Wednesday @9pm
Beyond A Cappella is a weekly journey into the music and stories shared by Julie Lawson, wife and former manager of the late Jerry Lawson who is revered as the king of a cappella. She brings Jerry’s lighthearted humor to life by blending a mix of funny, interesting anecdotes with behind the scenes details about his life. The show highlights Jerry’s pioneering work as the lead singer, arranger, and producer of The Persuasions for over four decades. It also details Jerry’s next chapter after leaving The Persuasions leading to his collaboration with the a cappella group Talk of the Town. Through these historically significant broadcasts Julie shares a selection of Jerry’s instrument backed unreleased recordings and collaborative projects offering a unique first hand perspective destined for future radio archives.
Meet The Host
Host Contact: KOWS@jerrylawsonmusic.com
Host Info: My journey began in Brookline, Massachusetts. I met Jerry when I was 23 at Paul's Mall in Boston. My first road trip with him showed me Southern CA and that was the end of freezing winters and the start of sunny beach days for 20 years. I had my own food truck business there with an exclusive route at LAX serving the employees at the freight docks. Eventually a Persuasions show in the Redwoods sparked our next move and we landed in Sonoma County, where Jerry and I lived on the Russian River in Guerneville for 5 years. My job in Santa Rosa moved us to Phoenix where for 20 years I longed to be back in Northern CA. Our home is still there but I'm back in NOCAL indefinitely. Yay!! Jerry left The Persuasions in 2003 and I managed all aspects of his solo career until 2019. Among our many projects we produced what he felt was the masterpiece of his a cappella career with the very talented and seasoned a cappella group from Oakland, CA. Talk of The Town. Stan Lockwood, Paul Carrington, Carl Douglas, Rayfield Ragler Jr. and Doug Stepney Though I promised Jerry I would spend my life trying to share his legacy, the dark days of my grief had me stuck in deep sadness and had no idea of how to be in this world without the us. I am now emerging and I'm beginning to see some light and producing radio shows for you is a big help! Thank you Don Campau! In addition to my passion for preserving and sharing Jerry's legacy, I also enjoy swing dancing, crossword puzzles, walks by the ocean and in the woods. My escape from the world includes a variety of music (especially The Great American Songbook) and endless hours of scrabble. If you have PBS Passport you can view the very touching documentary about Jerry. "Just A Mortal Man, The Jerry Lawson Story" If you are not a subscriber its only $5 a month to support your local PBS and have access to all of their documentaries.