General Johnson/Chairmen Of The Board

Norman General Johnson as a member of The Showmen had a minor hit in 1962 ("It Will Stand" #61 Pop) prior to becoming part of The Chairmen Of The Board, which formed near the end of the decade when the songwriting team Holland/Dozier/Holland left Motown in 1967 to establish their own Invictus/Hot Wax group of record labels. They teamed Johnson up with Eddie Custis, Danny Woods and Harrison Kennedy. Custis left the group after their second album.

"Give Me Just a Little More Time" was released in 1969 and hit #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles (plus #8 R&B) in 1970. The Chairmen also scored hits with among others: "Pay To The Piper" (#4 R&B/#13 Pop), "Everything's Tuesday" (#14 R&B/#38 Pop), "(You've Got Me) Dangling On A String" (#38 Pop), "Chairmen Of The Board (#10 R&B/#42 Pop) and "Finders Keepers" (#7 R&B/#59 Pop). Invictus also released solo albums on Johnson ("Generally Speaking"), Woods ("Aries") and Kennedy ("Hypnotic Music") in 1972.

The group split in 1976 and Johnson signed with Arista Records as a solo artist. Johnson scored hits with "All In The Family" (#22 Pop), "We The People" (#36 Pop) and "Don't Walk Away" (#42 Pop)

In 1978, Johnson reformed the Chairmen of the Board along with Danny Woods and Ken Knox. In 1980, the new Chairmen founded Surfside Records and began recording beach music. The group remain popular on the beach scene, and Surfside Records still exists as an independent record label based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Chairmen of the Board (General Johnson, Danny Woods and Ken Knox) were inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 1999.

The group made a splash in the modern Southern Soul market when their song "Three Women" became a major hit in 2004/2005. The track was taken from an album entitled "All In The Family" from 2004. After the "Three Women" hit the group recorded two more tracks ("The Blacker The Berry" & "You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk") and re-released the album as "All In The Family: Southern Soul". They also scored a hit with "Southern Soul Electric Slide" billed as Carolina Connection.

General Johnson continued to perform with Woods and Knox as the "Chairmen of the Board" until his death from lung cancer in 2010. The groups final album with Johnson ("Soul Tapestry") had been released earlier in the year.

Knox carried on as both Ken Knox & Company and The Chairmen Of The Board featuring Ken Knox. As The Chairmen he and new members Thomas Hunter and Brandon Stevens released the 7-track album "Word Left Unsaid" in 2017.

Danny Woods died on January 12, 2018, at the age of 73.
 

Album Discography

"The Chairmen Of The Board" (Invictus 1970)

Give Me Just A Little More Time 2:38
Come Together 3:50
Bless You 2:49
Patches 3:31
Since The Days Of Pigtails & Fairytales 2:41
I'll Come Crawling 2:38
You've Got Me Dangling On A String 3:00
Bravo, Hooray 3:12
Didn't We 2:41
Feelin' Alright? 3:40
My Way 3:57
Tricked & Trapped 3:20

"In Session" (Invictus 1970)

Chairmen Of The Board 3:34
Everything's Tuesday 2:48
Pay To The Piper 3:05
Twelfth Of Never 3:13
All We Need Is Understanding 2:55
Patches 3:22
It Was Almost Something 2:41
Bridge Over Troubled Water 5:19
Hanging On To A Memory 4:13
I Can't Find Myself 2:33
When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me 3:06
Children Of Today 3:17

"Bittersweet" (Invictus 1972)

Men Are Getting Scarce 5:21
So Glad You're Mine 4:15
Working On A Building Of Love 3:55
I'm A Sign Of Changing Times 5:42
Elmo James 4:18
I'm On My Way To A Better Place 4:04
Bittersweet 5:09
Saginaw County Line 4:09
Weary Traveler

General Johnson "Generally Speaking" (Invictus 1972)

Saginaw County Line 4:16
God's Gift To Man 3:57
It Was Almost Something 3:06
Every Couples' Not A Pair 4:42
All We Need Is Understanding 2:55
Everything's Tuesday 3:05
I Never Get Tired Of You 5:21
My Credit Didn't Go Through 3:37
Things Are Bound To Get Better Later On 6:14
Mary Lou Thomas 5:02

