Casey, Bob (actually, Robert Hanley)

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Casey, Bob (actually, Robert Hanley)

jazz bassist, guitarist; b. Johnson County, III Feb. 11, 1909; d. March 9, 1986. He began on tenor-banjo at 14, self-taught. He played weekend dances in southern 111.; with The Egyptian Transportation System Orch. (1926–27), then moved to St. Louis in December 1927, playing with Joe Gill (1929–31), and Joe Reichman (1932). He began playing bass in 1929, and doubled guitar for several years. He moved to Chicago, with Wingy Manone (1933), Russ Kettler, and the King’s Jesters, was also staff musician at NBC Chicago. He was with Muggsy Spanier from July 1939. After Muggsy disbanded, he returned to Chicago, performed briefly with Pete Daily, then with Gus Arnheim and Charlie Spivak. He joined Brad Gowans at Nick’s, N.Y., in October 1943, spending several years at Nick’s and at Condon’s Club; also worked with Art Hodes and Bobby Hackett. He moved to Fla. in 1957 and played with Dukes of Dixieland (1962). He emerged from semi-retirement to play dates in N.Y (1971).

—John Chilton, Who’s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter