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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 151-175 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W144498 10-in. 7/25/1927 Roam on, my little gypsy sweetheart Irving Kaufman ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144503 10-in. 7/26/1927 Bye-bye pretty baby Broadway Nitelites ; Bob Carroll Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144504 10-in. 7/26/1927 Just another day wasted away (Waiting for you) Broadway Nitelites ; Bob Carroll Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144694 10-in. 9/20/1927 Lucky in love The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144695 10-in. 9/20/1927 Where is my Meyer? The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144696 10-in. 9/20/1927 Everybody loves my girl The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia W144792 10-in. 9/23/1927 Wherever you are Franklyn Baur ; Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Lewis James ; Elliott Shaw Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio leader  
Columbia W144793 10-in. 9/23/1927 Playground in the sky Franklyn Baur ; Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Lewis James Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet leader  
Columbia W144794 10-in. 9/24/1927 Marvelous Frank Harris ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144795 10-in. 9/24/1927 After I've called you sweetheart (How can I call you friend) The Cavaliers ; Frank Harris Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144818 10-in. 10/1/1927 Molly Malone The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144819 10-in. 10/1/1927 Like the wandering minstrel The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144835 10-in. 10/7/1927 Are you lonesome to-night? Newport Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144836 10-in. 10/7/1927 Sailin' on The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144837 10-in. 10/7/1927 I'm walkin' on air Robert Benjamin ; Newport Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia W144899 10-in. 10/24/1927 Among my souvenirs Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Cyril Pitts Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144900 10-in. 10/24/1927 Two loving arms The Cavaliers ; Cyril Pitts Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144903 10-in. 10/25/1927 Kiss and make up Newport Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144904 10-in. 10/25/1927 Thinking of you Franklyn Baur ; Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144905 10-in. 10/25/1927 Up in the clouds Franklyn Baur ; Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144924 10-in. 10/29/1927 Blue baby (Why are you blue) Newport Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144925 10-in. 10/29/1927 My New York The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144926 10-in. 10/29/1927 I told them all about you The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144960 10-in. 11/7/1927 My heart stood still Franklyn Baur ; Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144961 10-in. 11/7/1927 Thou swell Franklyn Baur ; Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 151-175 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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