General Norman Johnson

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For other persons named Norman Johnson, see Norman Johnson (disambiguation).

General Johnson (born Norman Johnson, 23 May 1943, in the Huntersville region of the seaside city of Norfolk, Virginia) was the frontman of Chairmen of the Board and a top R&B songwriter / producer.

[edit] Career

General Johnson has enjoyed a long career, stretching from his debut during the mid 1950s glory days of R&B to his status as an end-of-the-century beach music icon.

Johnson began singing gospel with his father in public at the age of six. It is said that, like Solomon Burke up in Philadelphia, he was billed locally as the 'Boy Wonder'. He made his recording debut at the age of twelve, when his group the Humdingers recorded a few unreleased sides for Atlantic Records. Several years later, after a change of name to The Showmen, Johnson and the group moved to the New Orleans' hit factory Minit Records for the 1961 rock and roll anthem "It Will Stand." The single charted both in 1961 and 1964, but the Showmen only recorded a dozen sides for Minit and Swan Records before breaking up in 1968.

Johnson briefly attempted a solo career, but wound up in Detroit attached to the fledgling Invictus record label helmed by Motown hitmakers Holland-Dozier-Holland. With Danny Woods (from the Showmen), Harrison Kennedy, and Eddie Curtis, Johnson formed Chairmen of the Board. Their first single, "Give Me Just a Little More Time", became a big pop hit in 1970, closely followed by "(You've Got Me) Dangling on a String" and "Everything's Tuesday." Johnson wrote another of the group's moderate hits, "Pay to the Piper," and several of his songs became hits for other artists.

For example, the Grammy Award winning "Patches" made the Top Ten for Clarence Carter (Jerry Reed also recorded a country version of the hit), and fellow Invictus Records recording artists, Honey Cone, hit the charts with his "Want Ads", "Stick Up," and "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show." In addition Johnson wrote "Bring the Boys Home", for Freda Payne.

Chairmen of the Board are still currently recording, and performing for audiences in the South. The current day line-up includes original members Johnson and Danny Woods, plus Ken Knox.