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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 926-950 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E2935-E2937 10-in. 4/28/1926 Tonight’s my night with baby Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E2954-E2956 10-in. 4/30/1926 I found a round-a-bout way to heaven Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E2957-E2959 10-in. 4/30/1926 Tell me you love me Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Brunswick E3102-E3104 10-in. 5/24/1926 Here I am Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E3119-E3121 10-in. 5/26/1926 Only you and lonely me Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with mixed vocal trio leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E3289-E3291 10-in. 6/25/1926 Leave me something to remember Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E3292-E3294 10-in. 6/25/1926 My little nest of heavenly blue Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E3408-E3411 10-in. 7/14/1926 Would ja? Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E3412-E3414 10-in. 7/14/1926 Calling me home Kensington Serenaders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Brunswick E3656-E3657 10-in. 8/31/1926 Meet me in the moonlight Kensington Serenaders ; Vaudeville Trio Jazz/dance band, with mixed vocal trio leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E3658-E3659 10-in. 8/31/1926 Lay me down to sleep in Carolina Kensington Serenaders ; Vaudeville Trio Jazz/dance band, with mixed vocal trio leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E17960-E17962 10-in. 2/12/1926 Everything’s gonna be all right Orchestre Chez Fysher Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Brunswick E17963-E17965 10-in. 2/12/1926 Always Orchestre Chez Fysher Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Brunswick E18197-E18199 10-in. 3/5/1926 Under the ukulele tree Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E18200-E18202 10-in. 3/5/1926 If I knew I’d find you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Frank Munn Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E18554-E18556 10-in. 3/25/1926 So does your old Mandarin Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E18557-E18559 10-in. 3/25/1926 What good is good morning Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E18760-E18762 10-in. 4/15/1926 Betty Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E18763-E18765 10-in. 4/15/1926 Valencia Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E19352-E19354 10-in. 5/24/1926 Hoodle-dee-doo-dee-doodoo Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E19361-E19363 10-in. 5/26/1926 When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’ along Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with mixed vocal trio leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E19424-E19426 10-in. 6/2/1926 Hoodle dee doo dee doo doo Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E19427-E19430 10-in. 6/2/1926 When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin’ along Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Keller Sisters and Lynch Jazz/dance band, with mixed vocal trio leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E19710-E19712 10-in. 7/9/1926 Baby face Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E19713-E19715 10-in. 7/9/1926 Who wouldn’t Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
(Results 926-950 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed May 2, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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