Chairmen 0f The Board
Briefly known as the Gentlemen, this Detroit based quartet was instigated
by General Norman Johnson (b. 23 May 1944, Norfolk, Virginia USA). A former
member of the Showmen ,he left that group in 1968 intent on a solo path, but
instead joined Danny Woods (b. 10 April 1944 Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Harrison
Kennedy [b Canada) and Eddie Curtis (b. Philadelphia Pennsylvania, USA) in
this budding venture. Signed to the newly formed Invictus label, the group
secured an international hit with the debut single, ‘Give Me Just A Little
More Time’. His elated performance established the General’s emphatic
delivery, which combined the emotional fire of the Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs
with the idiomatic ‘trilling’ of Billy Stewart. Its follow-up, the vibrant
‘(You’ve Got Me Dangling On A String’, was a more substantial hit in the
UK than America, the first of several releases following this pattern. Such
commercial contradictions did not detract from the excellence of ‘Everything’s
Tuesday’, ‘Pay to The Piper’ (both 1971) and ‘I’m On My Way To A
Better Place’ (1972) as the group furthered its impressive repertoire.
Although Johnson provided the most recognizable voice, Woods and Kennedy also
shared the lead spotlight ,whìle the overall sound varied from assertive
R&B to the melancholia of ‘Patches’, later a hit for Clarence Carter.
The group ceased recording1971, but singles continued to appear until 1976 while a final album, Skin I’m In (1974),was
also compiled from old masters. Curtis left Invictus altogether but the
remaining trio each issued solo albums. Johnson also worked with stablemates
the Honey Cone and 100 Proof while, he and Woods, kept the Chairmen name with
live performances.The General subsequently signed with Arista,where he scored
a series of late 70s R&B hits before reuniting with Woods. Releases
including ‘Down At The Beach Club’ (1981) On The Beach’ (1982), reflect
their enduring popularity on the American beach/vintage soul music scene.
Albums: as the Chairmen Of The Board[ Chairmen Of The Board (1969), In Session (1970),men are Getting Scarce (Bittersweet) (1972), Skin I’m In (1974), as General Johnson And The chairmen Success (1981), A Gift Of Beach Music 1982). Compilations: Salute The General (1983), A.G.M. (1985). Solos: General Johnson Generally Speaking (1972), General Johnson 1976), Harrison Kennedy Hypnotic Music[1 972), Danny Woods Aries (1972).