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 keep‎. Sourcing has been found. Star Mississippi 16:15, 7 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Geron Davis (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views) – (View log | edits since nomination)

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Article fails WP:GNG and the WP:SNG for people in general, but also musicians under WP:MUSIC. Certainly well known in Baptist circles, but seemingly not much more outside of that. I’m all for good Christian music as a Christian myself, but there’s not much out there about Davis. He won the GMA Dove Award but is that enough to justify keeping this article up? — That Coptic Guy^{ping me!} (talk) (contribs) 07:56, 19 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

• Note: This discussion has been included in the deletion sorting lists for the following topics: People, Artists, Bands and musicians, and Christianity. — That Coptic Guy^{ping me!} (talk) (contribs) 07:56, 19 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
• Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Louisiana-related deletion discussions. Spiderone^{(Talk to Spider)} 08:14, 19 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
• Delete - He appears in a lot of directories that list modern Christian songs, and sites for church-affiliated retailers. I can find nothing that qualifies as significant coverage, even from Christian music magazines like CCM Magazine, beyond minor credits as a songwriter and brief mentions of being present at awards shows. Even the award that he won didn't get much coverage beyond a list of winners. ---DOOMSDAYER520 (TALK|CONTRIBS) 13:50, 19 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

  That would be a very poor decision to delete Geron Davis. He's one of the most prolific songwriters in contemporary Gospel and Praise & Worship over the past 40 years and one of the rare songwriters who's songs are immortalized in almost every hymnal. His songs have been recorded by an unbelievable amount of high profile, award winning artists in various genres, and he's got a long list of albums on thre of the largest Christian Music labels (Integrity's Hosanna! Music, Brentwood-Benson, and Word Music). How is that insignificant?

  CCM profiles CCM artists. Geron Davis is a worship leader and traditional gospel music artist, not a CCM artist. They're not the same thing. The fact that he's won and been nominated for Dove/GMA awards is pretty significant. Thebuilder (talk) 03:58, 20 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The problem is that everything you said has no backup in reliable sources, either in the article or in this discussion. If there is backup I could be persuaded to change my vote, but Wikipedia is not a place for hearsay. ---DOOMSDAYER520 (TALK|CONTRIBS) 13:04, 20 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

• Keep Dove is a major award, passes ANYBIO #1. Jclemens (talk) 16:23, 19 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

  The Dove is not a national accolade by any means. If you contrast this to, say, an Emmy, those are awarded by professional associations. The Gospel Music Association (who awards the Dove), on the other hand, is a non-profit. Now that I think about it, Davis having won the award is further proof towards the fact that he is well known mainly in the gospel music/CCM scene, but not particularly notable outside of that community (I guess you can call it a community, but you get my point haha). — That Coptic Guy^{ping me!} (talk) (contribs) 18:35, 19 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

  The Dove Awards/GMAs are a national accolade. The GMAs (along with the Stellar awards) are to Christian Music what the CMAs are to Country. Both are nationally televised and their genre-specific awards are treated with the same prestige in those arenas. Thebuilder (talk) 04:03, 20 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

  Another note: Being a nonprofit does not preclude it from being a professional association. 501c3/Nonprofit is a tax status. It has nothing to do with whether or not its a professional organization. Many professional organizations and agencies are nonprofit. The GMAs have a board like other professional organizations that is headed by top industry professionals (record label executives, composers, artists, etc.). Thebuilder (talk) 04:10, 20 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Geron Davis isn't a baptist. He was raised as part of the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) and his songs are song in almost every denomination. Davis is not only important because of how "popular" he is in a certain circle. His music is historically significant in the sacred/gospel music categories. The amount of publications alone that his songs appear in verifies that. His music has had direct influence on some of the most influential gospel music artists of the past 30 years.

He's been a popular artist himself. His song "Holy Ground" was in the top 100 songs sung by the global church for like 25-30 years and is in contemporary hymnals. His songs have been recorded by Barbara Streisand, Dolly Parton Israel Houghton & New Breed, Phillips, Craig & Dean, The Gaithers, Hillsong, Darlene Zschech, Michael W. Smith, Alvin Slaughter, TD Jakes, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Sandi Patti, 4Him, Vicki Yohe, and many more. Thebuilder (talk) 04:33, 20 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Btw, the The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) which is the organization that holds the Grammys is also a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Thebuilder (talk) 04:45, 20 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

• Delete BLP, fails GNG and BIO. Sources in article and BEFORE fail to show anything meeting IS RS with SIGCOV addressing the subject directly and indepth. Source eval:

• Promo about song, no direct and indepth information about the subject. >> 1.  Christensen, Phil; MacDonald, Shari (2000-09-27). Our God Reigns: The Stories Behind Your Favorite Praise and Worship Songs. Kregel Publications. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-8254-2369-7. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
• MySpace, promo primary >> 2. ^ Davis, Geron. "Geron Davis Biography". Geron Davis Biography. Retrieved 26 November 2011.

