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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 776-800 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W152768 10-in. 6/28/1934 Born to be kissed Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W98316 12-in. 2/18/1927 Studio stunts Columbia Artists Vocalists and jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W97461 10-in. September 1929 Princesa de oriente (You are my light in the sky) : Canción El Trovador Romántico Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Columbia W100322 10-in. 9/25/1929 Sunny side up Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100323 10-in. 9/25/1929 Dance away the night Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100325 10-in. 10/2/1929 Dream lover The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100326 10-in. 7/5/1929 When you come to the end of the day Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100327 10-in. 9/25/1929 I came to you The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100328 10-in. 10/23/1929 The woman in the shoe Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100338 10-in. 11/18/1929 Take everything but you Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100346 10-in. 12/27/1929 The shepherd's serenade Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100349 10-in. 10/26/1929 Don't ever leave me! Perley Stevens and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100353 10-in. 12/11/1929 Do ya' love me (Just a tiny bit, do ya'?) Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100360 10-in. 1/28/1930 Dreamy Hula Town Moana Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100362 10-in. 1/27/1930 Thank your father Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo (scat) leader  
Columbia W100364 10-in. 2/5/1930 Oh! How I adore you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100365 10-in. 2/5/1930 If I were king Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100369 10-in. 2/14/1930 In my little hope chest Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100383 10-in. 4/7/1930 My future just passed Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100394 10-in. 4/21/1931 Dark night Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W100397 10-in. 7/20/1930 Leave it that way Rudy Marlow and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W351012 10-in. 4/22/1931 Rocky Mountain lullaby Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351013 10-in. 4/22/1931 When the moon comes over the mountain Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal duet leader  
Columbia W351015 10-in. 5/9/1931 (There ought to be a) Moonlight saving time Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W351016 10-in. 5/9/1931 Roll on, Mississippi, roll on Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 776-800 of 1016 records)

Citation

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

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

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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