The Persuasions are an
a cappellaA cappella music is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato style...
group which began singing together in
BrooklynBrooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located southwest of Queens on the western tip of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the early 1960s. Jerry Lawson, their lead singer, arranger and producer of all 22 albums covered a wide range of musical genres. Lawson left after 40 years and the remaining 3 originals along with some other guys are making appearances using the name The Persuasions.
The five original members were
Jerry LawsonJerry Lawson, also known as Jerome E. Lawson, was born January 23, 1944 in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Lawson was raised in Apopka, Florida. Lawson was the lead singer, arranger & producer of the a cappella group The Persuasions for 40 years...
, Jesse 'Sweet Joe' Russell, Jayotis Washington, Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad, and immy 'Bro' Hayes].
The Persuasions are an
a cappellaA cappella music is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato style...
group which began singing together in
BrooklynBrooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located southwest of Queens on the western tip of Long Island. An independent city until its consolidation with New York in 1898, Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, with 2.5 million residents, and second largest in area...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the early 1960s. Jerry Lawson, their lead singer, arranger and producer of all 22 albums covered a wide range of musical genres. Lawson left after 40 years and the remaining 3 originals along with some other guys are making appearances using the name The Persuasions.
The five original members were
Jerry LawsonJerry Lawson, also known as Jerome E. Lawson, was born January 23, 1944 in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Lawson was raised in Apopka, Florida. Lawson was the lead singer, arranger & producer of the a cappella group The Persuasions for 40 years...
, Jesse 'Sweet Joe' Russell, Jayotis Washington, Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad, and immy 'Bro' Hayes]. Other members have included Willie C. Daniels,
Ray SandersRaymond Floyd Sanders was born in Bonne Terre, Missouri. He was 25 years old when he broke into the Major Leagues on April 14, 1942 for the St. Louis Cardinals. On April 15, 1946 he was purchased by the Boston Braves for $25,000. On March 6, 1948 he was traded with Bama Rowell and $40,000 to the...
, and Bernard Jones (who currently performs with
The DubsThe Dubs are an American doo wop vocal group formed in 1956, best known for their songs "Could This Be Magic", "Don't Ask Me To Be Lonely" and "Chapel of Dreams".-Original career, 1956-1958:The original members of the Dubs were :-
...
The Persuasions could not be categorized other than an a cappella group. They covered the popular music of each decade that they performed & recorded in. Lawson reached back to some of the great music he grew up with and also covered Zappa, The Grateful Dead,Roy Hamilton,Jerry Butler, Sam Cooke and Elvis. The group toured, performed and recorded with Joni Mitchel, Liza, The Dead, Ray Charles and too many more to mention. They appeared on the album
New TrainNew Train is an album by Paul Pena, recorded in 1973 and released in 2000. The album was recorded at Bearsville Records and produced by Ben Sidran ....
by
Paul PenaPaul Pena was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist of Cape Verdean descent.His music from the first half of his career touched on Delta blues, jazz, morna, flamenco, folk and rock and roll...
, and their version of "Papa Oom Mow Mow" appears on the soundtrack of
Steven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. In a career of over four decades, Spielberg's films have touched on many themes and genres. Spielberg's early sci-fi and adventure films, sometimes centering on children, were seen as an archetype of modern...
's
E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Dee Wallace. It tells the story of Elliott , a lonely boy who befriends a friendly...
.
Frank Zappa was responsible for The Persuasions first LP
Acappella. He heard a record of The Persuasions singing over the phone from a New Jersey record shop. Zappa had a great appreciation for Soul & street corner style singing and immediately flew the group to Los Angeles to record their first album. Thirty years later Zappa fan Rip Rense encouraged & supervised the leader of The Persuasions, Jerry Lawson, in the creation of a Persuasions tribute CD to Zappa,
Frankly a CappellaFrankly a Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa is a 2000 album by the singing group The Persuasions. Early in their career, Frank Zappa helped them obtain a record contract. This recording serves both as a thanks and a tribute to the late composer...
on Earthbeat Records.Out of print since 2008 but can be found at http://www.jerrylawson.biz
The Persuasions later recorded
tribute albumA tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
s consisting of material by the
Grateful DeadThe Grateful Dead were an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, jazz, psychedelia, and space rock—and for live performances of long musical...
(
Might as Well), the Beatles (
The Persuasions sing the Beatles) Their constant eclectic choice of material, as well as the clever, unique direction of their arrangements, have been hallmarks of their live work and recordings since their earliest days.
Toubo Rhoad, one of the original members, died in the mid-1990s. Lawson left the group in 2003 claiming that 40 years was enough. He went on to pursue a solo career and to work with developmentally disabled adults. The 3 original members have invited a variety of vocalists to join them but the sound of The Persuasions that the beloved fans came to cherish can only be heard CDs.
The Persuasions opened the doors for all the a cappella heard today. Lawson turned down offers to go solo and even an offer to sign with Motown due to his dedication to keep a dying art alive. Groups as varied as
Take 6Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group sings in a contemporary style, integrating R&B and jazz influences into their devotional songs and has 10 Grammy wins, 10 Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two...
