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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 951-975 of 1016 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E19825-E19827 10-in. 7/20/1926 Kentucky lullaby Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E19828-E19830 10-in. 7/20/1926 Trail of dreams Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E19837-E19840 10-in. 7/21/1926 Oh! If I only had you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E19841-E19843 10-in. 7/21/1926 That’s Annabelle Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E19933-E19936 10-in. 7/26/1926 Barcelona Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Brunswick E19937-E19940 10-in. 7/26/1926 On the Riviera Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E19992-E19993 10-in. 8/27/1926 Any ice today, lady? Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
Brunswick E19994-E19995 10-in. 8/27/1926 She knows her onions Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Brunswick E20263-E20264 10-in. 9/25/1926 That’s a good girl! Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E20265-E20266 10-in. 9/25/1926 Pretty Cinderella Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E20328-E20329 10-in. 10/5/1926 That’s a good girl! Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Brunswick E20330-E20331 10-in. 10/5/1926 Pretty Cinderella Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E20412-E20418 10-in. 10/14/1926 Stars are the windows of heaven Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E20413-E20414 10-in. 10/14/1926 When you waltz with the one you love Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E20415-E20416 10-in. 10/14/1926 Cherie, I love you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, violin, leader  
Brunswick E20758-E20760 10-in. 11/19/1926 I’m tellin’ the birds—tellin’ the bees, how I love you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E20761-E20763 10-in. 11/19/1926 My baby knows how Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, leader, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E21142-E21144 10-in. 1/7/1927 Sam, the old accordion man Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Brunswick E21145-E21147 10-in. 1/7/1927 Here or there (As long as I'm with you) Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist  
Brunswick E21401-E21403 10-in. 2/1/1927 Never without you Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E21404-E21406 10-in. 2/1/1927 Ev'ry little while Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E21612-E21614 10-in. 2/25/1927 My Sunday girl Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E21614) leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E21615-E21617 10-in. 2/25/1927 My regular gal Ben Selvin and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E21617) leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, violin  
Brunswick E21991-E21993 10-in. 3/17/1927 Hoosier sweetheart Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E21993) leader, instrumentalist, violin, vocalist  
Brunswick E21994-E21996 10-in. 3/17/1927 Close to your heart Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E21996) leader, instrumentalist, violin  
(Results 951-975 of 1016 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Selvin, Ben," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

Selvin, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064.

"Selvin, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/111064

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