Who Is Jerry Nassis - Soul Musician?

[Guest Grantosol]

I am an author and TV Producer writing a book for the UK Publishers, Mainstream Publishing. In the course of my research, I came across a soul musician who lived in Ireland in the early 1970's. I believe his name may have been Jerry Nassis (or similar) - I know he was Mormon, probably American and was big enough to have been in a band that were on Top of the Pops at the time.

Googling throws up nothing, so perhaps I have the name slightly wrong.

I wonder if any of the experts on this forum could help? My email is dmaloneATirelandDOTcom

Many thanks

Grantosol

[Amsterdam Russ]

I anticipate that "Jerry Nassis" is a pseudonym.

An hour on Google following a hunch about the religious background (you suggested Mormon) of the individual showed me that the name - and derivative spellings of it - typically links to families with strong connections to the church.

Those derivatives may use a 'G' in place of the "J" (Gerry or Jerry, for example, or even Jay), whilst the surname can be spelled in any variation (Nessis/Nassis/Nesis) that still allows it to connect with the initial of the forename vocally and be spoken as a single word.

That word is Genesis.

Interestingly, the Old Testament book of Genesis appears to be anathema to Mormons. To make the possibilities more interesting however, there is an influential Afro-American Mormon movement called the "Genesis Group". This was founded in 1971, which times perfectly with the apogee of your mystery soul man.

Perhaps - and this is pure speculation - your rogue Afro-American Mormon knew his stuff and was expressing his religious rebelliousness through his chosen name.

Of course, and more probably, he could just have been an ordinary guy...