. So the aural input to the little gray cells is compromised (to put it politely).

You are correct about tremolo and sustain, Wax. I agree it definitely has that electric sound. And a pickup and an amp definitely extends the duration of sustain vs. that of an acoustic guitar.

[islandgal]

Wax, you are right. The correct term is tremolo. And thanks to dj and bluesholme for the interesting info on Casey Bill Weldon and his guitar(s). Regardless of what instrument he is playing in Midnight Blues, I find it a surprising and atmospheric ending to the song.

Jean

[Richard]

He was electric for some of those later recordings.

Not that I'm giving myself a plug, but in this case I am (!) as I devoted one of my recent faux radio shows to him -
www.mixcloud.com/wmpb