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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 551-575 of 812 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Zonophone 1816 9-in. Before Apr. 1904 Reuben Haskins' trip around the world in his airship "Luna" Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with ocarina speaker  
Zonophone 2091 7-in. ca. Mar. 1904 Reuben Haskins' trip around the world in his airship "Luna" Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with ocarina speaker  
Zonophone 2108 9-in. Before May 1904 The whistling newsboy Al S. Holt ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with vocal effects speaker  
Zonophone 2182 9-in. Before April 1904 Having fun with the orchestra Len Spencer Monologue, with orchestra speaker  
Zonophone 2616 7-in. ca. May 1904 The wedding of the frog and the mouse Len Spencer Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 2618 7-in. Before June 1904 Auction sale of household goods Len Spencer Monologue, with banjo speaker  
Zonophone 3073 7-in. ca. July 1904 Dat minstrel man of mine Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Male vocal solo, with banjo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Zonophone 3085 7-in. ca. July 1904 Leap for life Len Spencer Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 3087 7-in. ca. July 1904 Independence bell Len Spencer Monologue, with chime speaker  
Zonophone 3089 7-in. ca. July 1904 The banjo evangelist Len Spencer Monologue, with banjo speaker  
Zonophone 3092 9-in. ca. July 1904 Ole laughin' Len Spencer Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 3095 7-in. ca. July 1904 A yaller dog's love for a nigger Len Spencer Monologue speaker  
Zonophone 5400 10-in. Before Feb. 1906 Mr. and Mrs. Murphy Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra author, performer  
Zonophone 5402 10-in. Before Dec. 1905 Pals Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra author, performer  
Zonophone 5403 10-in. Before Jan. 1906 The golden wedding Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra author, performer  
Zonophone 5407 10-in. Before Mar. 1906 Louie and Lena Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra author, performer  
Zonophone 5408 10-in. Before Feb. 1906 Heinie Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with vocal duet author, performer  
Zonophone 5409 10-in. Before Jan. 1906 Fair fisher maid and her catch Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra author, performer  
Zonophone 5412 10-in. Before Dec. 1905 The hand of fate Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra author, performer  
Zonophone 5438 10-in. Before Feb. 1906 Our national airs Len Spencer Recitation, with orchestra speaker  
Zonophone 5440 10-in. Before June 1906 Flogging scene from "Uncle Tom's cabin" Len Spencer Recitation, with orchestra speaker  
Zonophone 5441 10-in. Before Mar. 1906 Transformation scene from "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Len Spencer Recitation speaker  
Zonophone 5442 10-in. Before Jan. 1906 The musical Yankee Len Spencer Descriptive scene speaker, author  
Zonophone 5447 10-in. Before Nov. 1906 Old Mother Hubbard Al S. Holt Comic monologue, with imitations author  
Zonophone 6215 10-in. Before June 1906 Mandy and her man Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic scene, with orchestra author, performer  
(Results 551-575 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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