A multi-talented musician, Jerome Eugene Lawson is best remembered as the Persuasions’ initial lead singer. He also worked as a producer, musical arranger, and performer.
Died
July 10, 2019. The cause of death was Guillain-Barre syndrome, and he passed away at the age of 75 in Phoenix.
Career
This Group of Influencers
Originally, the Persuasion’s lead singer, arranger, and producer were Jerry Lawson. Lawson was the lead singer for the Persuasions throughout the 1970s when the group had five albums that charted in the Top R&B Albums and four albums that charted in the Top 200.
- We Came to Play (1971) – No. 32, Billboard R&B; No. 189, Billboard 200
- Spread the Word (1972) – No. 40, Billboard R&B; No. 195, Billboard 200
- Street Corner Symphony (1972) – No. 16, Billboard R&B; No. 88, Billboard 200
- We Still Ain’t Got No Band (1973) – No. 49, Billboard R&B; No. 178, Billboard 200
- More Than Before (1974) – No. 52, Billboard R&B
In 2000, Lawson, along with the rest of the Persuasions, performed in the Blue’s Clues film Blue’s Big Musical Movie.
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Past All Reasonable Doubt
Lawson quit the Persuasions in 2003, after being a member of the band for four decades and participating in the recording of 22 albums. After deciding he was done with a cappella, Lawson and his wife relocated to Arizona, where he found his first-day job in 40 years working with persons who were developmentally impaired. Meanwhile, his wife began promoting him as a solo artist. He started recording with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra after working with jazz combos and big ensembles.
Rayfield Regler, Stan Lockwood, Paul Carrington, and Carl Douglas, four members of the San Francisco-based a cappella group Talk of the Town, were introduced to Lawson in 2004 after having spent the previous 35 years studying Lawson’s albums and wishing they had a lead singer like him.
Lawson’s wife encouraged him to try out for lead singer, so he did. He and his wife were so moved by the singers’ performance of the Mills Brothers’ “Paper Doll” that they decided to join forces with them to create what Lawson felt to be the pinnacle of his Cappella career.
Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town released their debut self-titled album in 2007. The group’s sound was similar to the Persuasions, but with a stronger emphasis on a single lead singer and more refined group harmonies. Yvette Lawson, Lawson’s daughter, sings lead on track 8, and Lawson’s wife, manager, and co-producer, Julie, closes the album with the group to reflect on their 34 years of marriage.
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During September 9, 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s benefits program Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, Lawson, and Talk of the Town sang “People Get Ready” alongside Rod Stewart.
Jerry’s rendition of “I’m Glad,” which he originally recorded with the Persuasions and then performed for Noggin with Talk of the Town, has been one of the network’s most requested videos since 2007.
During the 2008 US presidential campaign, Lawson and Talk of the Town reunited to record a cover of the Dixie Chicks’ “I Hope,” a dedication to then-candidate Barack Obama. The original version of the song was included on the Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town CD.
A song titled “The Man in Room 1009” was recorded by Lawson and singer/songwriter James Power in 2009 as a homage to gospel great Reverend Claude Jeter of the Swan Silvertones.
Lawson was featured in “A Lesson in A Cappella,” a 2010 documentary film by director Keith Lewis about the craft of a cappella singing. Watch as Lawson plays a number of Cappella songs and explores the history and potential future of this musical genre in this documentary.
His appearances are advertised as part of Talk of the Town and feature Power as an added bonus. After that, in the fall of that same year, Lawson and Talk of the Town were invited to appear on the second season of The Sing-Off on NBC. When season three rolled around, Lawson was asked to return and made an appearance in the holiday special, where he sang lead on “Sweet Soul Music” with the rest of the cast.
Lawson collaborated with Arizona hip-hop artist VaeeDaBoi on the tune “Deep Love,” which was released on July 15, 2013.
Just a Mortal Man, Lawson’s debut as a solo artist, was released by Red Beet Records in 2015. This album marks the first time a full band has recorded under Lawson’s moniker. Just a Mortal Man was recorded in Phoenix, Nashville, and Washington, D.C. and was produced by Lawson and Nashville artist/label owner Eric Brace, who also contributed songs. Lawson and Robert Hunter, songwriter for the Grateful Dead, wrote “Woman in White.”
How Much Is Jerry Lawson Worth?
The range of 1 million to 4 million dollars has been put on Jerry Lawson’s wealth or income. The majority of his riches come from his principal profession as a Singer, which has brought in a great deal of money for him.
