American a cappella group
"Persuasions" redirects here. For the form of social influence, see
persuasion
.
The Persuasions
|
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The Persuasions in 1972
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Origin
| Brooklyn
,
New York
, United States
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Genres
| A cappella
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Years active
| |
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|
Past members
|
- Jerry Lawson
(deceased)
- Jimmy Hayes (deceased)
- Herbert (Toubo) Rhoad (deceased)
- Joe Russell (deceased)
- Jayotis Washington
- Raymond Sanders
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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.
Career
[
edit
]
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
(
Might as Well
), and
the Beatles
(
The Persuasions sing the Beatles
). The group was also featured on some episodes of
Gullah Gullah Island
.
Herbert "Toubo" Rhoad, one of the original members of the Persuasions, died in 1988 while on tour. 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.
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
[
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]
Founding members
[
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]
- Jerry Lawson
? tenor, baritone, lead singer, arranger and producer (January 23, 1944,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
? July 10, 2019,
Phoenix, Arizona
)
[1]
- Jimmy ‘Bro’ ‘Mr. Bass Man’ Hayes ? bass (November 12, 1943,
Hopewell, Virginia
? May 18, 2017,
New York, New York
) ex-elevator operator
[2]
[3]
- Joseph Jesse ‘Sweet Joe’ Russell ? second tenor (September 25, 1939,
Henderson, North Carolina
? May 5, 2012,
Brooklyn, New York
) ex-butcher
[4]
[5]
[6]
- 'Little' Jayotis Washington ? first tenor, baritone (born May 12, 1941,
Detroit, Michigan
) ex-plumber
[7]
- Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad ? baritone (October 1, 1944,
Bamberg, South Carolina
? December 8, 1988,
Sacramento, California
) ex-shoe salesman
[8]
Other members
[
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]
- Willie C. Daniels ? second tenor (I Just Want To Sing With My Friends, More Than Before)
- Clifford Dawson ? second tenor, first tenor (Knockin' On Bob's Door,
Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies and The Persuasions
)
- Lawrence Anthony 'L.A.' Grant ? bass (touring member)
- Richard Hidlebird ? second tenor, baritone (touring member)
- Bernard 'B.J.' Jones ? baritone (You're All I Want For Christmas, On the Good Ship Lollipop, The Persuasions Live at McCabe's,
Frankly A Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa
, Sunday Morning Soul, The Persuasions Sing U2, Knockin' On Bob's Door)
- Elmore Martin (touring member)
- Jimmy Merchant
? bass (touring member)
- Reggie Moore ? baritone (touring member)
- Dave Revels ? lead singer, second tenor, arranger and producer (The Persuasions Sing The Beatles, Knockin' On Bob's Door,
Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies and The Persuasions
)
- Bev Rohlehr ? soprano (No Frills)
- Raymond X. Sanders ? first tenor (The Persuasions Live at McCabe's,
Frankly A Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa
, Might As Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead, Persuasions of the Dead: Grateful Dead Sessions, A Cappella Dreams, The Persuasions Sing the Beatles, The Persuasions Sing U2, Knockin' On Bob's Door,
Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies and The Persuasions
)
- Ron Simmons ? bass (touring member)
- Gil Torres (touring member)
- Samuel White ? baritone, second tenor (
Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies and The Persuasions
)
Influences
[
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]
In the liner notes to the 2003 album,
A Cappella Dreams
, the group revealed their musical influences:
- 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
(spelled "Rix" in the notes) 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."
In popular culture
[
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]
Steven Spielberg
included the Persuasions' cover of
Papa Oom Mow Mow
in his film
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
.
[9]
Discography
[
edit
]
Albums
[
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]
- Stardust
(1969 Catamount, CD reissue Relic)
- Acappella
(1970 Reprise/Straight)
- We Came To Play
(1971 Capitol, CD reissue Collectables)
[10]
- Street Corner Symphony
(1971 Capitol, CD reissue Collectables)
- Spread the Word
(1972 Capitol, CD reissue Collectables)
- We Still Ain't Got No Band
(1973 MCA)
- 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'
(1977; Elektra, CD reissue Collectables)
- Comin' At Ya
(1979; Rounder/Flying Fish)
- Good News
(1982; Rounder)
- No Frills
(1985; Rounder)
- Do It A Cappella
(1990; Elektra)
- Live in the Whispering Gallery
(1993; Hammer n' Nails)
- Toubo'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
: The Persuasions Sing
Zappa
(2000; Rhino/EarthBeat)
- Might As Well...The Persuasions Sing
Grateful Dead
(2000; Arista/Grateful Dead)
- Sunday Morning Soul
(2000; Rounder/Bullseye Blues)
- Blue's Big Musical Movie
(2000; Rhino/Kid Rhino)
- The Persuasions Sing the Beatles
(2002; Chesky)
- A Cappella Dreams
(2003; Chesky)
- The Persuasions Sing U2
(2005; Chesky)
- Collectables Classics
(2006; Collectables (Box set containing all 1971, 1972, & 1977 releases)
- Essential Recordings: A Cappella Soul
(2008; Rounder (1979-86 Rounder/Flying Fish/Bullseye Blues compilation))
- The Persuasions Live at McCabe's
(2009; Rensart)
- Knockin' On Bob's Door
(2010; Zoho)
- Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies and The Persuasions
(with
Barenaked Ladies
) (2017; Vanguard)
Non-album singles
[
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]
- "Party in the Woods" written by Jerry Lawson/"It's Better to Have Loved and Lost" (1968; Minit)
- "One Thing on My Mind"/"Darlin'" (1975; A&M)
Guest appearances
[
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]
The following various artists recordings contained 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)
References
[
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]
- ^
"Jerry Lawson, leader of a cappella Persuasions, dies at 75"
.
Wsbradio.com
. Archived from
the original
on 2019-07-12
. Retrieved
2019-07-12
.
- ^
"R.I.P. legendary Persuasions' singer Jimmy Hayes"
.
Soultracks.com
. May 19, 2017
. Retrieved
12 July
2019
.
- ^
"Mr. Jimmy "Bro" Hayes - Obituary"
.
Blandandtuckerfuneralhomes.com
. Petersburg, Virginia
. Retrieved
2017-05-26
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"
'Sweet Joe' Russell dies at 72; singer with the Persuasions"
.
Los Angeles Times
. May 13, 2012.
- ^
"Tribute to Joe Russell of The Persuasions"
.
YouTube
. May 9, 2012.
Archived
from the original on 2021-12-12.
- ^
Rock, Doc.
"The Dead Rock Stars Club - 2012 January To June"
.
Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
. Retrieved
7 November
2017
.
- ^
"YouTube"
.
YouTube
. Archived from
the original
on 2019-09-08
. Retrieved
2017-12-16
.
- ^
"Herbert (Toubo) Rhoad, Singer, 44"
.
The New York Times
. December 15, 1988.
- ^
"The Persuasions - Entertainment Booking Agency"
.
Mspentertainmentagency.com
.
- ^
Pitilli, Lawrence (2016).
Doo-Wop Acappella: A Story of Street Corners, Echoes, and Three-Part Harmonies
. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 167.
ISBN
9781442244306
.
External links
[
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]