First Time Hearing The Persuasions

Boston, Massachusetts 1970

I was 17 in 1970. My first boyfriend Bill was the love of my life (later become my husband) and he was 20. 

We went to a house party. When we first walked in the record player was so loud that it took a minute for my ears to calm down. And then what I heard stunned me. I got chills. I did not know what I was hearing but it touched me immediately! I felt it deeply down to my very core. I’d never heard anything like it. I’m sure that I was aware that there were several voices singing in the but the voice out front was exceptionally soulful, powerful and mesmerizing! It felt like a magnet was drawing me to him. It felt very weirdly personal.

I asked the host what the heck was that record, who was it? He said it was The Persuasions. 

I knew that I had to have that music, his voice, the group’s harmony in my life.

I’d never been a devout follower of any musical group. I was definitely not the groupie type. This was different. And now I was on a mission to gather all that I could find by The Persuasions. And thankfully Bill wanted more too.

I loved R&B and Soul. I felt much of it deeply but no other music moved me like this. The closest I had come was the few times I attended synagogue as a kid. The singing in Hebrew really touched me. It felt familiar, like a part of me but from some ancient connection. I don’t know any other way to describe it. We were not raised in a religious home but it felt Godly. And so did the voice of Jerry Lawson accompanied by his group’s harmony.

 Bill and I spent the next few years searching and collecting The Persuasions music. We listened to it and sang along day and night. I knew every lyric and where Jerry Lawson took every breath.

At one point Bill and I had built a Sioux tipi on top of a mountain at 10,000 feet. No indoor plumbing and no electricity but we had to have The Persuasions. So he hiked up a 12 volt battery so we could use our 8 track tape deck. I still have one of those 8 tracks “Street Corner Symphony” And now their harmonies were bouncing off the mountains. I bet that was the first surround sound!

Eventually our relationship began crumbling and we decided to return home to Boston. We had three possessions to split up when we broke up. The tipi, our cat and The Persuasions music. Bill took the cat and tipi and I got The Persuasions’ music.

We were back in Boston for 3 weeks when I was walking down Boylston Street where the iconic Jazz Workshop and adjacent Paul’s Mall stood. The Marquee said The Persuasions. Well I knew it couldn’t be my Persuasions. I figured they were dead or no longer in the business because in 5 years I never met anyone who had ever heard of them. They weren’t on the radio and record stores didn’t know who I was talking about.

I crossed the street and spoke to the manager and asked him “what Persuasions?” and he said “what do you mean what Persuasions? There is only one Persuasions.” And I said “you mean the guys with no band?” and he nodded and told me that they were going to be there for a week!

I nearly fainted and went home and called Bill crying that ” if it’s the last thing we do together we have to hear our favorite group.” He said “Julie that’s not going to happen, it would be too painful.” 

So my best friend Terri joined me on one condition. That I drive her home after the first set because she had to get up early for work.

My jitters began as soon as we entered the club. We were able to get a table just a couple of feet from the stage! While waiting for the house lights to dim and the show to start I wondered aloud to Terri if they would be singing some of my favorites. Terri insisted that I jot a few down on a cocktail napkin and go to their dressing room. I was much too shy to do that and I also thought it was inappropriate. She finally said “Julie you may never get this opportunity again just do it” and I realized she was right so I wrote down my songs and timidly went up to the dressing room door and knocked. One of The Persuasions, Jay Otis Washington, opened the door. I’m shaking with my little napkin and I asked if he’d give this to Jerry Lawson and he said “Jerry who?” My heart sunk and I said “oh don’t tell me he’s not with the group anymore” and he smiled and said he was just kidding. Whew..

The show was like nothing you can imagine or adequately describe. Jerry was electrifying. And I just couldn’t believe I was seeing and hearing him in person. The show ends and I’m beside myself. There is going to be another set but I have to take Terri home. As we were leaving the club all of a sudden I felt the energy of somebody coming from behind me or beside me and I just knew they were going to flirt with me and I was in no mood to be flirted with. But this guy is now standing in front of me. He’s wearing a sombrero the size of Texas and denim overalls and looks really corny. In the darkness of the club I really couldn’t see his face. He extends his hand and introduces himself. ” Hi, I’m Jerry Lawson. Would you and your friend join me and the fellas for a cocktail?”

I couldn’t believe it, on stage he was dressed so sharp. And now he looks like a country farmer..I said we couldn’t do that because I promised Terri I’d take her home after the first set. Well my sweet friend caved and said okay. That was the beginning of my next 44 years sharing the Merry-Go-Round of life with Jerry and The Persuasions. 

Just think how each decision, each choice we make determines our future. If Bill had joined me instead of Terri Jerry never would have approached me.

---

^{(originally posted on https://beyondacappella.blogspot.com/2026/09/first-time-hearing-persuasions.html)}