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Harry B. Smith

Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works were librettos for the composers Victor Herbert and Reginald De Koven. He also wrote the book or lyrics for several versions of the Ziegfeld Follies.

Smith was born in Buffalo, New York to Josiah Bailey Smith (born 1837) and Elizabeth Bach (born 1838). According to his autobiography First Nights and First Editions (Boston: Little, Brown, 1931), Smith's actual name at birth was Henry Bach Smith. He married twice. His first wife was Lena Reed (born August 21, 1868), whom he married on October 12, 1887 in Chicago, Illinois. They had a son named Sydney Reed Smith (born July 15, 1892). Smith's second wife was the actress Irene Bentley (c. 1870 – June 3, 1940). They married on November 23, 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts, after she had been divorced on June 12, 1906 by her first husband James Thomas Sothoron, Jr. (1867–1913). Bentley retired from the stage in 1910 and died at Allenhurst, New Jersey. She is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. While on a brief holiday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on New Year's Day in 1936, Smith died of a heart attack in his room at the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel.

Smith worked on many of the famous musical theatre productions of his time. His younger brother Robert Bache Smith (June 4, 1875 – November 6, 1951) was also a successful lyricist.

Harry Smith's archive is largely held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 28, 1860 (Buffalo), Died January 1, 1936 (Atlantic City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1894 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, arranger, songwriter, author

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

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 278 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-40196 10-in. 10/20/1927 Eyes that love The Troubadours Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor CVE-40294 12-in. 10/10/1927 Gems from The fortune teller Victor Salon Group Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-49616 10-in. 1/3/1929 Believe in me Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BRC-53055 10-in. 4/23/1931 Yours is my heart alone Richard Crooks Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-56724 10-in. 9/27/1929 Gypsy love song Robert MacGimsey Whistling solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-62171 10-in. 5/27/1930 Prince Charming Evelyn Herbert Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor CVE-64358 12-in. 11/18/1930 Land of my own romance [from The enchantress] Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Salon Group Mixed vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor CVE-64393 12-in. 12/5/1930 Selections from Babette Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Salon Group Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BRC-68873 10-in. 4/7/1931 Yours is my heart alone Leo Reisman Orchestra ; Frank Munn Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor PBVE-1307 10-in. 10/14/1931 Constantly Phil Harris Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor BS-07777 10-in. 4/12/1937 The sheik The Riversiders Male vocal quartet, with steel guitar and piano lyricist  
Victor PBS-09674 10-in. 8/31/1937 The vamp Hal Kemp Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor PBS-019418 10-in. 7/9/1938 The sheik of Araby Clambake Seven ; Tommy Dorsey Jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor BS-022434 10-in. 4/12/1938 The sheik of Araby Fats Waller and his Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor CS-026853 12-in. 9/9/1938 The girl from Utah Leonard W. Joy ; Victor Light Opera Company Vocal soloists, with orchestra and vocal ensemble lyricist  
Victor BS-046157 10-in. 1/3/1940 The sheik of Araby Coleman Hawkins' All-Star Octet Jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor BS-048431 10-in. 3/25/1940 Yours is my heart alone Frank Sinatra ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-056104 10-in. 9/11/1940 Yours is my heart alone Felix Knight ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Salon Orchestra Male vocal solo and mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BS-067774 10-in. 9/10/1941 Song of brown October ale Walter Preston ; Victor Male Chorus Male vocal chorus and male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-068156 10-in. 11/6/1941 Gypsy love song Emile Coté ; Walter Preston ; Victor Mixed Chorus Mixed vocal chorus, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-068306 10-in. 11/13/1941 Romany life Emile Coté ; Margaret Daum ; Victor Mixed Chorus Mixed vocal chorus and female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor PBS-072527 10-in. 7/28/1942 The sheik of Araby City Slickers ; Carl Grayson ; Spike Jones ; Del Porter ; Willie Spicer Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and hiccuphone (sound effects) lyricist  
Victor E0RB-4709 10-in. 5/26/1950 Gypsy love song Frank Black ; RCA Victor Orchestra ; Risë Stevens Mezzo-soprano vocal solo, with orchestra and chorus lyricist  
Victor PD6VB-2270 10-in. 6/3/1946 The land of my own romance Donald Dame ; Russ Case Orchestra Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor [Trial 1912-12-11-01] Not documented 12/11/1912 The armorer's song William McLaughlin Male vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 126-150 of 278 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Harry B.," accessed May 6, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588.

Smith, Harry B.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 6, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588.

"Smith, Harry B.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 6 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103588

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