Herbert Dillea

Otho Herbert Dilley, better known by his stage and pen name Herbert Dillea, (December 19, 1870, in Guernsey County, Ohio – April 1, 1909, in Senecaville, Ohio) was an American composer, songwriter, and conductor. He composed the music to three Broadway musicals: The Floor Walkers (1900), The Head Waiters (1902), and My Wife Won't Let Me (1906). As a songwriter, Dilley was best known as the composer to the popular standard "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" (published in 1900; written for The Floor Walkers); a work which was recorded multiple times by singer Harry Macdonough and cornetist Jules Levy for records made for the Victor Talking Machine Company and Columbia Records from 1902 through 1905, and later was recorded by Wayne King in 1947. He was also the composer of the ragtime piece Rag time society which was recorded several times by the Metropolitan Orchestra for Victor in 1901 and 1902.

Dilley served as music director for the Broadway productions of his stage works. He was also active as a theatre conductor in Chicago, and was notably working as the resident director of the Iroquois Theatre's orchestra at the time of the famous 1903 fire at that venue. He died from tuberculosis on April 1, 1909, in Senecaville, Ohio.

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1901 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= 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
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]872 7-in. 6/13/1901 Rag-time society Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]872 10-in. 11/22/1901 Rag-time society Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]907 7-in. 7/11/1901 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]907 10-in. 5/17/1902 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1052 7-in. 10/24/1901 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Jules Levy Cornet solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1052 10-in. 10/24/1901 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Jules Levy Cornet solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1545 7-in. 8/8/1902 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Walter B. Rogers Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1545 10-in. 8/8/1902 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Walter B. Rogers Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3413 10-in. 5/29/1901 Perhaps love's dream will last forever Herbert L. Clarke Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3414 10-in. 5/29/1901 Mah moonlight Lou Herbert L. Clarke Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3418 10-in. 6/1/1901 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Walter B. Rogers Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3473 10-in. 6/13/1901 Rag time society Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]3507 10-in. 7/11/1901 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer  
Victor A-764 7-in. 12/1/1903 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor B-1102 10-in. 3/10/1904 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Walter B. Rogers Cornet solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-2245 10-in. 2/14/1905 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor D7VB-0777 10-in. 8/7/1947 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Wayne King ; A. Kenneth Stevens ; Wayne King Orchestra Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia 221 7-in. approximately 1901 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Artists vary Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 221 10-in. approximately 1901 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Artists vary Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 345 7-in. approximately 1901 Ma moonlight Lou Artists vary Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 345 10-in. between 1901 and September 1902 Ma moonlight Lou Artists vary Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 407 7-in. between 1901 and September 1902 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 407 10-in. between 1901 and September 1902 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Edison 6495 10-in. between 12/2/1918 and 12/11/1918 Absence makes the heart grow fonder Charles Hart Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dillea, Herbert," accessed January 4, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112407.

Dillea, Herbert. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 4, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112407.

"Dillea, Herbert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 4 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112407

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