Thursday Dec 15, 2005 Subscribe Take It Online: Welcome Rick Ash Your Posts LOG OUT Go What's This? Persuasions rock Strom Auditorium By Chris Wolf Email this story to a friend Printer-friendly Format Add your comments Send Letter to Editor Archive Search Go Advanced Search ROCKPORT (Jan 21, 2001): The legendary a cappella group "The Persuasions" brought the house down at the Strom Auditorium Saturday night with their fivepart vocal harmonies. "Impromptu" from Bangor and the Camden-Rockport Middle School group "Cloud Nine" opened the evening. Recent Supplements All Supplements Cloud 9 and Impromptu were invited onto the stage by the Persuasions to help close the show Saturday night. The event was a benefit for the Camden-Rockport Middle School's Japanese exchange program. Other News Arts & Entertainment Births Business and Services Community Education Government Guest Column Obituaries Organization Real Estate Sports/Outdoors "Follow your dream," Persuasion Jerry Lawson told k2bh after the show. "If we would have listened to what people were telling us 39 years ago when we first got together, that you need a band. Who knows where we would be today. Not here, I think." The band's motto is as strong today as it was 39 years ago: "We still ain't got no Page 1 of 8
band." The Persuasions have been doing it longer then anyone. Group members are Jimmy Hayes, Jayotis Washington, Raymond Sanders, Jerry Lawson and Sweet Joe Russell. The Persuasions are from left to right: Jayotis Washington, Raymond Sanders, Sweet Joe Russell, Jimmy Hayes and Jerry Lawson. When asked to describe their 39 years together the words, "weird," "turbulent" and "crazy" all came up. "We didn't know each other," said Hayes. "We all came to the city from different parts of the country. We started playing basketball together and then we started singing." "This is a spiritual ride we're on," said Lawson. "When we started we were the only ones doing a cappella. We knew that we were different. We had a sound that just captivated our neighborhood." Persuasions' founder Jerry Lawson is originally from Apoka, Fla. Lawson said that the Persuasions have always had an open door policy when it comes to talking to people. The same was true Saturday night. k2bh just Page 2 of 8
knocked on their dressing room door and was invited right in. "We make people happy when we sing," said Lawson. "And that's what it's all about. It's a family show. You can bring your children and you can bring your grandmother and no one is going to be offended by anything. It's family that makes the show. From eight to 87 is what's fun about it all." The show was divided into three segments and a 15-minute intermission. First to take the stage was Camden-Rockport Middle School's "Cloud Nine." The ensemble, comprising young women, got the show off to a great start with their cover of "Goin' To the Chapel." Camden-Rockport Middle School's Cloud 9, opening the show Saturday night. Next up was the harmony group of "Impromptu," from Bangor. Besides do-wop and excellent harmonizing, the group did a song naming all the counties of the world which was a delight. Impromptu has been performing together for five years. Members of Impromptu include: Bronwyn Kortge (also the artistic director), John Greenman, Jon Hawley, Karen Pendleton, Luke Hedger, Michael Marion, Ruth Fogler, Susan Parker, Todd Lake and Craig Johnson. The Camden-Rockport Middle School Japanese Exchange Program sponsored the concert. Proceeds from ticket sales will help fund the nearly $30,000 needed for their June trip to that country. From Bangor, the 10-member singing group, Impromptu. How did the Persuasions get their name? Lawson said that the band took their name from the Bible. "Jesus had to persuade without any help," said Lawson. "And we perform without the help of a band, so 'The Persuasions' was perfect for us." When asked what kind of a concert schedule the band keeps, they said they Page 3 of 8
perform almost every day. "We like to take Sundays off," said Hayes. "When we're not on stage and we're together, we sing anyway," said Lawson. Sweet Joe Russell of the Persuasions. After the concert, the Persuasions signed autographs and sang a number of songs to the crowd around a table in the lobby outside the 800-seat Strom Auditorium. One member would start a song and before you knew it all the rest had joined in and they were deep in the rhythm of rich harmony. All told, the band has recorded 24 albums and CDs in their 39 years together. Their concert was 33 songs long, but their repertoire contains more than 3,000 songs. Teacher Rick Ash of Camden Hills Regional High School brought an album of the Persuasions from 1973 called "Street Corner Symphony" to get the band members to sign. One of the band members commented that autographed, Ash's vinyl was probably worth around $500 today. Page 4 of 8
The Persuasions' Jayotis Washington (left) and Raymond Sanders. Although baritone Toubo Rhoad died in 1988, lead singer and baritone Jerry Lawson, tenor "Sweet" Joe Russell, tenor and lead Jayotis Washington, and basso profundo Jimmy Hayes are still going strong with recently added fifth member Raymond Sanders, formerly of the Drifters. With all those songs to choose from, how do you decide which ones to perform for an audience? "You saw me peeking around the curtain before we came on," said Lawson. "I was looking to see what kind of people were seated in the auditorium. That's when I made the decision about which songs to do." Lawson said that it all goes back to the audience. The Persuasions can make the music, but they can't make the people. The band did numbers from the '30s and '40s, do-wop, Elvis Presley, contemporary and religious ballads. Page 5 of 8
A contemplative Jimmy Hayes during Saturday night's show. Hayes' mega-deep voice won the crowd early on in the show. "I sing," said Lawson, "but I also paint a picture with the feeling that song portrays. When you heard us sing 'Peace In the Valley,' I was singing, but I was painting a picture of that valley at the same time. There was this guy in the front row I noticed while doing the song. His eyes were closed and he was tapping his feet. He was into it. He was in my painting and creating his own at the same time." These days, the Persuasions have three new CD releases. A cover of Frank Zappa tunes, in tribute to the man who signed them to their first major album deal in 1968. There's also a CD of Grateful Dead songs and a CD of children's tunes called "Music For Little People." From Rockport, the band travels to Boston and then to Shreveport, La. In April, they will be back in the studio for another recording session. In June, the band travels to the United Kingdom and then on to Japan. Page 6 of 8
The Persuasions sign autographs following the show for many new-found friends and admirers who were also treated to many songs while they waited in line. "Japan has been trying to get us for 30 years," said Lawson, "and we have never been. I'm really looking forward to it. Also I understand that Brazil has just recently turned on to the Persuasions, so it looks like we might be going there in the not-too-distant future." The Persuasions are just a great bunch of down-to-earth guys who will sing at the drop of a hat. They love their fans and it shows with the personal attention even the smallest one received. Left to right: Jayotis Washington, Sweet Joe Russell and Page 7 of 8
Raymond Sanders. The Persuasions. Thirty-nine years and still going strong. (Photos by Chris Wolf) Related Links: The Persuasions. See what Amazon.com has on the Persuasions. Impromptu of Bangor. Chris Wolf can be reached at 236-8468 or by email at: chrisw@k2bh.com. Email this story to a friend Printer-friendly Format Add your comments Send Letter to Editor SUBSCRIBE SERVICES ENROLL ADVERTISE CREW CONTACT ABOUT Page 8 of 8