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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 276-300 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W146611 10-in. 7/2/1928 What d'ya say? Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal trio leader  
Columbia W146619 10-in. 7/3/1928 Shanty-man's life Pierre La Dieu Male vocal solo, with violin and piano instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia W146620 10-in. 7/3/1928 Driving saw-logs on the plover Pierre La Dieu Male vocal solo, with violin and piano instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia W146634 10-in. 7/20/1928 Sorry for me Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W146635 10-in. 7/20/1928 If you don't love me Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146734 10-in. 7/17/1928 King for a day Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with violin and piano instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia 146735 10-in. 7/17/1928 Blue grass Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with violin and piano instrumentalist, violin  
Columbia 146743 10-in. 7/18/1928 Ten little miles from town Tom Frawley ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146744 10-in. 7/18/1928 Half-way to heaven Tom Frawley ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146745 10-in. 7/18/1928 Someday, somewhere (We'll meet again) Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146757 10-in. 7/20/1928 You're a real sweetheart Broadway Nitelites Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146758 10-in. 7/20/1928 I'm walking between the raindrops The Knickerbockers Jazz/dance band, with vocal trio leader  
Columbia W146759 10-in. 7/20/1928 Just imagine Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146793 10-in. 7/24/1928 Jeannine, I dream of lilac time Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Frank Munn Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W146794 10-in. 7/24/1928 Grieving Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Frank Munn Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146799 10-in. 7/25/1928 Once in a lifetime Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146800 10-in. 7/25/1928 Watch my baby walk Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146801 10-in. 7/25/1928 You alone Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146802 10-in. 7/25/1928 Blue shadows Musical Comedy Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Robert Wood Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146842 10-in. 8/15/1928 Don't wait until the lights are low Dick Burnett ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146843 10-in. 8/15/1928 What a night for spooning Dick Burnett ; The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146844 10-in. 8/15/1928 Just another night Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Irving Kaufman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146863 10-in. 8/22/1928 Revenge Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; John Lawrence Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146875 10-in. 8/22/1928 Out of the tempest Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; John Lawrence Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia 146876 10-in. 8/22/1928 Dolores Bar Harbor Society Orchestra [Selvin's Orchestra] ; John Lawrence Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
(Results 276-300 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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