Resource id #75
Image Source: Wikipedia

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 526-550 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W149924 10-in. 1/28/1930 Dreamy hula town Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149956 10-in. 2/1/1930 Happy days are here again Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble leader  
Columbia W149957 10-in. 2/3/1930 The one girl Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal ensemble leader  
Columbia W149962 10-in. 2/5/1930 If I were king The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149963 10-in. 2/5/1930 Oh! How I adore you Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149991 10-in. 2/14/1930 (Up on top of a rainbow) Sweepin' the clouds away The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W149992 10-in. 2/14/1930 In my little hope chest The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo leader  
Columbia [W]150045 10-in. 3/1/1930 Lazy Lou'siana moon Jack Miller ; The New Englanders Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
Columbia W150054 10-in. 3/3/1930 (Across the breakfast table) Looking at you Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150055 10-in. 3/3/1930 Let me sing and I'm happy Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150078 10-in. 3/13/1930 The "free and easy" The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150085 10-in. 3/13/1930 Reminiscing The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150086 10-in. 3/13/1930 I love you so The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150087 10-in. 3/13/1930 It must be you The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150158 10-in. 4/9/1930 The whole darned thing's for you The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150174 10-in. 4/7/1930 My future just passed The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150175 10-in. 4/7/1930 Leave it that way The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150192 10-in. 4/9/1930 I'm in the market for you The Columbia Photo Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150411 10-in. 5/13/1930 Give yourself a pat on the back Johnny Walker and his Rollickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W150412 10-in. 5/13/1930 The mug song Johnny Walker and his Rollickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W150430 10-in. 5/15/1930 When it's springtime in the Rockies Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W150431 10-in. 5/15/1930 Cheer up (Good times are comin') Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet leader  
Columbia W150437 10-in. 5/16/1930 I remember you from somewhere Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Ruth Etting Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo leader  
Columbia W150438 10-in. 5/16/1930 Dancing with tears in my eyes Ben Selvin and his Orchestra ; Ruth Etting Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo leader  
Columbia [W]150447 10-in. 5/20/1930 Sharing The Harmonians [Selvin's Orchestra] ; Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band leader  
(Results 526-550 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed October 28, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 28, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.