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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 751-775 of 812 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Leeds & Catlin 5417 10-in. between late 1903 and 1904 The dog fight Al S. Holt ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with imitations speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 5725 10-in. between late 1903 and 1904 Con Clancy and the whistling newsboy Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with banjo speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 5726 10-in. between late 1903 and 1904 Old black Joe Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Male vocal solo, with banjo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin 5728 10-in. between late 1903 and 1904 Old log cabin in the dell Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Male vocal solo, with banjo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin 5992 10-in. approximately 1904-1905 He's me pal Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Female-male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin 6102 10-in. before Aug. 1905 Heinie Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with female-male vocal duet and orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6104 10-in. before Sept. 1905 Can't you see my heart beats all for you? Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic dialogue and female-male vocal duet, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6108 10-in. before Sept. 1905 Louisa Schmidt Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin 6395 10-in. before Sept. 1905 The future Mrs. 'Awkins Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6401 10-in. before Sept. 1905 Reuben and Cynthia Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin 6825 10-in. early 1906 Mandy and her man Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic dialogue, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6862 10-in. early 1906 Maggie Clancy's new piano Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene and female-male vocal duet, with piano speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6863 10-in. early 1906 Mandy and her man Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic dialogue, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6865 10-in. early 1906 Chimmie and Maggie at the Hippodrome Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic dialogue and female-male vocal duet, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6866 10-in. early 1906 The golden wedding Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 6982 10-in. early 1906 Flannagan's night off Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin 7025 10-in. Jan.-July 1906 Don't argify Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Comic dialogue and female-male vocal duet, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 4059] 10-in. between late 1903 and 1904 That minstrel man of mine Parke Hunter ; Len Spencer Male vocal solo, with banjo and talk vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 44821] 10-in. 1906 Hickory Bill Vess L. Ossman ; Len Spencer Comic monologue, with banjo speaker  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 44824] 10-in. 1906 You've been a good old wagon, but you've done broke down Vess L. Ossman ; Len Spencer Male vocal solo, with banjo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 44825] 10-in. 1906 Con Clancy's prize waltz contest Vess L. Ossman ; Len Spencer Comic monologue, with banjo speaker  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 44852] 10-in. 1906 The happy German twins Len Spencer ; George P. Watson Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 45004] 10-in. 1906 Bashful Henry and his loving Lucy Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene and vocal duet, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 45005] 10-in. 1906 Hans and Gretchen Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with orchestra speaker  
Leeds & Catlin [L & C cat 4022] 10-in. between late 1903 and 1904 Auction sale of a furniture store Len Spencer Comic monologue speaker  
(Results 751-775 of 812 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Spencer, Len," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197.

Spencer, Len. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197.

"Spencer, Len." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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