The Persuaders

The Persuaders, an R&B vocal group from New York City, were formed in 1969. The original members—Douglas "Smokey" Scott, Willie Holland, James Barnes, and Charles Stodghill—had previously sung with various local groups before coming together to create their distinctive sound, characterized by close harmony and emotive lead vocals. Their breakthrough came in 1971 when they signed with Atlantic Records and released "Thin Line Between Love & Hate", which topped the Billboard R&B chart and reached number 15 on the Pop chart. The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 29, 1971. Following this success, their self-titled debut album The Persuaders was released in 1973, featuring additional hits like "Love's Gonna Pack Up (and Walk Out)". Tragedy struck later that year with Stodghill’s death and Barnes’ departure, leading to lineup changes. The group continued to release albums, including Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me in 1974, which featured their original version of "Some Guys Have All the Luck". Despite these successes, the Persuaders faced numerous lineup changes and label shifts, recording for Calla Records in 1976 and Brunswick Records in 1981. The group's legacy includes notable covers of their songs by artists like Robert Palmer and Annie Lennox. The original members have since passed away, with Willie Holland being the last to die on February 13, 2016.

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