Danny Woods "Aries" (Invictus 1972)

Everybody's Got A Song To Sing 4:03
Let Me Ride 2:58
Roller Coaster 3:39
Try On My Love For Size 3:34
It Didn't Take Long 3:29
Working On A Building Of Love 3:55
Funny How Time Slips Away 5:12
Two Can Be As Lonely As One 3:57
I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) 7:04
Danny Boy 5:04

Harrison Kennedy "Hypnotic Music" (Invictus 1972)

Hypnotic Music 5:19
Closet Queen 3:22
Night Comes Day Goes 6:40
Sunday Morning People 3:09
Gimme A Glass Of Water 3:07
Come Together 3:50
You Hurt Your Mother Again 5:51
Up-The Origanization 3:12
Children Of The Day 3:16

"Greatest Hits" (Invictus 1973)

A1 Working On A Building Of Love
A2 Give Me Just A Little More Time
A3 Let Me Down Easy
A4 Chairmen Of The Board
A5 Patches
A6 Pay To The Piper
B1 I'm On My Way To A Better Place
B2 Men Are Getting Scarce
B3 Everything's Tuesday
B4 Elmo James
B5 I Can't Find Myself
B6 You've Got Me Dangling On A String

"Skin I'm In" (Invictus 1974)

Everybody Party All Night 4:00
Skin I'm In 4:15
Morning Glory 2:20
Life & Death Pt. I 1:36
White Rose (Freedom Flower) 1:41
Life & Death Pt. II 3:44
Let's Have Some Fun 3:43
Love At First Sight 3:50
Only Love Can Break A Heart 5:30
Live With Me, Love With Me 2:36
Finder's Keepers 4:00

General Johnson "General Johnson" (Arista 1976)

Temperature Risin' 5:50
Don't Walk Away 4:12
We The People 4:35
Lies 3:10
All In The Family 4:10
Only Love Can Mend A Broken Heart 3:32
Patches 5:33
Keep Keepin' On 2:56

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "Success" (Surfside 1980)

A1 Me, My Woman And My Music
A2 Fool Am I
A3 Summer Love
A4 Success
B1 Pretty Women Everywhere (Hey Baby)
B2 On The Beach
B3 Bird In The Hand
B4 Down At The Beach Club
B5 Carolina Girls
B6 I Will Love You More

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "A Gift Of Beach Music" (Surfside 1983)

A1 I'd Rather Be In Carolina 3:54
A2 Beach Fever 3:43
A3 When Can I See You Again 3:56
A4 Down At The Beach Club 2:58
A5 Shag Your Brains Out (Hidee Hidee Hidee Ho Song) 2:40
B1 Carolina Girls 3:26
B2 A Bird In The Hand 3:25
B3 Summer Love 5:48
B4 On The Beach 3:24
B5 Pretty Women Everywhere (Hey Baby) 2:42

"Salute The General" (HDH 1984)

A1 Give Me Just A Little More Time
A2 Since The Days Of Pigtails (And Fairy Tales)
A4 Patches
A5 Tricked And Trapped (By A Tricky Trapper)
A6 Everything's Tuesday
A7 Pay To The Piper
B2 Hanging On (To) A Memory
B3 All We Need Is Understanding
B4 It Was Almost Something
B5 Working On A Building Of Love
B6 Bittersweet
B7 Elmo James

"A.G.M." (HDH 1985)

A1 Let Me Down Easy
A2 Bless You
A3 Try On My Love For Size
A4 I Can't Find Myself
A5 When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me
A6 Men Are Getting Scarce
B1 I'm On My Way To A Better Place
B2 Children Of Today
B3 I'll Come Crawling
B4 Bravo Hooray
B5 So Glad You're Mine

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "The Music" (Surfside 1987)

1 The Music
2 Don't Walk Away
3 Forever Together
4 Love Is What You Make It
5 Never Been Loved Before
6 A Piece Of Candy
7 Loverboy
8 X-Rated Love
9 Lost In The Music
10 Just Can't Get Enough
11 I Shall Return

