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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 451-475 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 148791 10-in. 7/6/1929 Ain't misbehavin' Jerry Mason and his Californians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 148792 10-in. 7/6/1929 Ich liebe dich Barney Trimble and his Oklahomans [Selvin's Orchestra] ; George Kay Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia [W]148806 10-in. 7/12/1929 He's a good man to have around The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia [W]148807 10-in. 7/12/1929 Maybe—who knows? The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W148852 10-in. 7/25/1929 Recollections The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W148853 10-in. 7/25/1929 Sleepy Valley The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W148865 10-in. 8/12/1929 Song of Siberia The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W148866 10-in. 8/12/1929 Song of the blues The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W148869 10-in. 8/13/1929 I've waited a lifetime for you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W148870 10-in. 8/13/1929 How am I to know? Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 148883 10-in. 8/15/1929 Bashful baby Barney Trimble and his Oklahomans [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Dick Burnett Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 148884 10-in. 8/15/1929 The album of my dreams The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Marvin Young [Irving Kaufman] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 148885 10-in. 8/15/1929 Gypsy dream rose Barney Trimble and his Oklahomans [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Dick Burnett Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 148893 10-in. 8/19/1929 Waiting at the end of the road Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Marvin Young [Irving Kaufman] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia [W]148937 10-in. 8/27/1929 Moanin' low The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia [W]148938 10-in. 8/27/1929 Waiting at the end of the road The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W148950 10-in. 8/29/1929 Selections from "Hollywood revue of 1929" Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W148951 10-in. 8/29/1929 Selections from "The Broadway melody" Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W148984 10-in. 9/7/1929 The web of love Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W148987 10-in. 9/7/1929 I'm in love with you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 149023 10-in. 9/19/1929 Somebody mighty like you The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 149024 10-in. 9/19/1929 Love (Your spell is everywhere) Arthur Fields ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 149025 10-in. 9/19/1929 Love me Arthur Fields ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149049 10-in. 9/25/1929 Sunny side up Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149050 10-in. 9/25/1929 Love (Your spell is everywhere) Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 451-475 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed June 1, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved June 1, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 June 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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