BEFORE showed nothing that meets IS RS with SIGCOV addressing the subject direct and indepth. WP:BLP states "Be very firm about the use of high-quality sources"'; BLPs need IS RS with SIGCOV addressing the subject directly and indepth for both content and notability per well known core policy (WP:V and WP:BLP) and guidelines (WP:BIO and WP:IS, WP:RS, WP:SIGCOV). BEFORE showed nothing that meets SIGCOV, game news, database, promo.  // Timothy :: talk  04:31, 22 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Keep for reasons already listed above Thebuilder (talk) 18:54, 22 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion and clearer consensus.
Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, CycloneYoris ^talk! 09:51, 27 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Keep I think the Dove award counts for notability, we'd need better sourcing for the article though. Oaktree b (talk) 12:56, 27 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]

• Keep per the significant coverage in multiple independent reliable sources. The subject passes Wikipedia:Notability (people)#Basic criteria, which says:

  People are presumed notable if they have received significant coverage in multiple published secondary sources that are reliable, intellectually independent of each other, and independent of the subject.

  • If the depth of coverage in any given source is not substantial, then multiple independent sources may be combined to demonstrate notability; trivial coverage of a subject by secondary sources is not usually sufficient to establish notability.

  Sources
  1. Norton, Virginia (2001-05-19). "Songwriter Has Taken Many to 'Holy Ground'". The Augusta Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-05-07.

     The article notes: "On a Sunday morning 20 years ago, Geron Davis rousted his younger brother and sister out of bed to teach them a song he had written the night before. Their minister father expected them to sing it that day in the new sanctuary of his church in Savannah, Tenn. On Holy Ground, a song Mr. Davis wrote in 15 minutes, has been heard by millions of people since. It was sung at President Clinton's inauguration and at his mother's funeral and was recorded a couple of years ago by Barbra Streisand for her album Higher Ground."

  2. Withers, Robert C. (2003-03-22). "Gospel singer Davis to perform in Huntington". The Herald-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-05-07.

     The article notes: "Geron Davis stands in awe - yet today.Twenty-three years ago, the Savannah, Tenn., preacher's kid entered the new sanctuary of his father's church, dimmed the lights, sat at the keyboard of a new grand piano, plunked out a few chords and tried to get inspired. ... Barbra Streisand - having heard the song at the funeral of Virginia Kelley, President Clinton's mother - recorded it on her "Higher Ground" album in 1997, which sold 5 million copies in its first three months. Davis' tune has since been discussed by the likes of Rosie O'Donnell, Barbara Walters and Time magazine."

  3. Usberghi, Sue (1991-07-13). "Davis will perform at tabernacle". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-05-07.

     The article notes: "Geron and Becky Davis were raised in pastors' homes and met in 1981 while attending college in Jackson, Miss. The Davises are songwriters. Mr. Davis' song Holy Ground, written when he was 19, was the group WORD's best-selling anthem for 1986 and was nominated for the Gospel Music Association's Song of the Year in 1988. His second song to be recorded by a major artist, Gentle Hands performed by Truth, was his first song to reach the charts."

  4. Paoletta, Michael (2003-02-15). "Let It Rain". Billboard. EBSCOhost 9093001. Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-05-07.

     The article notes: "Geron Davis has long been one of Christian music’s most respected songwriters, and it’s his talent as a writer that provides much of the foundation for this highly listenable album. For this set, Davis penned eight of the 11 cuts, and he and his wife, Becky; Alyson Lovern; and Shelton Lovern turn in compelling performances."

  5. Terry, Lindsay (2008). I Could Sing of Your Love Forever: Stories Behind 100 of the World's Most Popular Worship Songs. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson. p. 153. ISBN 978-1-4185-1969-8. Retrieved 2023-05-07 – via Google Books.

     The book notes: "Geron Davis was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana, in 1960, into the home of Pastor Gerald and Patricia Davis. As a child he would listen to recordings of his favorite singers, whose arrangements were done by Lari Goss, composer of "Cornerstone," and try to pick out their intricate harmonies. Now, as an accomplished musician, Geron has ministered with the choirs of such great churches as Christ Church in Nashville, Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City, and Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas."

  There is sufficient coverage in reliable sources to allow Geron Davis to pass Wikipedia:Notability#General notability guideline, which requires "significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject".

  Cunard (talk) 05:36, 7 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

• Keep as per above. Tutwakhamoe (talk) 15:07, 7 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]
• Keep Reliable sources show that this person is in fact notable enough for an article. Cheers! Fakescientist8000 16:08, 7 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

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.