Jerry Lawson (1944–2019), lead singer for the Persuasions

Jerry Lawson was the lead singer of the a cappella group the Persuasions. Lawson and his bandmates revived the a cappella style as young men singing their favorite songs together in their neighborhood, applying the style to songs from diverse genres including R&B, pop, gospel, blues, and more. They continued singing together for decades, recording more than two dozen albums and influencing later groups including Boyz II Men and Take 6. Lawson later left the Persuasions and joined another group they had influenced, Talk of the Town. With Talk of the Town, Lawson appeared on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” in 2011. Lawson released his only solo album, “Just a Mortal Man,” in 2015.