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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 176-200 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W144963 10-in. 11/9/1927 Aloha oe blues Moana Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144964 10-in. 11/9/1927 Oh the shores of Honolulu Moana Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W144986 10-in. 11/18/1927 Back where the daisies grow Robert Benjamin ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia W144987 10-in. 11/18/1927 Waiting for the rainbow Lewis James ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144994 10-in. 11/19/1927 What'll you do? The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144995 10-in. 11/19/1927 There's a rickety rackety shack Newport Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 144996 10-in. 11/19/1927 I fell head over heels in love The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145268 10-in. 12/2/1927 The hours I spent with you Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145269 10-in. 12/2/1927 The sweetheart of Sigma Chi Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145270 10-in. 12/2/1927 Sweetheart memories Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W145280 10-in. 12/7/1927 Where in the world (Is there someone for me) The Cavaliers ; Seger Ellis Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W145281 10-in. 12/7/1927 I never dreamed Lewis James ; The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W145397 10-in. 12/27/1927 Moonlight lane The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet leader  
Columbia W145398 10-in. 12/27/1927 After we kiss The Cavaliers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145422 10-in. 12/17/1927 The sunrise (Will bring another day for you) The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145423 10-in. 12/17/1927 You can tell her anything under the sun (When you get her under the moon) The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145424 10-in. 12/17/1927 Keep sweeping the cobwebs off the moon The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W145444 10-in. 12/28/1927 When you're with somebody else Lewis James ; Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W145445 10-in. 12/28/1927 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') Crescent Trio ; Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio leader, vocalist  
Columbia 145482 10-in. 1/7/1928 In the sing song sycamore tree Newport Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145483 10-in. 1/7/1928 Four walls The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145484 10-in. 1/7/1928 There's somebody new The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145557 10-in. 1/20/1928 My Blue Ridge Mountain home Mack Allen ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145558 10-in. 1/20/1928 My Blue Ridge Mountain queen Mack Allen ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 145559 10-in. 1/20/1928 There must be a silver lining (That's shining for me) Newport Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 176-200 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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