Jerry's Archive: Reviews

Sam Gazdziak  of Country Universe  wrote ” The album is a soul record, though there are more than enough elements to make it fit comfortably in the country music world, or at least within the endearingly fuzzy borders of Americana. Just a Mortal Man is one of the year’s best releases. On a quieter song like Paul Simon’s “Peace Like a River” Lawson’s voice dips down to a murmur, adding vocal nuances to the lyrics the way a master painter works a canvas. full review here  

“Just a Mortal Man is a master class in basic human emotions in all their complexity and inscrutability. With The Persuasions, Jerry Lawson made many great recordings, but Just a Mortal Man is his finest hour… a great stylist with an infallible instinct for the essence of every song he sings.” – David McGee, Deep Roots Magazine. Read more here.

“This collection of tunes serves notice that Jerry Lawson deserves mention in any conversation about great singers in American history.” Dave Stallard did a Q&A with Jerry this month – read the full thing here.

The Tennessean published photos from Jerry’s CD Release show at Nashville’s Station Inn on June 5th 2015.  Click here to view the gallery.

The reviews are rolling in – here are a few of our favorites. Click to visit the publication/read more! “One of the best albums of 2015.” – Rich Kienzle, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Music Podcast “Lawson calls Sam Cooke, Brook Benton, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and David Ruffin his heroes, but one listen to this album and you’ll hear why Lawson stands shoulder-to-shoulder with them, often transcending musically the achievements of his heroes.” – Henry Carrigan, No Depression “Jerry Lawson is one of the most under-appreciated singers in soul music today…” – The Funk & Soul Revue “Just a Mortal Man is a joyous surprise.” – Americana Music News “Just a Mortal Man was worth waiting for.” – Green Man Review “A master at work…Lawson’s voice still rings with power and conviction. A first-rate effort.” – Hermon Joyner, The Mandolin Player “Lawson is effortlessly captivating.” – Robert Oermann, Music Row DISClaimer “Just plain excellent.” – Peter Bates, Audiophile Audition “Just a Mortal Man serves as a reminder of the power of [Lawson’s] vocal artistry.” – Icon Magazine “Soulful and entertaining.” – St. Croix Source “All the music in the world can’t outshine Lawson’s richly soulful voice…Lawson’s dream album is a hit.” – Newberry

A note from Jerry about the song: “It’s rockin’! ‘Never Been to Memphis’ is my first country song with a band. I really get a kick out of it. I love the energy of it. I love the story it tells and I can’t wait to perform it live and see the audience reaction. Alan Brace really put his heart into writing it and I hope my delivery gives it the feeling Alan intended.”

“Affecting throughout, it demands playing.” – The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal named Just a Mortal Man one of the ‘Six Retro Roots Albums to Jump-Start Your Summer.’ Click here to read the article.

Jerry and producer Eric Brace talk with Joel Rose about Just a Mortal Man. Full audio and story here: npr.org/2015/05/03/403290204/soul-singer-jerry-lawsons-just-a-mortal-man-almost-came-true

Folks, April 28 is finally here, which means that Just a Mortal Man is finally out! This is Jerry Lawson’s masterpiece, the album of a lifetime that he has been crafting over the past two years with Grammy-nominated producer Eric Brace. And now it’s here. As you all know, Jerry spent more then 40 years as lead singer of The Persuasions, arranging and producing 22 albums of incomparable a cappella music that has inspired everyone from Boyz II Men to the cast of “The Sing Off.” The one thing Jerry has never done is record as a solo artist with a band. Just a Mortal Man is that record. Here’s an excellent Q&A with Jerry (and a splendid review) by Henry Carrigan on the No Depression site: http://nodepression.com/article/jerry-lawson-brings-it-home Here’s some of what Henry wrote: “Although 2015 is still young, Jerry Lawson’s new album Just a Mortal Man already wins the award for top soul album of the year. Lawson possesses a genius for understanding the heart of a song’s lyrics and singing them straight to the hearts and souls of his listeners.” With elegance, heart, and soul, Jerry makes the thirteen songs on Just a Mortal Man his own, songs

“The power of this album lies in Lawson’s powerful and passionate interpretation of each of the album’s 13 tracks. Not only does he know his way around a song, but he possesses a genius for understanding the heart of the song’s lyrics and singing them straight to the hearts and souls of his listeners.” – Henry Carrigan, No Depression. Read the whole album review here.

“I’ll Come Running Back to You” (Live with Eric Brace & Peter Cooper) A note from producer Eric Brace about the video: “We were nearly done with the album when we went into Joe Pisapia’s East Nashville studio with The McCrary Sisters to capture their beautiful voices on five of the songs on Just a Mortal Man. Jerry had flown in from Phoenix to help arrange their stunningly layered parts. He was thrilled to work with the sisters, because they’re the daughters of the Rev. Sam McCrary, founder of the legendary Fairfield Four, who had influenced Jerry so much in his early years. The session was a joy, and after Ann, Deborah, Regina, and Freda had done what they do so well, and said their goodbyes, Jerry and I were in the studio talking. I grabbed one of Joe’s guitars and started strumming a song that Jerry and I have performed together before, “I’ll Come Running Back to You,” done originally by the great Sam Cooke, another huge influence on Jerry. He started singing it, and I asked Joe if he could just “roll tape” for a couple of minutes while we positioned ourselves around the microphone. I shouted for

Just weeks before the release of his solo debut album Just a Mortal Man, Jerry was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Contemporary A cappella Society during the Boston Sings! Festival (BOSS), April 11th 2015. The annual awards show is called the Contemporary  A cappella Recording Awards (CARAs), and the Lifetime Achievement CARA goes to artists “whose work over the course of a career has been singularly important and influential.” Jerry’s story is truly miraculous — he was at death’s door just last August having suffered from a torn esophagus. Now he is fully recovered and ready to take his soulful voice, often compared to that of Sam Cooke, on tour. Read the rest of the press release here: http://shorefire.com/releases/entry/jerry-lawson-receives-lifetime-achievement-award-readies-for-solo-debut-apr

The folks over at Billboard.com have premiered the title track, “I’m Just a Mortal Man” from Jerry’s upcoming album and posted a great interview with Jerry. Click here to read.

Red Beet Records will release Jerry’s solo debut, Just a Mortal Man on April 28. Click here to read more!

2011 http://www.casa.org/content/tv-stars-jerry-lawson-and-talk-town-come-yoshis http://www.casa.org/content/sing-season-2-group-profile-jerry-lawson-talk-town 2008 http://georgegraham.com/reviews/lawson.html 2007 http://www.casa.org/node/1042 http://www.soulofrocknroll.com/content/articles/jerry-lawson-unsung-hero-acappella-soul-and-rb http://www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/su0807.html Soul Tracks: http://www.soultracks.com/node/3577 http://www.soultracks.com/jerry_lawson.htm http://www.soultracks.com/node/857 http://www.soultracks.com/node/1038 2006 Sean Altman writes: “Jerry Lawson Is My Father” http://www.casa.org/node/727