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Harry B. Smith

Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works were librettos for the composers Victor Herbert and Reginald De Koven. He also wrote the book or lyrics for several versions of the Ziegfeld Follies.

Smith was born in Buffalo, New York to Josiah Bailey Smith (born 1837) and Elizabeth Bach (born 1838). According to his autobiography First Nights and First Editions (Boston: Little, Brown, 1931), Smith's actual name at birth was Henry Bach Smith. He married twice. His first wife was Lena Reed (born August 21, 1868), whom he married on October 12, 1887 in Chicago, Illinois. They had a son named Sydney Reed Smith (born July 15, 1892). Smith's second wife was the actress Irene Bentley (c. 1870 – June 3, 1940). They married on November 23, 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts, after she had been divorced on June 12, 1906 by her first husband James Thomas Sothoron, Jr. (1867–1913). Bentley retired from the stage in 1910 and died at Allenhurst, New Jersey. She is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. While on a brief holiday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on New Year's Day in 1936, Smith died of a heart attack in his room at the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel.

Smith worked on many of the famous musical theatre productions of his time. His younger brother Robert Bache Smith (June 4, 1875 – November 6, 1951) was also a successful lyricist.

Harry Smith's archive is largely held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 28, 1860 (Buffalo), Died January 1, 1936 (Atlantic City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1894 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, arranger, songwriter, author

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

Recordings (Results 201-225 of 278 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 80647 10-in. 11/3/1922 You gave me your heart Edwin Dale Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 80754 10-in. 12/29/1922 The lovelight in your eyes Edwin Dale Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 30541 12-in. ca. 1910 Brown October ale Frank Conley Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 30603 12-in. ca. 1910 Follow me Henry Burr ; Margaret Mayew Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 30801 12-in. 6/28/1911 Gypsy love song Frank Croxton Male vocal solo and vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 30827 12-in. 9/12/1911 Wallflower sweet Charles Harrison ; Grace Kerns Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 30888 12-in. 10/17/1911 To the land of my own romance Beulah Gaylord Young Soprano vocal solo, with vocal chorus and orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 36384 12-in. 5/10/1912 Robin Hood : Vocal gems Columbia Light Opera Company Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 48831 12-in. 6/21/1916 Brown October ale Columbia Stellar Quartette ; Graham Marr Baritone vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W142940 10-in. 11/17/1926 Someone Frank Harris ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W143990 10-in. 4/19/1927 Like you Franklyn Baur ; Columbians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W143991 10-in. 4/19/1927 Dear eyes that haunt me Columbians ; Lewis James Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W144115 10-in. 5/9/1927 Dear eyes that haunt me Franklyn Baur Male vocal solo, with violin, cello, and piano lyricist  
Columbia W144243 10-in. 5/31/1927 Like you Franklyn Baur ; Virginia Rea Female-male vocal duet, with instrumental trio lyricist  
Columbia W144928 10-in. 10/29/1927 Eyes that love Elliott Shaw ; The Sterling Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W144934 10-in. 10/31/1927 I live, I die for you! Columbians ; Billy Naken Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W145769 10-in. 3/16/1928 Armorer's song Wilfred Glenn Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W147365 10-in. 10/31/1928 Gypsy love song Red Mountain Trio Vocal and instrumental trio, with whistling lyricist  
Columbia W151750 10-in. 8/24/1931 Yours is my heart alone Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet lyricist  
Columbia W98165 12-in. 3/31/1925 Hunting song Associated Glee Clubs of America Male vocal chorus lyricist  
Columbia W98174 12-in. 5/12/1925 Vocal gems from The love song Columbia Light Opera Company Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W98332 12-in. 4/13/1927 Gypsy love song Fraser Gange Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh 162 10-in. approximately June 1918 Gypsy love song Frederick J. Wheeler Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh S-7361 10-in. Mar. 1920 Armorer's song Charles E. Galagher Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh o-8120 10-in. ca. Mar. 1921 Bright eyes Samuel Ash Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
(Results 201-225 of 278 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Harry B.," accessed May 3, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588.

Smith, Harry B.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588.

"Smith, Harry B.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 3 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588

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