Walter Callahan was born in 1910, and Homer in 1912 in Laurel, North Carolina. Their father Bert, Laurel's grocer and postmaster, was also an organist and voice teacher. Their mother Martha Jane sang and played the organ. Walter was primarily a guitarist, while Homer played the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, ukulele, tenor banjo, harmonica, and bass. Singing together the brothers often yodeled, a talent that would become one of their signature sounds. They began playing publicly in the early 1920s, becoming well known area musicians. In 1934 they traveled to New York and made their first records, of which "She's My Curly Headed Baby" became the most famous. In the same year they were hired to play regularly for WWNC in Asheville, for four dollars a week. Sometimes they performed with their sister Alma, and called themselves the Callahan Family. In 1935, Homer and Walter moved to Louisville to play on the radio there, the first in a succession of cities they would call home during their radio and recording career. When they moved to Dallas around 1940, they began to perform as Bill and Joe Callahan, the names by which they are best remembered today. The Callahan Brothers remained active in the music industry for some decades, appearing in movies in the 1940s, and on TV shows in the ‘50s. For one year in the ‘50s, "Bill" (Homer) acted as manager for an up-and-coming Texas singer, Lefty Frizzell.
2011
JSP Records
4xCD, Comp, RM + Box
2002
Cattle Compact
CD, Comp
1975
1952
1951
1947
Columbia
Shellac, 10"
1941
Decca
Shellac, 10"
1939
1938
Vocalion (2)
Shellac, 10"
1937
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
1937
Melotone
Shellac, 10"
1937
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
1937
Melotone
Shellac, 10"
1937
Melotone
Shellac, 10"
1937
1937
1936
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
1936
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
1936
1936
1936
1936
1936
1936
1935
Melotone
Shellac, 10"
1935
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
1935
1935
1934
Melotone
Shellac, 10"
1934
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
1934
1934
1934
1934
1934
1934
Vocalion (2)
Shellac, 10", Single
Conqueror
Shellac, 10", Single
Cattle Compact
CD, Comp, Mono
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
Decca
Shellac, 10"
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
Columbia
Shellac, 10"
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
Okeh
Shellac, 10"
Melotone
Shellac, 10"
Conqueror
Shellac, 10"
Okeh
10"
2001
Not On Label
CD, Album
1988
1981
Copper Creek Records
Cass, Album, Comp
1981
1973
1969
2018
Bear Family Records
CD, Album, Comp
2015
Sony Music
20xCD, Comp + Box
2010
Dust-to-Digital
3xCD, Comp
2008
Bear Family Records
6xCD, Comp
2005
JSP Records
4xCD, Comp, RM + Box
2004
Viper (2)
CD, Comp
2004
Jasmine Records
CD, Comp, Mono
2003
Cattle Compact
CD, Comp, Mono
2002
Habana
20xCD, Comp, Ltd, RM + Box
2002
Indigo Recordings
2xCD, Comp
2000
Cattle Compact
CD, Comp, Mono
2000
Cattle Compact
CD, Comp, Mono
2000
Cattle Compact
CD, Comp, Mono
1998
Trikont
CD, Comp
1993
1992
1985
The Franklin Mint Record Society, The Franklin Mint Record Society
Cass, Comp
1985
The Franklin Mint Record Society
2xLP, Comp, Red
1985
1982
1981
1977
New World Records
LP, Comp, Mono
1976
Anthology Of Country Music
LP, Comp
Collector Records (2)
CD, Comp
Nugrape Records
CDr, Comp
Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.
2xCD, Comp
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