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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 376-400 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 147720 10-in. 12/19/1928 The spell of the blues Barney Trimble and his Oklahomans [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Arthur Seelig Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147729 10-in. 12/26/1928 The song I love Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio leader  
Columbia W147730 10-in. 12/26/1928 A room with a view Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio leader  
Columbia W147731 10-in. 12/26/1928 Dance, little lady Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147743 10-in. 1/2/1929 Poor Punicello Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147744 10-in. 1/2/1929 Marie Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147745 10-in. 1/2/1929 Cradle of love The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147797 10-in. 1/16/1929 You can't take my mem'ries from me Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Tommy Weir Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147798 10-in. 1/16/1929 Sweet Suzanne Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Tommy Weir Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147799 10-in. 1/16/1929 My Angeline Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Tommy Weir Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147869 10-in. 1/21/1929 That's the good old sunny South The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147870 10-in. 1/21/1929 Who wouldn't be jealous of you? The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147881 10-in. 1/23/1929 My starlight The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147882 10-in. 1/23/1929 Heart o' mine Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147883 10-in. 1/23/1929 There is a happy land (Far, far, away) The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147907 10-in. 1/30/1929 If I had you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147908 10-in. 1/30/1929 Carolina moon Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147920 10-in. 2/4/1929 You were meant for me Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W147921 10-in. 2/4/1929 Yo te amo means I love you The Columbians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147935 10-in. 2/6/1929 Wednesday night waltz Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Tommy Weir Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147936 10-in. 2/6/1929 My honeymoon waltz Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Tommy Weir Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 147937 10-in. 2/6/1929 Underneath the Russian moon Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Tommy Weir Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia [W]147953 10-in. 2/11/1929 When I'm walkin' with my sweetness (Down among the sugar cane) Jack Miller ; New England Yankees [Selvin's Orchestra] Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia [W]147954 10-in. 2/11/1929 Weary river Jack Miller ; New England Yankees [Selvin's Orchestra] Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W147956 10-in. 2/13/1929 Redskin Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Mildred Hunt Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo leader  
(Results 376-400 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed May 20, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 20, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 20 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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