"Soul Agenda" (HDH 1989)

Chairman Of The Board 3:29
Working On A Building Of Love 2:46
Bravo, Hooray 2:51
(You've Got Me) Dangling On A String 2:52
Everything's Tuesday 2:44
I'll Come Crawling 2:34
Elmo James 4:15
Give Me Just A Little More Time 2:37
All We Need Is Understanding 2:45
Men Are Getting Scarce 5:16
Let Me Down Easy 2:40
Pay To The Piper 3:02
Patches 3:26
Tricked And Trapped (By A Tricky Trapper) 3:11
Bless You 2:53
When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me 3:00
Try On My Love For Size 3:26
Bittersweet 5:02
Everybody's Got A Song To Sing 2:31
Finders Keepers 3:17

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "Alive & Kickin'" (Surfside 1990)

Alive And Kickin' 4:24
Let's Go For Love 3:48
You Don't Know What Love Is 3:23
I Wanna Be Your Baby 4:36
I Wanna Doop Doop Doop Your Doo Wop She Doo Wop 3:18
In Your Face 3:33
Sexy Thing 3:18
There's No Me Without You 4:20
Waylon James 4:00
Gone Fishin' 4:20
Let The Good Times Roll 3:12

"Greatest Hits" (HDH/Invictus 1990)

1 Give Me Just A Little More Time
2 You've Got Me Dangling On A String
3 Everything's Tuesday
4 Patches
5 Pay To The Piper
6 Bless You
7 Chairmen Of The Board
8 Hanging On To A Memory
9 Try On My Love For Size
10 Men Are Getting Scarce
11 Everybody's Got A Song To Sing
12 Let Me Down Easy
13 Finders Keepers
14 Bravo, Hooray
15 Let's Have Some Fun

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "What Goes Around Comes Around" (Surfside 1993)

What Goes Around Comes Around
Shero (Female Hero)
Prelude
Better Late Than Never
Dreamin'
Hold On! I'm Comin' To Save You
If It Ain't One Thing It's Another
I Wanna Be Your Baby
Summertime Groove
Winner Take All
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Only Love Can Mend A Broken Heart

"The Best Of" (Castle Com. 1997)

1 Give Me Just A Little More Time
2 Everything's Tuesday
3 Hanging On (To) A Memory
4 Elmo James
5 Bless You
6 I'm On My Way To A Better Place
7 Since The Days Of Pigtails
8 Chairman Of The Board
9 Men Are Getting Scarce
10 Bittersweet
11 Working On A Building Of Love
12 Try On My Love For Size
13 Finders Keepers
14 Tricked And Trapped
15 Everybody's Got A Song To Sing
16 When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me
17 Patches
18 Everybody Party All Night
19 I'll Come Crawling
20 Pay To The Piper
21 You've Got Me Dangling On A String

"Everything's Tuesday The Very Best Of" (Castle 2000)

1 Give Me Just A Little More Time
2 You've Got Me Dangling On A String
3 Patches
4 Since The Days Of Pigtails (And Fairy Tales)
5 Everything's Tuesday
6 Bless You
7 Pay To The Piper
8 Tricked And Trapped (By A Tricky Trapper)
9 Chairmen Of The Board
10 Hanging On To A Memory
11 I Can't Find Myself
12 Try On My Love For Size
13 Men Are Getting Scarce
14 Working On A Building Of Love
15 Everybody's Got A Song To Sing
16 Let Me Down Easy
17 Elmo James
18 I'm On My Way To A Better Place
19 Bittersweet
20 Finder's Keepers
21 Life And Death
22 Everybody Part All Night

"Give Me Just A Little More Time" (Castle Pie 2002)

1 Give Me Just A Little More Time
2 Since The Days Of Pigtails (And Fairytales)
3 Patches
4 (You've Got Me) Dangling On A String
5 Bless You
6 Pay To The Piper
7 Try On My Love For Size
8 Working On A Building Of Love
9 Men Are Getting Scarce
10 Bittersweet
11 I'm On My Way To A Better Place
12 So Glad You're Mine
13 Let Me Down Easy
14 I Can't Find Myself
15 Finders Keepers

