The Persuasions

The Persuasions are an a cappella group who began singing together in Brooklyn, New York in the early 1960s and went on to produce numerous albums covering a wide range of musical genres. The five original members were Jerry Lawson, Joe 'Jesse' Russell, Jayotis Washington, Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad, and Jimmy 'Bro' Hayes. Other members included Willie C. Daniels, Ray Sanders, and Bernard Jones (who currently performs with The Dubs). Reggie Moore, noted vocalist from Washington, D.C. joined the group in 2005. The year 2007 marks the group's 45th year in the music industry. They have also performed for periods as a four-man group.

The Persuasions have enjoyed recognition from musicians outside the doo-wop or gospel community. Frank Zappa (who helped get them their first record contract), Joni Mitchell and the Grateful Dead are/were among their fans. The group opened concerts for both Mitchell and the Dead and later recorded tribute albums to Zappa (Frankly A Capella) and the Grateful Dead (Might as Well). They appeared on the album "New Train" by Paul Pena.

Their eclectic choice of material and clever, unique arrangements have been hallmarks of their recordings. Jerry Lawson seems to find his strongest inspiration from the songs of Sam Cooke; the best examples of which can be found on "We Came to Play" and "Chirpin"', the two albums considered by many to be their best. Toubo Rhoad, one of the original members, died in the mid-1990s. Moore replaced Lawson who had left the group in 2003 to pursue a solo career and do charitable work.

The Persuasions are considered by many to be the benchmark of a cappella, with groups as varied as Take 6, Rockapella, The Nylons and Boys II Men citing them as major influences.

The current members of the Persuasions are:

*Joe Russell - lead singer
*Ray Sanders - first tenor
*Jayotis Washington - second tenor
*Reggie Moore - baritone
*Jimmy Hayes - bass

Discography

* "Acappella" (1970)
* "Street Corner Symphony" (1971)
* "We Came To Play" (1971)
* "Spread The Word" (1972)
* "We Still Ain't Got No Band" (1973)
* "I Just Want To Sing With My Friends" (1974)
* "More Than Before" (1974)
* "Chirpin'" (1977)
* "Comin' At Ya" (1979)
* "No Frills" (1984)
* "Good News" (1988)
* "Live In The Whispering Gallery" (1993)
* "Toubo's Song" (1993)
* "Right Around The Corner" (1994)
* "Stardust" (1994)
* "Sincerely" (1996)
* "You're All I Want For Christmas" (1997)
* "Man, Oh Man: The Power of The Persuasions" (1997)
* "On The Good Ship Lollipop" (1999)
* "Frankly A Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa" (2000)
* "Might As Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead" (2000)
* "Sunday Morning Soul" (2000)
* "The Persuasions Sing The Beatles" (2002)
* "A Cappella Dreams" (2003)
* "The Persuasions Sing U2 (2005) "
* "Do It Acapella" (1990) "

External links

* [http://www.singers.com/persuasions.html Biography and Discography]
* [http://www.ThePersuasions.net Official site]