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Ben Selvin

Benjamin Bernard Selvin (March 5, 1898 – July 15, 1980) was an American musician, bandleader, and record producer. He was known as the Dean of Recorded Music.

Selvin was born in New York City, United States, the son of Jewish Russian immigrants. He started his professional life at age 15 as a fiddle player in New York City night clubs. Six years later, as leader of his own dance band, the Novelty Orchestra, he released what was later alleged to be the biggest-selling popular song in the first quarter-century of recorded music. "Dardanella" allegedly sold more than six million copies and an additional million pieces of sheet music—although in a joint interview with Gustave Haenschen, founding director of popular-music releases at Brunswick Records, Selvin described the alleged record-sales total as “nonsensical” and said the actual sales of “Dardanella” and other purported “million-sellers” in the 1920s was 150,000 discs. He was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) that was presented to Selvin on his retirement on March 14, 1963.

According to The Guinness Book of World Records, Selvin recorded more musical sides (on 78-rpm discs) than any other person. One reason for this prolific output is that he recorded for dozens of different record labels during this productive time in the industry, using a different name for each label. His output has been estimated at 13,000 to 20,000 song titles.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 5, 1898 (New York City), Died July 15, 1980 (Manhasset)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1919 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, violin, vocalist, songwriter, composer, lyricist, arranger

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

Recordings (Results 326-350 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 147070 10-in. 9/26/1928 Motherhood Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147094 10-in. 10/2/1928 Moon of my delight Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147095 10-in. 10/2/1928 I must love you Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147096 10-in. 10/2/1928 Happy days and lonely nights Jerry Mason and his Californians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Marvin Young [Irving Kaufman] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147109 10-in. 10/5/1928 It goes like this (That funny melody) Happy Martin Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia 147125 10-in. 10/17/1928 I wanna be loved by you The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147126 10-in. 10/17/1928 Here's that party now in person The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147127 10-in. 10/17/1928 Forever Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147131 10-in. 10/11/1928 Just a sweetheart Jerry Mason and his Californians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Marvin Young [Irving Kaufman] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147140 10-in. 10/19/1928 You're the cream in my coffee Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147141 10-in. 10/19/1928 Billie Eddie Thomas' Collegians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147144 10-in. 10/29/1928 I loved you then as I love you now The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147145 10-in. 10/29/1928 If you want the rainbow Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147146 10-in. 10/29/1928 Pompanola Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147147 10-in. 10/29/1928 My silver tree Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia [W]147153 10-in. 10/19/1928 If you want the rainbow (You must have the rain) Gay Ellis and her Novelty Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia [W]147154 10-in. 10/19/1928 My blackbirds are bluebirds now Gay Ellis and her Novelty Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia 147155 10-in. 10/24/1928 Marion Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147156 10-in. 10/24/1928 Gypsy Arthur Ross and his Westerners [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147157 10-in. 10/24/1928 Sally of my dreams The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147162 10-in. 10/29/1928 Sweet dreams The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147163 10-in. 10/29/1928 Pompanola Arthur Ross and his Westerners [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147164 10-in. 10/29/1928 Won't you tell me, hon (When we're gonna be one) Arthur Ross and his Westerners [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Tom Frawley Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147171 10-in. 10/31/1928 That's why girls go wrong The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147172 10-in. 10/31/1928 Are we downhearted? No! Barney Trimble and his Oklahomans [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 326-350 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed April 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064

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