"Finders Keeps: The Invictus Anthology" (Invictus 2002)

1-1 Give Me Just A Little More Time
1-2 Since The Days Of Pigtails & Fairytales
1-3 (You've Got Me) Dangling On A String
1-4 I'll Come Crawling
1-5 Come Together
1-6 Bless You
1-7 Patches
1-8 Bravo Hooray
1-9 Feelin' Alright?
1-10 Tricked And Trapped (By A Tricky Trapper)
1-11 Everything's Tuesday
1-12 Pay To The Piper
1-13 Chairman Of The Board
1-14 All We Need Is Understanding
1-15 It Was Almost Something
1-16 Hanging On To A Memory
1-17 I Can't Find Myself
1-18 When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me
1-19 Children Of Today
1-20 Savannah Lady
1-21 I'm In Love Darling
1-22 Try On My Love For Size
1-23 Working On A Building Of Love
1-24 Men Are Getting Scarce
1-25 Sunday Morning People
2-1 Elmo James
2-2 Bittersweet
2-3 So Glad You're Mine
2-4 I'm A Sign Of Changing Times
2-5 Every Couple's Not A Pair
2-6 I Never Get Tired Of You
2-7 My Credit Didn't Go Through
2-8 Things Are Bound To Get Better Later
2-9 I'm On My Way To A Better Place
2-10 Saginaw County Line
2-11 Weary Traveller
2-12 God's Gift To Man
2-13 Mary Lou Thomas
2-14 Let Me Ride
2-15 It Didn't Take Long
2-16 Everybody's Got A Song To Sing
2-17 Roller Coaster
3-1 Let Me Down Easy
3-2 Funny How Time Slip Away
3-3 Two Can Be As Lonely As One
3-4 Hypnotic Music
3-5 Closet Queen
3-6 Gimme A Glass Of Water
3-7 You Hurt Your Mother Again
3-8 Everybody's Trippin
3-9 Finders Keepers
3-10 Only Time Will Tell
3-11 Everybody Party All Night
3-12 Skin I'm In
3-13 Morning Glory
3-14 Life And Death Part 1
3-15 White Rose (Freedom Flower)
3-16 Life And Death Part 2
3-17 Let's Have Some Fun
3-18 Love At First Sight
3-19 Only Love Can Break A Heart
3-20 Live With Me, Love With Me
3-21 You've Got Extra Added Power In Your Love
3-22 Someone Just Like You

"Beach Music Anthology" (Surfside 2006)

1-1 It Ain't What You Do, It's The Way You Do It 4:03
1-2 Give Me Just A Little More Time 2:36
1-3 On The Beach 3:23
1-4 Gone Fishin' 4:21
1-5 Dreamin' 3:41
1-6 Pay To The Piper 3:06
1-7 Carolina Girls 3:22
1-8 Summer Love 5:45
1-9 You Don't Know What Love Is 3:23
1-10 A Bird In The Hand 3:25
1-11 Alive And Kickin' 4:21
1-12 Loverboy 3:25
1-13 Shero 4:21
1-14 I Wanna Doop Doop Doop Your Doo Wop She Doo Wop 3:33
1-15 It Will Stand 2:19
2-1 Danglin' On A String 2:56
2-2 Beach Fever 3:41
2-3 Shaggin' The Night Away 3:30
2-4 When Can I See You Again 3:55
2-5 Let Me Down Easy 2:48
2-6 39-21-46 2:55
2-7 Pretty Women Everywhere 2:37
2-8 Patches 4:59
2-9 If It Ain't One Thing It's Another 4:03
2-10 Down At The Beach Club 2:55
2-11 Everything's Tuesday 3:05
2-12 Hold On, I'm Coming To Save You 3:55
2-13 Rockaway Beach 3:29
2-14 I'd Rather Be In Carolina 3:55
2-15 Better Late Than Never 4:29

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "All In The Family" (Excel 2005 )

This album has gone through many stages. Most of the material was released on the 12-track "Timeless" in 2002. It was re-issued in 2003 as "Timeless ll R&B" expanded to 16 Tracks. The first "Timeless" was released again with 17 tracks. The material was issued again with a new track "All In The Family" as "All In The Family: R&B The Way It Should Be" in 2004. They recorded a couple new tracks ("The Blacker The Berry" & "You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk") and released the album again as "All In The Family: Southern Soul"

