PAPA EGG SHELL
The unfortunately named Papa Egg Shell Casey was a relatively obscure St Louis bluesman in the 1930's who recorded very little but these show him to have been a very good singer and excellent guitar player. Sometimes also known as Papa Slick Head, Casey gained his nickname as a result of his premature baldness. The few recordings he made demonstrate his dexterity on guitar using picked strings, backed by a strong, slightly nasal voice. His song "Goin' Up the Country", which he wrote, survives as a very accessible track and one of the best examples of takes on the 'Kansas City Blues' theme. There is virtually no reliable biographical detail on him and no references to him after the second world war.
In The Blues Trail
Composed by Lawrence Casey
Papa Egg Shell (Lawrence Casey):Vocals & Guitar
Recorded in Chicago, IL. Thursday, May 9, 1929
Originally issued on the 1929 single (Brunswick 7095) (78 RPM)
This recording taken from the 1989 album "Country Blues Collector Items" (Story of Blues 3534-2) (CD) (Austria)
In https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=7963.0
Lawrence "Papa Egg Shell" Casey was a St. Louis guitarist and singer, who has been reported to have been a long-time playing associate of the pianist Henry Brown. I first heard him on the old Mamlish anthology, "St. Louis 1926--1932 Good Time Blues!". Evidently, he recorded only four titles, all of which can be found on Document "Rare Country Blues", DOCD-5643.
"Far From Home", the track on the Mamlish anthology has Papa Egg Shell (so-called because of his bald head) accompanying himself out of E position in standard tuning, and he really shines in his accompaniment. He was a terrific player with a complicated concept, strong rhythmic sense, and very clean execution. I've only heard one other of his titles, "I'm Goin' Up The Country, Part 2", and it shares substantially the same accompaniment as "Far From Home". Without having the recording available to hear here, it may give you some sense of Papa Egg Shell's sound to staying that in his touch and rhythmic feel, his playing reminds me a lot of Ari Eisinger's.
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