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Too Tight Henry
Too Tight Henry.jpeg
A crop of the only known photograph of Castle
Background information
Birth name Henry Lee Castle
Born (1897-06-05)June 5, 1897 or 1899
Georgia, United States
Died (1971-08-16)August 16, 1971 (aged 71/72/74)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • Vocals

Too Tight Henry, whose real name was Henry Lee Castle, was an American blues musician. He was born on June 5, 1897 or 1899 and passed away on August 16, 1971. He recorded four songs for famous record companies like Columbia Records and Brunswick Records in 1928 and 1930.

Early Life and Music

Henry was born in the state of Georgia, USA. He played a special type of guitar called a twelve-string guitar. This kind of guitar was very popular among blues musicians in Georgia back then.

Traveling Musician

Before settling down in Memphis, Tennessee, Henry traveled a lot. He played music with other well-known blues artists of his time, like Blind Blake and Blind Lemon Jefferson. For a while in the 1930s, Henry also lived in Helena, Arkansas.

Recording His Music

In 1928, Henry recorded two songs for Columbia Records. These songs were part of a two-part piece called "Charleston Contest." In this song, Henry talks to himself using different voices. He also proudly talks about how good he is at playing the guitar.

Later Recordings

Two years later, in 1930, he recorded two more songs in Chicago, Illinois, for Brunswick Records. These recordings show a more relaxed side of Henry's music. On these songs, he was joined by another guitarist and a harmonica player.

Playing with Bands

After these recording sessions, Henry played in a group called Jed Davenport's Beale Street Jug Band. He continued to share his music with others.

Later Years

Henry Lee Castle, also known as Too Tight Henry, passed away in Chicago on August 16, 1971.

Too Tight Henry's Songs

Here are the songs Too Tight Henry recorded:

Songs Recorded in 1928

These songs were recorded on October 27, 1928, for Columbia Records in Atlanta, Georgia:

  • "Charleston Contest – Part 1" – 14374D
  • "Charleston Contest – Part 2" – 14374D

Songs Recorded in 1930

These songs were recorded on October 2, 1930, for Brunswick Records:

  • "Squinch Owl Moan" – 7189
  • "The Way I Do" – 7189
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