An Evening with The Persuasions

The Persuasions have gone on to sing in concert halls and nightclubs the world over. They have released 26 albums, and opened for artists including: Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Ray Charles, Bill Cosby, and Richard Pryor.Amazingly enough, Roseanne Barr and Bruce Springsteen once opened for The Persuasions.The Persuasions have long been the acknowledged “Kings of A Cappella.” The group first came together on the streetcorners of Brooklyn, but all hail from different parts of the country.… Show more Original lead singer Jerry Lawson was from Florida. North Carolina is the birthplace of "Sweet" Joe Russell. Jimmy Hayes was born in Virginia and Jayotis Washington is from Motown, a Detroit native. Herbert "Toubo" Rhoad, an original Persuasion and the group’s baritone, passed away in 1988 while on tour. His ashes were scattered by his mates in San Francisco Bay, as per his wishes. Toubo’s earthly voice may have fallen silent, but those who knew and loved him can still feel his baritone joining in whenever the Persuasions take the stage or hit the studio.All the original Persuasions came from a strong history and deep background in church-based music. Their singing, style and musical inventory has always included the heavy influence of gospel, a major measure soul, and a dose of pop. Their legendarily eclectic repertoire has drawn from everything from Sam Cooke to The Temptations to Kurt Weill to Zappa; from country to blues to gospel to rock to jazz.The Persuasions moved fromstreetcorners to parties to "performances" during the early 1960's, and worked with Robert F. Kennedy’s Project Restoration to aid African-Americans living in the inner cities of America.Legendary musician Frank Zappa and his wife Gail “discovered” The Persuasions in 1968. At the urging and encouragement of a good friend of the group, David Dashev (who eventually became producer and manager), Zappa listened to a tape of the group over the phone. The result: he signed them and produced their debut album, "A Cappella," on Zappa’s “Straight” label, in 1970.The Persuasions next signed with Capitol Records and have since gone on to release a string of commercially successful and critically acclaimed recordings, releasing albums and CDs for MCA, A&M Records, Elektra Records, Flying Fish, Rounder and Rounder/ Bullseye Blues, Music For Little People, Earthbeat!/Rhino, Grateful Dead Records/Arista and Chesky Records.The group’s first ever recording specifically for children, “On The Good Ship Lollipop,” was released in 1999, and won a bushel of awards from parents’ organizations. In March, 2000, The Persuasions released an album in tribute to their old friend, Zappa, "Frankly A Cappella: The Persuasions Sing Zappa." At the time, Jerry Lawson of The Persuasions said, "Frank gave us our start, and this is our way of saying 'thanks'". The album was critically acclaimed in publications including People Magazine.

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