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Rhymeswithrawk
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Username: Rhymeswithrawk

Post Number: 1624
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 8:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Anyone know of any good books that are authoritative on it? It's so hard to get reputable info on this ballroom. For example, I see both 1922 and 1924 listed on various sites as dates of it opening. Any jazz or ballroom aficionados who can steer me toward something?
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Jimg
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Username: Jimg

Post Number: 491
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, January 22, 2009 - 9:59 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Before Motown" has solid info...it opened in 1922 according to ads and also a later Graystone Topics newsletter.
John Chilton wrote the definitive book/pamphlet on McKinney's Cotton Pickers. The late Stan Kuwik penned the definitive biography of Jean Goldkette which has much info on the Graystone. If you must have a copy of the Goldkette bio, email me at JamesJazz at aol.com and I'll copy it for you. I plan to add Stan's article to the detroitmusichistory website this year.
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Rhymeswithrawk
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Username: Rhymeswithrawk

Post Number: 1668
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 10:19 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'll have to check it out, Jimg.
I have info on Goldkette, so I'm good there unless the bio has specific dates, etc. about the Graystone. Goldkette was certainly an impressive man (DAC, Book-Caddy music director, etc.), but I'm focused mostly on the ballroom.
Thanks so much for your offer to help.
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Norwalk
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Username: Norwalk

Post Number: 446
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 11:17 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wasn't there a Graystone Museum in the Book Tower? If so what happened to it?
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Jimg
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Username: Jimg

Post Number: 495
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 12:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Graystone Museum (brainchild of the late James "Jitterbug" Jenkins) went under a few (several?) years ago. The displays, artifacts, etc. are in storage.

Rhymes, there is a film on Bix by Bridgette Berman which has interior footage of the Graystone from the 70's. I'll dig out the Kuwik article and will mail it to you. It's for folks like you that Stan spent decades of his life conducting research and then publishing that research.

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