Jerry Lawson. Not many people will recognize the name, but take a listen to his voice and it transcends.
Lawson fronted the a cappella group The Persuasions.
While the group didn’t reach mainstream status, it left its mark in music history.
This is why Santa Fe-based filmmakers Miles Merritt and Gail Kempler wanted to create the documentary about Lawson’s life.
“Just a Mortal Man: The Jerry Lawson Story” will premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, on New Mexico PBS.
“I first heard Jerry Lawson and The Persuasions on the radio in NYC,” Merritt says. “Their rich sound blew my mind. It was hard to believe that these five guys were singing a cappella. Over the years, I bought many of their albums and attended a lot of their concerts on both coasts. Who could have ever guessed that several decades later I would get to meet this man personally, produce a film about his amazing life story, and call him a close friend?”
Merritt and Kempler wanted to capture a candid, intimate portrait of Lawson.
From humble beginnings in Florida, Lawson moved to New York City at 18 to pursue his love of singing. It was there he connected with four young men on the basketball court to form their legendary group.
Discovered by Frank Zappa in the early ’70s, The Persuasions, with Lawson as lead singer and arranger, went on to record 24 albums over 40 years and tour the world with such luminaries as Ray Charles, Liza Minnelli and Joni Mitchell. Lawson died in July 2019.
The Santa Fe-based duo worked on the film for eight years.
Merritt says after Lawson left the group, he tracked him down online and the work began on the film.
“He lived out in Phoenix and after meeting him the first time, we were back at the hotel and listened to his incredible stories,” Merritt says. “He was able to inspire and keep everything in perspective. He was just a mortal man and he was blessed with a talent for singing. He was very humble and a joy to be around.”
Kempler says most people feel like Lawson didn’t achieve the fame he was meant to find.
“We hope that people will become aware of Jerry’s story,” Kempler says. “I wasn’t a fan at first. I was persuaded and I fell in love with his music and with him.”
With close to 100 hours of interviews, Merritt and Kempler worked tirelessly on editing and getting the music licensing cleared for the documentary.
“Gail is an intellectual property attorney,” Merritt says. “Working with PBS, they have a blanket license for many of the recording rights to air.”
Merritt is excited about the premiere on PBS.
“One of the things that we were concerned with, if we got picked up by a streaming platform, is that it wouldn’t be accessible to everyone,” he says. “PBS took us on and is giving us the platform to tell his story. We’re not getting lost in the shuffle. They are helping up promote the documentary and it’s part of their Black History Month effort. We have almost 700 airings scheduled now.”
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