Resource id #75
Image Source: Wikipedia

Benjamin Robertson Harney

Benjamin Robertson Harney (March 6, 1872 – March 2, 1938) was an American songwriter, entertainer, and pioneer of ragtime music. His 1896 composition "You've Been a Good Old Wagon but You Done Broke Down" is the second ragtime composition to be published and the first ragtime hit to reach the mainstream. The first Ragtime composition published was La Pas Ma La written by Ernest Hogan in 1895. It has been disputed by many historians on whether or not, "You've Been a Good Old Wagon but You Done Broke Down" was released in late 1895 or early 1896. On the front cover of "You've Been a Good Old Wagon but You Done Broke Down" , its listed as being copyrighted on 1895. However on the first page, its listed as being copyrighted in 1896. During the early years of Harney's career, he falsely promoted himself as being the inventor of ragtime and never acknowledged the genre's black origin. Many contemporary musicians criticized him for it. Although ragtime is now probably more associated with Scott Joplin, in 1924 The New York Times wrote that Ben Harney "Probably did more to popularize ragtime than any other person." Time magazine called him "Ragtime's Father" in 1938.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1872, Died 1938

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1898 - 1928

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Berliner 523 7-in. 10/8/1898 Mister Johnson turn me loose John Terrell Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 0145 7-in. Before June 1899 You’ve been a good old wagon Len Spencer Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]799 7-in. 5/14/1901 Mr. Johnson turn me loose Silas F. Leachman Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]799 10-in. 5/14/1901 Mr. Johnson turn me loose Silas F. Leachman Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]2061 7-in. 3/6/1903 You've been a good old wagon, but you've done broke down Len Spencer Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]2061 10-in. 3/6/1903 You've been a good old wagon, but you've done broke down Len Spencer Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3355 10-in. 5/14/1901 Mr. Johnson turn me loose Silas F. Leachman Male vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Victor B-70 10-in. 6/10/1903 Cakewalk in the sky Kendle's First Regiment Band Band composer  
Victor A-70 7-in. 6/10/1903 Cakewalk in the sky Kendle's First Regiment Band Band composer  
Victor B-2461 10-in. 4/10/1905 Cakewalk in the sky Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-2461 12-in. 4/10/1905 Cakewalk in the sky Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor E-4243 8-in. 2/6/1907 The cakewalk in the sky Victor Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-6882 10-in. 3/16/1909 The cakewalk in the sky Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-6882 12-in. 3/16/1909 The cakewalk in the sky Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia W147650 10-in. 12/15/1928 Mister Johnson, turn me loose Magee String Band String band composer  
OKeh W81678 10-in. 10/5/1927 Mister Johnson, turn me aloose South Georgia Highballers Instrumental trio, with male vocal solo and talk composer, lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Harney, Benjamin Robertson," accessed March 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100446.

Harney, Benjamin Robertson. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100446.

"Harney, Benjamin Robertson." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100446

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.