J. Will Callahan was a blind poet who lived and wrote in Northern Michigan for nearly 40 years. His most famous song “Smiles” sold 5 million copies during the 1918 Pandemic and World War I. The following year, the world’s largest music publisher Jerome H. Remick paid Callahan $100,000 for “Tell Me.” Callahan worked with over 60 different music publishers and composers. The exquisite designs on the music feature the country’s greatest graphic artists.
Dr. H. R Stoneback, for whom this book is dedicated, wrote the eloquent introduction telling of the impact of American popular music on his own life. The author, poet, singer, and professor published over 40 books and essays during his career. He was president of the Michigan Hemingway Society and the International Hemingway Society. From the time I met him as the keynote speaker at the 2013 International Hemingway Conference in Bay View, Michigan, he supported all of my efforts.
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Bejamin Franklin Awards 2023
The Songs of J. Will Callahan "epitomizes what one might characterize as a bibliographic tour de force."
"American Idea" is a valuable addition to the literature on the Chautauqua movement in the United States. It serves as a model and inspiration for other local communites to follow when describing their own Chautauqua associations. Mary Jane Doerr is to be commended for her endeavors.
Philip P. Mason
Distinquished Professor of History Emeritus
Wayne State University
Copyright (c) Author Mary Jane Doerr All rights reserved.
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