,
RockapellaRockapella is an American a cappella musical group formed in 1986 in New York City. They were best known for their series of Folgers Coffee commercials and their participation on the long-running PBS children's geography game show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, as well with the show's...
,
The NylonsThe Nylons are an a cappella group founded in 1978 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Best known for their covers of The Turtles' "Happy Together", Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye", and The Tokens' version of the traditional "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"....
and Boys II Men citing them as major influences.
The current members of the Persuasions (2009) are:
- Joe Russell - lead singer
- Ray Sanders - first tenor
- Jayotis Washington - second tenor
- Jimmy Hayes - bass
Influences
Jerry Lawson seems to have taken much of his inspiration from the songs of
Sam CookeSamuel "Sam" Cook was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music....
, David Ruffin, Jackie Wilson, Jerry Butler, Roy Hamilton, Al Hibbler, Brook Benton. "Sweet Joe" Russell from
Jackie WilsonJack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson Jr. was an American singer, and performer, and a 1987 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singer and...
. Excellent examples of The Persuasions's versions of songs by these two Soul Music pioneers can be found on
We Came to Play and
Chirpin, two albums considered by many to be among their best.
However, in the liner notes to the 2003 album A Cappella Dreams, they reveal their influences to be quite different from what has often assumed to be the case:
- Sweet Joe Russell references the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, the Soul Stirrers, and "all those gospel greats."
- Jimmy Hayes speaks of Jimmy Ricks [Rix] and Melvin Franklin.
- Jayotis Washington focuses his attention on Louis Jordan.
- Ray Sanders thanks all of the Temptations for his influences.
- Jerry Lawson cites Roy Hamilton, Sam Cooke, Al Hibbler, Brook Benton and Elvis Presley as his mentors, adding, "Believe it or not, Elvis was a big influence. I thought he was...a fine singer, and I think we do him pretty good."
Discography
ALBUMS:
- Acappella (1970; Reprise/Straight [CD issue: Enigma Retro; CD reissue: Collectables])
- We Came To Play (1971; Capitol [CD issue: Collectables])
- Street Corner Symphony (1971; Capitol [CD issue: Collectables])
- Spread The Word (1972; Capitol [CD issue: Collectables])
- We Still Ain't Got No Band (1973; MCA [not yet issued on CD])
- I Just Want To Sing With My Friends (1974; A&M [not yet issued on CD])
- More Than Before (1974; A&M [not yet issued on CD])
- Chirpin'
-Track listing:# "Papa Oom Mow Mow" – 2:18# "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" – 3:15# "Moonlight and Music" – 3:00# "Johnny Porter" – 4:34# "Looking for an Echo" – 4:11# "Women and Drinkin'" – 6:53# "Sixty Minute Man" – 2:00# "Win Your Love " – 3:32...
(1977; Elektra)
- Comin' At Ya (1979; Rounder/Flying Fish)
- No Frills (1984; Rounder)
- Stardust (1987 [recorded 1969]; Catamount [CD issue: Relic])
- Good News (1988; Rounder)
- Live In The Whispering Gallery (1993; Hammer n' Nails)
- Toúbo's Song (1993; Hammer n' Nails)
- Ships at Sea, Sailors and Shoes [with Ned Sublette & Lawrence Weiner] (1993; Qbadisc/Excellent)
- Right Around The Corner (1994; Rounder/Bullseye Blues)
- Sincerely (1996; Rounder/Bullseye Blues)
- You're All I Want For Christmas (1997; Rounder/Bullseye Blues)
- Man, Oh Man: The Power of The Persuasions (1997; EMI [1970-72 Capitol masters compilation])
- On The Good Ship Lollipop (1999; Rhino/Kid Rhino/Music for Little People)
- Frankly A Cappella
Frankly a Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa is a 2000 album by the singing group The Persuasions. Early in their career, Frank Zappa helped them obtain a record contract. This recording serves both as a thanks and a tribute to the late composer...
: The Persuasions Sing ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album...
(2000; Rhino/EarthBeat)
- Might As Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead were an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, jazz, psychedelia, and space rock—and for live performances of long musical...
(2000; Arista/Grateful Dead)
- Sunday Morning Soul (2000; Rounder/Bullseye Blues Basics)
- The Persuasions Sing The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
(2002; Chesky)
- A Cappella Dreams (2003; Chesky)
- The Persuasions Sing U2 [their first release without Lawson] (2005; Chesky)
- Collectables Classics (2006; Collectables [Box set containing all 1971, 1972, & 1977 releases])
NON-ALBUM SINGLES:
- "Party in the Woods"/"It's Better to Have Loved and Lost" [1968; Minit]
- "One Thing on My Mind"/"Darlin'" [1975; A&M]
The following various-artists recordings contain otherwise-unissued Persuasions recordings:
- Various Artists: Bread & Roses: Festival of Acoustic Music (1979; Fantasy)
- Various Artists: Spike & Co. Do It A Cappella [soundtrack] (1990; Elektra)
- Ned Sublette & Lawrence Weiner (with Kim Weston, Junior Mance, et al.): Monsters from the Deep (1997; Qbadisc/Excellent)
External links