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Might As Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead

The Persuasions

Initial release : October 2000

Grateful Dead Records / Arista 4070

Fifteen Grateful Dead or related songs interpreted by the a cappella group The Persuasions. A number of musicians, including Vince Welnick, join in on some songs.

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album cover

Tracks

  • Here Comes Sunshine (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Might as Well (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Lazy River Road (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Loose Lucy (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Ripple (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Brokedown Palace (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Liberty (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Sugaree (Garcia/Hunter)
  • Ships of Fools (Garcia/Hunter)
  • He's Gone (Garcia/Hunter)
  • It Must Have Been the Roses (Hunter)
  • One More Saturday Night (Weir)
  • Bertha (Garcia/Hunter)
  • I Bid You Good Night (Traditional arr. Grateful Dead)
  • Black Muddy River (Garcia/Hunter)
Musicians

The Stew

The Persuasions;

  • Jerry Lawson - baritone, lead vocalist, head chef
  • Jimmy "Way Down" Hayes - bass, human sub-woofer, voice trombone
  • Joseph "Sweet Joe" Russell - second tenor, Wilson Pickett quotations
  • Jayotis Washington - tenor, baritone, inspiration
  • Raymond X. Sanders - first tenor, soprano, good will
  • Bernard "B.J." Jones - baritone vocals (Black Muddy River only)
The Spices

Mary Schmary (Here Comes Sunshine, Might As Well, Ripple, He's Gone, Roses, I Bid You Goodnight)

  • Cynsa Bonorris - bass vocals
  • Myriam Casimir - bass vocals
  • Alyn Kelley - alto/soprano vocals, voice trumpet
  • Desiree Pointer - alto/soprano vocals
  • Vince Welnick - piano, vocals, exuberance (Ship Of Fools, Saturday Night, Bertha)
  • Pete Grant - ten-string Zephyr Dobro (Ripple, Roses)
  • Eric Thompson - mandolin (Lazy River Road, Ripple)
  • Peter Rowan - guest vocal, yodeling (Sugaree)
  • Joe Craven - percussion, vocal percussion (Saturday Night, Bertha)
  • Andrew Chaikin - vocal percussion (Saturday Night)
  • David Gans - guitar, occasional vocals (Saturday Night)
Credits

  • Producer - Jerry Lawson, David Gans
  • Producer (Black Muddy River only) - Jerry Lawson, Sean Altman
  • Executive producer - Rip Rense
  • Recording engineer - Michael Cogan
  • Mixing - Jerry Lawson, David Gans, Mike Cogan
  • Mastering - Paul Stubblebine
  • Song arranger - Jerry Lawson
  • Project manager - David Gross
  • Cover Art - Randy Tuten, Whit Clifton
  • Art direction, design - Geoff Gans (of Culver City)
  • Photography - Susana Millman
  • Liner notes, groceries - Rip Rense
  • Publicity - Dennis McNAlly
  • Rehearsal coach - Marty Bostoff
  • Studio assistant.aesthetic advice - James Frazier
  • Good ideas, barbecue, dancing - Jon Carroll
  • Everyone is very grateful to: Peter McQuaid, Maiek Cogan, David Gross, Dennis McNally, Susana Millman, Cassidy Law, Randy Tuten, Jennifer Gloria, Denise, Denise #2, and Ann at Dance Studio of Park Slope, Marty Bostoff, Teresa D Chuh, esq, Ben McLane, esq, Rita Hurault, Annie Chuck, Julie Hurwitz, Su Lukasha, David Dashev, Bartlet Fisher, P. J. Corkery, Bernard Beck, Shirley Braunstein, Charles Bogle, Jeff Kallberg, Barry Smolin, James Frazier, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva, Gary Lambert, J. C. Juanis, Earl Crabb, Nancy Mallonee, Jan Simmons, Jeffrey Norman, David Lemieux, Mary Knudsen, Neil McCormick, Tracy Johnston, Richard B Simon, Bev Rice, Maxine Gottesman, Alan Trist, Stacy Carr, Nichell Delvaille, Deborah Gilbert, Lawrence Grotts, Gary hertz, Diana Poveromo, Charlene Kole, Tony Ward, Dick Latvala, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, The Grateful Dead Hour, and of course, Vince, the Schmaries, Pete, Eric, Andrew, the fabulous Persuasions, Robert Hunter and both Jerrys
  • Recorded at Bay Records, Berkeley, California
  • Except Black Muddy River, recorded at Big Sean Studio, NYC
Notes

The liner notes explain how the songs were selected for this recording;

The songs were suggested by Rense, Gans, and the great GD lyricist, Robert Hunter. Hunter's suggestions came by e-mail. Jerry Lawson made final choices from a total of 30 tunes.
There are additional notes about each song.

Related releases

Black Muddy River was initially released on;


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