"All In The Family: R&B The Way It Should Be""

1. All in the Family
2. You're the One
3. Three Women
4. I'll Be There for You
5. It Ain't Easy Being Me
6. Shoulda' Woulda' Coulda'
7. Handsome Man
8. The Bottom Line
9. Please Don't Walk Away
10. Patches
11. Gone Fishin'
12. Bless Your Heart
13. It Ain't What You Do
14. Don't Burn Bridges
15. Jerry's in Love
16. Somebody's Been Sleepin' (In My Bed)
17. Three Women [Extended Mix]

"All In The Family: Southern Soul"

1 All In The Family
2 You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk
3 The Blacker The Berry
4 You're The One
5 The Bottom Line
6 Three Women
7 Handsome Man
8 Somebody's Sleepin'
9 I'll Be There For You
10 Bless Your Heart
11 Shoulda' Woulda' Coulda'
12 It Ain't What You Do (It's The Way You Do It)
13 Gone Fishin'
14 It Ain't Easy Bein' Me
15 The Blacker The Berry (Extended Mix) (Bonus Track)

**** Icons of the still thriving Carolina "Beach Music" scene, The Chairmen Of The Board, have been shaggin' (it's a dance, thank you) their way up Southern Soul charts the last couple years. Now they're targeting this fantastic genre full fledged. Last year General Johnson, Danny Woods & Ken Knox enjoyed the runaway smash "Three Women" and have already made their mark in 2005 with the superb "The Blacker the Berry (The Sweeter The Juice)", not to mention Johnson's production work on "Southern Soul Electric Slide". (Although often credited to "Team Airplay Allstars", the "Slide" was recorded by the “Carolina Connection” a.k.a. “CC”. Team Airplay, the recording company, leased the recording from Surfside productions). Now, finally we get a full album of similar R & B gold. Well, actually, the album, "All In The Family Southern Soul" has an intriguing history. In 2002 an album called "Timeless R & B" was released as General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board containing many of the songs found on this new disc. Then in 2003 they released an expanded version of the previous album as "Timeless R & B 2", adding five more tracks and dropping "Life's A Beach". Wait! It's not over yet. In 2004 after "Three Women" became a hit they re-issued "Timeless R & B 2" as "All In The Family" with a 17th track added (an extended mix of "Three Women"). This latter incarnation made Blues Critic's Top Southern Soul, Rhythm & Blues CDs for 2004. Well, the twelve choicest songs from this batch, including the extended "Three Women", are back with a new version of the title song recut "Southern Soul"-style. Of course there's two new good 'uns added ("The Blacker the Berry" in 2 versions and the equally good "You Gonna Crawl Before You Walk"). Every song is Grade A quality, like a "Best Of", from the thumping "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", the sleek "The Bottom Line", the timeless and charming "Gone Fishin'" to the swinging romancer "Bless Your Heart". All songs were penned & produced by leader and founder Johnson. Hopefully this time these songs will get the attention they've deserved all along.

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "Merry Christmas" (Surfside 2007)

1 I'll Be Home For Christmas
2 White Christmas
3 Please Come Home For Christmas
4 Santa Claus (Please Bring my Baby Home)
5 This Christmas
6 King of Kings (what christmas truly means)
7 Joy to the World
8 Silent Night
9 The Christmas Song
10 Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
11 Christmas Just Ain't Christmas
12 What Are You Doing New Years Eve

"...A Little More Time: The Very Best Of" (Invictus 2009)

