The Persuasions are an a cappella group who began singing together in Brooklyn, New York in the early 1960s and went on to produce numerous albums covering a wide range of musical genres. The five original members were Jerry Lawson, Joe 'Jesse' Russell, Jayotis Washington, Herbert 'Toubo' Rhoad, and Jimmy 'Bro' Hayes. Other members included Willie C. Daniels, Ray Sanders, and Bernard Jones (who currently performs with The Dubs). Reggie Moore, a noted vocalist from Washington, D.C. joined the group in 2005. The year 2007 marks the group's 45th year in the music industry. They have also performed for periods as a four-man group. The Persuasions have enjoyed recognition from musicians outside the doo-wop or gospel community. Frank Zappa (who helped get them their first record contract), Joni Mitchell and the Grateful Dead are/were among their fans. The group opened concerts for both Mitchell and the Dead and later recorded tribute albums to Zappa (Frankly A