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Len Spencer

Leonard Garfield Spencer (February 12, 1867 – December 15, 1914) was an early American recording artist. He began recording for the Columbia Phonograph Company, in 1889 or 1890. Between 1892 and 1897 he recorded extensively for the New Jersey Phonograph Company and its successor the United States Phonograph Company. He specialized in vaudeville sketches and comic songs, but also sang sentimental ballads popular at the time. He returned to Columbia in 1898 for an exclusive contract then began recording for Berliner Gramophone (disc) records in 1899 and continued with Victor and Columbia as discs became the dominant format in the early 1900s.

He began performing with banjoist Vess L. Ossman in 1901 and with Ada Jones in 1905. He is best remembered today for his vaudeville-style comic sketches, such as "The Arkansaw Traveler" (1902), combining clever turns of phrase, ironic elocutionary delivery, sound effects and music to create colorful dialogues featuring itinerant Southerners, auctioneers, circus barkers, and Irish, Jewish or Black Americans. Many of his roles were performed in either blackface or brownface. Spencer's output was eclectic. He imitated animal sounds in "A Barnyard Serenade" (1906) and released another record titled "The Transformation Scene from 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'," but also popularized songs still known today such as "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom De-ay" and "A Hot Time in the Old Town." Music historian Bob Stanley deems it "probable" that Spencer's comedic "Arkansaw Traveler" routine was the first record to sell one million copies, though official documentation is lacking.

As the popularity of Len's style of humor waned in the latter part of the decade, he opened a booking agency called "Len Spencer's Lyceum" in New York. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage while working at the Lyceum on December 15, 1914.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 12, 1867 (Washington, D.C.), Died December 15, 1914 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1896 - 1925

Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker, author, baritone vocal, performer, composer, adapter

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

Recordings (Results 526-550 of 812 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 3759 10-in. ca. 1907-Feb. 1908 Sheriff's sale of a stranded circus Gilbert Girard ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with animal imitations speaker, author  
Columbia 3778 10-in. ca. 1907-Feb. 1908 Old dog Sport Gilbert Girard ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with animal imitations speaker  
Columbia 3977 10-in. ca. 1908 The widow Dooley Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with orchestra speaker, author  
Columbia 3984 10-in. ca. Jan. 1908-Mar. 1909 A picture of long ago Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive dialogue and female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, composer  
Columbia 19366 10-in. 5/15/1911 The 23rd Psalm Len Spencer Recitation speaker  
Columbia 19367 10-in. 5/15/1911 The Lord's Prayer Len Spencer Recitation speaker  
Columbia 19368 10-in. 5/15/1911 The 23rd Psalm Len Spencer Recitation speaker  
Columbia 30040 12-in. ca. 1906 The musical Yankee Len Spencer Descriptive scene speaker, author  
Columbia 30055 12-in. ca. 1906-Feb. 1907 Rudolph and Rosie at the roller rink Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic dialogue, with orchestra speaker, author  
Columbia 30997 12-in. ca. 1912 How Salvator won Len Spencer Recitation speaker  
Edison 3364 10-in. Oct. 1914 Christmas symphony : Uncle Fritz and the children's orchestra Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra speaker  
Edison 4148 10-in. 9/27/1915 Scene at a dog fight Gilbert Girard ; Steve Porter Monologue, with vocal effects author  
Edison 4186 10-in. 10/12/1915 Daybreak at Calamity Farm Gilbert Girard and Company Descriptive scene author  
Edison 10647 10-in. 10/21/1925 The hand of fate Al Bernard Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet author  
Zonophone 288 9-in. Before 1904 The newsboy's Christmas Len Spencer Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 289 7-in. Jan. 1904 The newsboy's Christmas Len Spencer Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 890 7-in. ca. Oct. 1903 The wedding of the frog and the mouse Len Spencer Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 1559 9-in. Before Feb. 1904 Ebony emperors of melody Male vocal quartet (unidentified; Zonophone Records) ; Len Spencer Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Zonophone 1561 7-in. Before Feb. 1904 Ebony emperors of melody Male vocal quartet (unidentified; Zonophone Records) ; Len Spencer Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Zonophone 1566 9-in. Before Feb. 1904 Prize waltz contest Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with orchestra speaker  
Zonophone 1572 7-in. Before Feb. 1904 Levee scene Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with orchestra speaker  
Zonophone 1575 9-in. Before Feb. 1904 Having fun with the orchestra Len Spencer Monologue, with orchestra performer  
Zonophone 1812 7-in. Before Apr. 1904 Piccolo player's reward Len Spencer Monologue, with piccolo speaker  
Zonophone 1814 9-in. Before Apr. 1904 Auction sale of musical instruments Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with banjo speaker  
Zonophone 1815 7-in. Before Apr. 1904 Auction sale of musical instruments Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with banjo speaker  
(Results 526-550 of 812 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Spencer, Len," accessed May 6, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197.

Spencer, Len. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197.

"Spencer, Len." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197

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