Disc 1
1 –Chairmen Of The Board Give Me Just A Little More Time
2 –Chairmen Of The Board Since The Days Of Pigtails (And Fairy Tales)
3 –Chairmen Of The Board You Got Me Dangling On A String
4 –Chairmen Of The Board I'll Come Crawling
5 –Chairmen Of The Board Patches
6 –Chairmen Of The Board Everything's Tuesday
7 –Chairmen Of The Board Pay To The Piper
8 –Chairmen Of The Board Bless You
9 –Chairmen Of The Board Chairman Of The Board
10 –Chairmen Of The Board When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me
11 –Chairmen Of The Board Tricked And Trapped (By A Tricky Trapper)
12 –Chairmen Of The Board Hanging On To A Memory
13 –Chairmen Of The Board Try On My Love For Size
14 –Chairmen Of The Board Working On A Building Of Love
15 –Chairmen Of The Board Men Are Getting Scarce
16 –Chairmen Of The Board Bravo, Hooray
17 –Chairmen Of The Board All We Need Is Understanding
18 –Chairmen Of The Board It Was Almost Something
Disc 2
1 –Chairmen Of The Board Elmo James
2 –Chairmen Of The Board Bittersweet
3 –Chairmen Of The Board So Glad You're Mine
4 –Chairmen Of The Board I'm On My Way To A Better Place
5 –Chairmen Of The Board Saginaw County Line
6 –Chairmen Of The Board Weary Traveller
7 –Chairmen Of The Board Le Me Down Easy
8 –Chairmen Of The Board Everybody Party All Night
9 –Chairmen Of The Board Skin I'm In
10 –Chairmen Of The Board Morning Glory
11 –Chairmen Of The Board Life And Death In G & A (Part 1)
12 –Chairmen Of The Board White Rose (Freedom Flower)
13 –Chairmen Of The Board Life And Death In G & A (Part 2)
14 –Chairmen Of The Board Let's Have Some Fun
15 –Chairmen Of The Board Only Love Can Break A Heart
16 –Chairmen Of The Board Finders Keepers
17 –Danny Woods Roller Coaster
18 –General Johnson Only Time Will Tell

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "Treasure Chest" (Surfside 2010)

1 Carolina Man
2 As Good As It Gets
3 Jerry's in Love
4 Alive & Kickin'
5 Bless Your Heart
6 Don't Walk Away
7 Summer Love
8 Dreamin'
9 A Bird in the Hand
10 There's No Me Without You
11 You Don't Know What Love Is
12 Shaggin' the Night Away

General Johnson & The Chairmen Of The Board "Soul Tapestry" (Surfside 2010)

1. Chances Are
2. Keep On Foolin' Me
3. I Go Crazy
4. That's My Story (And I'm Stickin' To It)
5. Can't Get Over You
6. Beatin' The Bushes
7. What A Woman Wants
8. Bittersweet
9. You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk
10. Three Women
11. For Old Times' Sake
12. What's Up
13. All In The Family
14. Please Give Some Love Today
15. That's My Story (And I'm stickin' To It) [Extended Mix] [*]

*** Final full length to feature General Johnson as leader of The Chairmen Of The Board. Like it's predecessor "All In The Family" the album caters to both kinds of "Southern Soul". The Beach Music scene refers to itself as "Southern Soul" and of course we have the style championed by this website (often called "Soul Blues"). "That's My Story (And I'm Sticking To It)" was a hit in the Soul Blues market. Meanwhile tracks like "I Go Crazy" will keep the shaggers preoccupied.

"Executive Group" (Harmless 2012)

1 Working On A Building Of Love
2 (You've Got Me) Dangling On A String
3 Pay To The Piper
4 Give Me Just A Little More Time
5 Everything's Tuesday
6 Chairman Of The Board
7 Elmo James
8 Finders Keepers
9 Everybody Party All Night
10 Feelin' Alright
11 Come Together
12 Skin I'm In
13 I'm A Sign Of Changing Times
14 I'm On My Way To A Better Place
15 Hanging On To A Memory
16 Since The Days Of Pigtails (And Fairy Tales)
17 Patches
18 When Will She Need Me
19 Let's Have Some Fun
20 So Glad You're Mine
21 You've Got Extra Added Power In Your Love

The Chairmen Of The Board & Ken Knox "Soul Tapestry" (MoPhilly Intl 2017)

1 Each Morning I Wake Up
2 Get Your Lovin' DJ Mix
3 Words Left Unsaid
4 I'm Ready, Willing, And Able
5 No One Else
6 All I Need Is You Tonight
7 Get Your Lovin'