Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Dan Gregory Orchestra


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   no consensus.  MBisanz  talk 02:43, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

Dan Gregory Orchestra

 * ( [ delete] ) – (View AfD) (View log)

Apparently non-notable musician/band. Article is referenced solely to a blog and also relies on a large quote which is entirely unsourced and seems rather anecdotal anyway. Google has very little on the subject and nothing RS apart from this passing reference. The author removes valid maintenance tags without comment and has not contributed to any other article. DanielRigal (talk) 03:26, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

[edit] Dan Gregory Orchestra Hi Daniel, I am new to this but felt compelled to try to post an artcile on the Dan Gregory Orchestra. There is very little if any info on him. My Uncle Ray gave me a photo of himself in the Dan Gregory orchestra when he died. I also found a photo that was autographed by many members of that band. The only reference I could find online was wikipedia and andy sanella. I contacted the harrisburg pennsylvania library and Ken Frew contacted me back as did the organizer for one of the Harrisburg, PA high schools. She's in her late 60's and so is Ken Frew. My only true references are them. Ken Frew's father was the 1st trumpet player for Dan Gregory for over a decade and I qoute him in this article. I believe you should give much leway in my article for 3 main reasons not to mention there is a link already on wikipedi
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Bands and musicians-related deletion discussions.   —DanielRigal (talk) 03:30, 24 January 2009 (UTC)

1-The article is America's ONLY online source for the Dan Gregory Orchestra 2-My main reference is the lead trumpet player's son who played with Dan Gregory for over 15 years ( a research librarian is a notable and reliable source especially in the Hometown of the Musician in subject 3-I am not trying to promote a website or business of any sort. Rather, I am trying to give some basic (although not very thorough) information of a big band/dance band that many nationally known musicians played and more appropriately, toured with to get their starts in the music profession. Including Herb Taylor (elvis and benny goodman) Billy Ennis Bob Schaffner, Virginia Dare, many others. It is actually quite notable, even according to wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Sannella

Most of these people are dead now, but their decendants are still around. I understand your hesitancy to publish this, but considering the photos and the quotes from Dan Gregory's leadman, I would appreciate your input and even you editing this article. Kenny Frew of the Dan Gregory Orchestra is akin to Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. The "silent lead player" I am in the process of getting published third party and written documentation from the library in Harrisburg. Until proven otherwise, these are reliable sources for a rather obscure touring dance band of the great depression. I would appreciate any input from you Sincerely, Elrip1 (talk) 03:56, 24 January 2009 (UTC)Larry Ripani Waukesha, Wisconsin USA (Home of Les Paul and The Bodeans) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Elrip1 (talk • contribs)


 * Keep: Gregory's orchestra recorded for Victor Records - THE major U.S. record label at the time - and contained notable musicians such as Andy Sannella and Skinnay Ennis. However, I think the article should be moved to Dan Gregory. /FredrikT (talk) 11:51, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Addition: here's a link to a published book that mentions Gregory's band: . /FredrikT (talk) 14:16, 26 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Comment: I think we need to be careful of asserting notability based on multiple links of supposed notability transfer. "Band A being associated with Label B which also had notable Band C" doesn't really work. However, having had records on a major label is something worth looking into. How many records did they release? Were they reviewed? Did they sell? The book reference you found is the same one I described in the nomination as a passing reference. It is coverage but it is probably not significant coverage, as required in the notability criteria. That said, if you can dig up enough verifiable information for a decent stub then I won't object. What we can't have is a highly anecdotal article. --DanielRigal (talk) 18:41, 26 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I've given the article a fundamental work-over, adding more sources and better wikilinks. Hopefully it will now be found as worthy to remain as many other articles on 1920s bandleaders. /FredrikT (talk) 22:21, 26 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks. This is a great improvement. I am still rather concerned about relying on a blog posting for so much of the content, due to verifiability issues. I don't have access to the other two references but they sound fine. The two major label releases are the main thing. I am now happy to switch my position to a weak keep. I am not sure whether we should stop the AfD now or just let it run its course. It would be nice to get some additional opinions and maybe suggestions for further improvements but if anybody wants to jump in and close it as a Keep then I have no objection. --DanielRigal (talk) 23:27, 26 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Ken Frew, who has participated with the most of useful facts on the dangregory blog, has apparently written some sort of book or article dealing with Gregory entitled "To A Harmony With Our Souls: a History of Jazz in Central Pennsylvania". I guess that most of the references to the blog could be replaced if we had access to that document. I also guess that there would be lots of contemporary information to find in articles and ads in entertainment periodicals such as Variety and Billboard, but unfortunately I do not have access to either (I live in Sweden). /FredrikT (talk) 07:42, 27 January 2009 (UTC)

Re Ken Frew and "To a Harmony with Souls" I have been in email contact with Frew and he said he would try to get me that article. I will let you know. Elrip1 (talk) 01:26, 28 January 2009 (UTC)elrip1Elrip1 (talk) 01:26, 28 January 2009 (UTC) 
 * Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion so consensus may be reached. Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks,  MBisanz  talk 01:51, 29 January 2009 (UTC)

I ordered the book on amazon and it should arrive in a few days. I talked with Kenny Frew's son today on the phone. His references are substantial and we will be able to refernce the book shortly. At the time (great depression) many groups did not publish any information that we see as crucial in today's era. During the depression, jazz musicians didn't want their shows to be too well known, as they were paid in cash and didn't want to claim any income taxes. These were "road music conservatories" were people learned to play jazz in it's relative infancy. One could not go to college to learn jazz music. They forbade it in college. One had to "learn on the road" as many great players did in those days. We should be able to change the blog references to a more substantial written reference in a few days. Elrip1 (talk) 03:45, 29 January 2009 (UTC)elrip1Elrip1 (talk) 03:45, 29 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Weak keep Multiple sides for smaller record companies plus the Victor sides, plus they appear to have played all over Pennsylvania and as far away as Virginia (I found listings for appearances at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh and Virginia Polytechnic, among others.) He also co-authored at least two songs:Dreamy Argentina and Sadie O'Brady. Let's keep it. Brianyoumans (talk) 04:17, 29 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Living people-related deletion discussions. --Erwin85Bot (talk) 00:00, 30 January 2009 (UTC)

I've added the references from the book published by benchmark and changed one sentence to show how extensively they toured. I also added an external link to the publisher. It's a book with multiple authors who wrote different chapters so I put the editors name 1st. Feel free to edit. Elrip1 (talk) 05:25, 1 February 2009 (UTC)elrip1Elrip1 (talk) 05:25, 1 February 2009 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.