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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 76-100 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W141761 10-in. 3/4/1926 Sympathy waltz The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia 141797 10-in. 3/13/1926 I wish I had my old gal back again Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 141798 10-in. 3/13/1926 I'd climb the highest mountain if I knew I'd find you The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia 141799 10-in. 3/13/1926 Chérie, I love you Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W141867 10-in. 3/26/1926 I wish I had my old gal back again Franklyn Baur ; The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W141868 10-in. 3/26/1926 Waltzing the blues away The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia 141929 10-in. 4/7/1926 Lonesome and sorry Arthur Hall ; Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 141930 10-in. 4/7/1926 Betty Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia 141931 10-in. 4/7/1926 You've got those "wanna go back again" blues The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W141938 10-in. 4/9/1926 Nothing else to do The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W141939 10-in. 4/9/1926 What good is "good morning"? Lewis James ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 141965 10-in. 4/14/1926 I wonder what's become of Joe? The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Jack Wilson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 141966 10-in. 4/14/1926 Tie me to your apron strings again Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 141967 10-in. 4/14/1926 Talkin' to the moon Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W142185 10-in. 5/10/1926 To-night's my night with baby Robert Benjamin ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia W142186 10-in. 5/10/1926 Hi-ho the merrio Arthur Fields ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 142256 10-in. 5/27/1926 That's why I love you The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 142257 10-in. 5/27/1926 Lay my head beneath a rose Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 142258 10-in. 5/27/1926 Where'd you get those eyes? The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 142341 10-in. 6/24/1926 Lucky day The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 142342 10-in. 6/24/1926 La paloma Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia 142343 10-in. 6/24/1926 Tango amoroso Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W142344 10-in. 6/25/1926 Lay my head beneath a rose The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W142345 10-in. 6/25/1926 Kentucky lullaby The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W142460 10-in. 7/19/1926 Put your arms where they belong Franklyn Baur ; The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 76-100 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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