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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 251-275 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 146442 10-in. 6/13/1928 Good night Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Marvin Young [Irving Kaufman] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146443 10-in. 6/13/1928 Come back, Chiquita Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Marvin Young [Irving Kaufman] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146505 10-in. 7/6/1928 A midsummer's dream Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146506 10-in. 7/6/1928 Dream house Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146511 10-in. 7/10/1928 Anita Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146512 10-in. 7/10/1928 Jeannine I dream of lilac time Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146513 10-in. 7/10/1928 There'll never be another you Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146520 10-in. 7/11/1928 I'm walking between the raindrops The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146521 10-in. 7/11/1928 What d'ya say? Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146522 10-in. 7/11/1928 Heartbroken and lonely The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146533 10-in. 6/16/1928 If you don't love me The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146534 10-in. 6/16/1928 Do I hear you saying "I love you?" Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146535 10-in. 6/16/1928 You took advantage of me Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146552 10-in. 6/27/1928 Away from you The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146560 10-in. 6/20/1928 I'm on the crest of a wave Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146561 10-in. 6/20/1928 Pickin' cotton Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146562 10-in. 6/20/1928 Memories of France Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146589 10-in. 6/27/1928 Don't keep me in the dark, bright eyes The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146597 10-in. 6/29/1928 When you're smiling (The whole world smiles with you) Jim Andrews ; Arthur Ross and his Westerners [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Columbia 146598 10-in. 6/29/1928 Down where the sun goes down Arthur Ross and his Westerners [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Arthur Fields Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146599 10-in. 6/29/1928 Somebody sweet is sweet on me Arthur Ross and his Westerners [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146604 10-in. 6/29/1928 Dream house Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146605 10-in. 6/29/1928 Lonesome in the moonlight The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146606 10-in. 6/29/1928 Evening star (Help me find my man) Chuck Campbell and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146610 10-in. 7/2/1928 Pickin' cotton Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal trio leader  
(Results 251-275 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed November 19, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 19, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064

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