Just a Mortal Man: The Jerry Lawson Story

>>Barry

Richards

I got a group, now, that I can't believe, man. This group is really out of sight. This group has completely annihilated me every time I've heard their tunes. Let's look at them. Here are The Persuasions. I just can't work no longer... >>Jerry

Lawson

David had to influence a lot of people, because it was pretty hard to get five guys with no band into show business. And I hadn't given him that much credit. He did it. Whatever it took. Oh Lord. When the sun comes, you know it shines Lord, I ain't complaining about it 'cause I done wrong and I'm serving my time >>David

Dashev

The Persuasions were, and this is a word I've never used in anything to do with me, a calling. What I wanted to do with them was grab every human being by the shoulder and say, "Put down what you're doing and listen to this." >>Rip

Rense

Dashev was kind of combination of The Persuasions, Brian Epstein and George Martin for the Beatles. He was the fire in the fireplace. He directed their careers, very intelligently. >>Jerry

Lawson

The Persuasions. Where did we get The Persuasions from? We got it from the Bible, because we found out that Christ had to persuade people to follow His teaching. He still is. Got to persuade people to believe in the religion, you know? What better name for us if we're going to sing without a band? Because we got to persuade people to get into this. >>Jerry

Lawson(file)

Acapella. What is this thing, acapella? What is them five cats doing? You see acappella, first of all, it starts with an A. It ends with an A. Another definition. See, when we came over on the boat, we didn't have no band. We still don't got a band. We don't want a band. >>Barry

Richards

You sound beautiful just the way you are. You don't need a band.

Jerry

Have mercy, thank you. You sound better than some bands. I'm serious. I mean, I'm into, like, when people used to hang out on the street corners in the old 50's and sing the Doo-wops. You all are from that area, aren't you? >>Jerry

Lawson

Right. We're from New York, Brooklyn, Bed-Stuy. And we sung acapella with the groups in the park and on the corners, street corners. And this is what we're doing, is street corner singing. But, like I said, it goes back further than that. It goes back to the cotton fields.