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Len Spencer

Leonard Garfield Spencer (February 12, 1867 – December 15, 1914) was an early American recording artist. He began recording for the Columbia Phonograph Company, in 1889 or 1890. Between 1892 and 1897 he recorded extensively for the New Jersey Phonograph Company and its successor the United States Phonograph Company. He specialized in vaudeville sketches and comic songs, but also sang sentimental ballads popular at the time. He returned to Columbia in 1898 for an exclusive contract then began recording for Berliner Gramophone (disc) records in 1899 and continued with Victor and Columbia as discs became the dominant format in the early 1900s.

He began performing with banjoist Vess L. Ossman in 1901 and with Ada Jones in 1905. He is best remembered today for his vaudeville-style comic sketches, such as "The Arkansaw Traveler" (1902), combining clever turns of phrase, ironic elocutionary delivery, sound effects and music to create colorful dialogues featuring itinerant Southerners, auctioneers, circus barkers, and Irish, Jewish or Black Americans. Many of his roles were performed in either blackface or brownface. Spencer's output was eclectic. He imitated animal sounds in "A Barnyard Serenade" (1906) and released another record titled "The Transformation Scene from 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'," but also popularized songs still known today such as "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom De-ay" and "A Hot Time in the Old Town." Music historian Bob Stanley deems it "probable" that Spencer's comedic "Arkansaw Traveler" routine was the first record to sell one million copies, though official documentation is lacking.

As the popularity of Len's style of humor waned in the latter part of the decade, he opened a booking agency called "Len Spencer's Lyceum" in New York. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage while working at the Lyceum on December 15, 1914.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 12, 1867 (Washington, D.C.), Died December 15, 1914 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1896 - 1925

Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker, author, baritone vocal, performer, composer, adapter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 251-275 of 812 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-1698 10-in. 9/22/1904 Reuben Haskins' departure for Europe Len Spencer Descriptive scene speaker  
Victor B-1705 10-in. 9/26/1904 Mocking bird medley Spencer Trio Male vocal trio, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor A-1705 7-in. 9/26/1904 "Mocking bird" medley Spencer Trio Male vocal trio, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-1706 10-in. 9/26/1904 Alpine specialty Spencer Trio Male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor A-1706 7-in. 9/26/1904 Alpine specialty Spencer Trio Male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-1707 10-in. 9/26/1904 In front of the old cabin door Spencer Trio Male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor A-1707 7-in. 9/26/1904 In front of the old cabin door Spencer Trio Male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-1711 10-in. 9/27/1904 Amateur night on the Bowery Spencer Trio Descriptive scene, with male vocal trio vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-1918 10-in. 11/10/1904 Can't you see my heart beats all for you? Billy Murray ; Len Spencer Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-1919 10-in. 11/10/1904 Shame on you Billy Murray ; Len Spencer Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-1922 10-in. 11/10/1904 Tildy Ann Len Spencer Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-1923 10-in. 11/10/1904 Dan, Dan, Danuel Billy Murray ; Len Spencer Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor C-1967 12-in. 11/23/1904 Reuben Haskins' ride in the 'Red Devil' Al S. Holt ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene author, speaker  
Victor B-1967 10-in. 11/23/1904 Reuben Haskins' ride in the 'Red Devil' Al S. Holt ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene author, speaker  
Victor B-1968 10-in. 11/23/1904 Hans Krausmeyer and his dog Schneider Al S. Holt ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene speaker, author  
Victor C-1968 12-in. 11/23/1904 Krausmeyer and his dog Al S. Holt ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene author, speaker  
Victor B-[Vic cat 2036] 10-in. Nov. 1905 Hints to Victor salesmen Len Spencer Recitation speaker  
Victor B-2101 10-in. 12/29/1904 Reuben and Cynthia Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with female-male vocal duet and orchestra author, performer  
Victor B-2102 10-in. 12/29/1904 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Len Spencer Recitation, with orchestra adapter, speaker  
Victor B-2103 10-in. 12/29/1904 The hand of fate Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene author, speaker  
Victor E-2514 8-in. 12/6/1906 Pals Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-2514 10-in. 5/3/1905 Pals Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor B-2515 10-in. 5/3/1905 Mr. and Mrs. Murphy Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene, with female-male vocal duet and orchestra author, performer  
Victor B-2518 10-in. 5/3/1905 Anthony and Cleopatra Ada Jones ; Len Spencer Descriptive scene speaker, author  
Victor C-2585 12-in. 5/31/1905 An evening with the minstrels, no. 4 Victor Minstrel Company Minstrels, with orchestra performer  
(Results 251-275 of 812 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Spencer, Len," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197.

Spencer, Len. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197.

"Spencer, Len." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106197

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