Lew Leslie
Lew Leslie (born Lewis Lessinsky; April 15, 1888 – March 10, 1963) was a Jewish American writer and producer of Broadway shows. Leslie got his start in show business in vaudeville in his early twenties. Although white, he was the first major impresario to present African American artists on the Broadway stage. He had two well-known wives, torch singer Belle Baker and Ziegfeld Follies showgirl Irene Wales. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Orangeburg (census-designated place in Rockland County, New York), Died March 10, 1963 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928
Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, arranger
= 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | E28057 | 10-in. | 8/14/1928 | Bandanna babies | Blackbirds Orchestra ; Lew Leslie | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
| Brunswick | E28058 | 10-in. | 8/14/1928 | Magnolia’s wedding day | Blackbirds Orchestra ; Lew Leslie | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
| Brunswick | E28059 | 10-in. | 8/14/1928 | I must have that man | Blackbirds Orchestra ; Adelaide Hall ; Lew Leslie | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | leader | |
| Brunswick | E28060 | 10-in. | 8/14/1928 | Baby | Blackbirds Orchestra ; Adelaide Hall ; Lew Leslie | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | arranger, leader | |
| Brunswick | E28061 | 10-in. | 8/14/1928 | Dixie | Adelaide Hall | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | arranger |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Leslie, Lew," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116318.
Leslie, Lew. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116318.
"Leslie, Lew." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Lew Leslie
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Leslie, Lew, 1886-1963 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr00034620
Wikidata: Lew Leslie - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q15502108
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/56451750
MusicBrainz: Lew Leslie - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/bdf6423a-e31b-4e56-a865-68df4e165f16
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1591477 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1591477
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