The Persuasions


The Persuasions were an American a cappella group that formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1962, singing under corner streetlights and in subway corridors. Their style combined gospel, soul, early rock, and jazz into melodic five-part harmonies. Since being discovered by Frank Zappa, the Persuasions have released 23 studio albums to date.
WWW Official Site

Career

The Persuasions appeared on public affairs television shows, such as Inside Bedford-Stuyvesant on WNEW-TV and Like It Is on WABC-TV in 1968. Frank Zappa was responsible for the Persuasions' first LP, Acappella. He heard the Persuasions singing over the phone from a New Jersey record shop known as Stan's Square Records. The store's owner, Stan Krause, was the group's manager. Before that time, the Persuasions had recorded several a cappella tracks for Krause's record label, Catamount Records.
Zappa appreciated soul and street corner style singing, and after hearing the group, flew them to Los Angeles to record their first album. The Persuasions were the opening act at the Mothers concerts at Carnegie Hall, 1971. Thirty years later, Zappa fan, Rip Rense, supervised and encouraged the group in creating a Persuasions tribute CD to Zappa, Frankly A Cappella on Earthbeat Records. In 1990, the Persuasions performed on the PBS TV special Spike Lee & Company – "Do It A Cappella". The Persuasions later recorded tribute albums consisting of material by the Grateful Dead, and the Beatles.
Herbert "Toubo" Rhoad, one of the original members of the Persuasions, died in 1988 while on tour, and Raymond Sanders came in as an additional voice. Sweet Joe Russell died in 2012, bass singer James Caldon Hayes died in May 2017, Jerry Lawson died in July 2019 and Jayotis Washington currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Groups as varied as Take 6, Rockapella, the Nylons, and Boyz II Men cite the Persuasions as major influences.

Personnel

Founding members

  • Jerry Lawson – tenor, baritone, lead singer, arranger and producer
  • Jimmy ‘Bro’ ‘Mr. Bass Man’ Hayes – bass ex-elevator operator
  • Joseph Jesse ‘Sweet Joe’ Russell – second tenor ex-butcher
  • 'Little' Jayotis Washington – first tenor, baritone ex-plumber
  • Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad – baritone ex-shoe salesman

Other members

  • Willie C. Daniels – second tenor
  • Clifford Dawson – second tenor, first tenor
  • Lawrence Anthony 'L.A.' Grant – bass
  • Richard Hidlebird – second tenor, baritone
  • Bernard 'B.J.' Jones – baritone
  • Elmore Martin
  • Jimmy Merchant – bass
  • Reggie Moore – baritone
  • Dave Revels – lead singer, second tenor, arranger and producer
  • Bev Rohlehr – soprano
  • Raymond X. Sanders – first tenor
  • Ron Simmons – bass
  • Gil Torres
  • Samuel White – baritone, second tenor

Influences

In the liner notes to the 2003 album, A Cappella Dreams, the group revealed their musical influences:

In popular culture

Steven Spielberg included the Persuasions' cover of Papa Oom Mow Mow in his film E.T. The Extra Terrestrial.
They appeared as musical notes in Blue's Big Musical Movie.

Discography

Albums

Stardust Acappella We Came To Play Street Corner Symphony Spread the Word We Still Ain't Got No Band I Just Want To Sing With My Friends More Than Before Chirpin' Comin' At Ya Good News No Frills Do It A Cappella Live in the Whispering Gallery Toúbo's Song Ships at Sea, Sailors and Shoes Right Around the Corner Sincerely You're All I Want For Christmas Man, Oh Man: The Power of the Persuasions On the Good Ship Lollipop Frankly A Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa Might As Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead Sunday Morning Soul Blue's Big Musical Movie The Persuasions Sing the Beatles A Cappella Dreams The Persuasions Sing U2 Collectables Classics Essential Recordings: A Cappella Soul The Persuasions Live at McCabe's Knockin' On Bob's Door

Non-album singles

  • "Party in the Woods" written by Jerry Lawson/"It's Better to Have Loved and Lost"
  • "One Thing on My Mind"/"Darlin'"

Guest appearances

The following various artists recordings contained otherwise unissued Persuasions recordings:
  • Various Artists: Bread & Roses: Festival of Acoustic Music
  • Various Artists: Spike & Co. Do It A Cappella
  • Ned Sublette & Lawrence Weiner : ''Monsters from the Deep''