J. Will Callahan

J. Will Callahan (March 17, 1874 – November 15, 1946) was an American lyricist. He was also partially blind. He wrote lyrics for songs including "Gasoline" (1913), "Smiles" (used in The Passing Show of 1918), and more notoriously to modern ears, the 1917 song "Ching Chong". "Smiles", for which he is best known, became a hit and earned Callahan and composer Lee S. Roberts about $500,000. Callahan's primary collaborator was Max Kortlander.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 17, 1874, Died November 15, 1946

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1914 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 66 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	B-15019	10-in.	6/29/1914	You planted a rose in the garden of love	Charles Harrison	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-15198	10-in.	9/18/1914	Diane of the green van	Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell	Male vocal duet, with orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-15212	10-in.	9/23/1914	Wild flowers we gathered long ago	Elsie Baker ; Frederick J. Wheeler	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-21881	10-in.	6/3/1918	Smiles	Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus	lyricist
Victor	B-22215	10-in.	8/16/1918	Smiles	Maria Morrisey ; Peerless Quartet	Male vocal quartet and female vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-22228	10-in.	9/9/1918	Smiles	Lambert Murphy	Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-22255	10-in.	9/24/1918	Smiles	John McCormack	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-22263	10-in.	9/27/1918	A little birch canoe and you	Olive Kline	Female vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra (takes 3-5); with mixed vocal quartet (takes 1-2)	lyricist
Victor	B-22367	10-in.	1/30/1919	Mammy's lullaby	Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra	Orchestra, with female vocal solo	lyricist
Victor	B-22599	10-in.	2/25/1919	After all	Reinald Werrenrath	Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-22689	10-in.	4/15/1919	When I come home to you	Reinald Werrenrath	Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-22904	10-in.	6/5/1919	Tell me	Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus	lyricist
Victor	B-23160	10-in.	9/17/1919	Tell me	Lambert Murphy	Male vocal solo, with violin obbligato and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-24359	10-in.	7/29/1920	Drowsy baby	Elsie Baker ; Olive Kline	Female vocal duet, with violin, bells, and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-24360	10-in.	7/29/1920	In the afterglow	Elsie Baker	Female vocal solo, with violin and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	B-30984	10-in.	10/9/1924	Give me one rose to remember	Reinald Werrenrath	Baritone vocal solo, with violin and orchestra	lyricist
Victor	BVE-47053	10-in.	9/18/1928	Smiles	Jimmy Yates’ Boll Weevils	String band, with male vocal solo	lyricist
Victor	BVE-48181	10-in.	11/19/1928	The gateway of dreams	John McCormack	Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist
Victor	PBVE-54853	10-in.	6/19/1930	Smiles	Boyd Senter ; Senterpedes ; Ray Stillwell	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	lyricist
Victor	PBS-09633	10-in.	8/2/1937	Smiles	Benny Goodman Quartet	Jazz/dance quartet	lyricist
Victor	BS-022932	10-in.	4/28/1938	The grass is just as green	Rose Blane ; Californians ; Abe Lyman	Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo	lyricist
Victor	BS-028616	10-in.	10/25/1938	Smiles	Oklahoma Playboys ; Jimmie Revard	String band, with male vocal solo	lyricist
Victor	BS-063721	10-in.	4/7/1941	Smiles	Larry Clinton Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble	lyricist
Victor	D9VB-1229	10-in.	4/1/1949	Smiles	Main Street String Band	String band, with vocal ensemble	lyricist
Columbia	39356	10-in.	5/8/1914	You planted a rose in the garden of love	Henry Burr	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist

(Results 1-25 of 66 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Callahan, J. Will," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109488.

Callahan, J. Will. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109488.

"Callahan, J. Will." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.

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J. Will Callahan

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 66 records)

Citation

DAHR Persistent Identifier

External Sources

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