SPN: RIP: General Johnson, Chairmen of the Board, Showman, Ray Charles, Jessie Stone, Give Me Just A Little More Time, Pay To The Piper, It Will Stand, All in the Family, Ken Knox, Danny Woods, Carolina Beach Music, Surfside Records, Southern Soul, Blacker the Berry, Jessie Stone, RRHOF
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General Johnson, rock n' roll pioneer, grammy award winning sonwriter, music executive and lead singer of both the Chairmen of the Board and the Showman, died this week at age 69. For more info go to his website: http://www.chairmenoftheboard.com 
Chairmen of the Board: All In The Family - All In The Family, Give Me Just A Little More Time, It Will Stand, All In The Family, You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk, The Blacker The Berry, You’re The One, The Bottom Line, Three Women, Handsome Man, Somebody’s Sleepin’, I’ll Be There For You, Bless Your Heart, It Ain’t What You Do (it’s the way you do it), Shoulda’ Woulda’ Coulda’, Gone Fishin’, It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Me, Bonus Track The Blacker The Berry (Extended Mix), Pay To The Piper, Chairman of the Board Also posted at: http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2006/news6/chairman.html Welcome To The Soul-Patrol Newsletter
Chairmen of the Board: All In The Family - All In The Family, Give Me Just A Little More Time, It Will Stand, All In The Family, You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk, The Blacker The Berry, You’re The One, The Bottom Line, Three Women, Handsome Man, Somebody’s Sleepin’, I’ll Be There For You, Bless Your Heart, It Ain’t What You Do (it’s the way you do it), Shoulda’ Woulda’ Coulda’, Gone Fishin’, It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Me, Bonus Track The Blacker The Berry (Extended Mix), Pay To The Piper, Chairman of the Board BIO: General Johnson/Chairmen of the Board
My career has been a long exciting journey with all roads leading to the musical oasis called Beach Music. In the spring of 1966 in Raleigh, North Carolina, as lead singer of the Showmen, I performed before my first Beach Music audience. Thinking Beach Music was music by artist like The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean, we nervously performed a variety of rhythm and blues classics. Surprisingly, each song was met with the audience's approval. As we ended the show with our regional hit "39-21-46" and our nationally charted hit song, "It Will Stand," the audience responded by applauding us back for an encore. Because we didn't know any other songs to perform, we sang two more verses of "It Will Stand" and spontaneously, began to adlib the chorus of Bruce Channel's song "Hey Baby." As we sang "Hey Baby," we waved our hands in the air and to our surprise, everyone in the audience responded by doing the same. When we concluded the show with a bow, the audience showed their appreciation by rewarding us with another thunderous round of applause. That spring night, I understood, appreciated and became a part of the Beach Music phenomenon.In 1968, 1 moved to Detroit, Michigan to further my career with Invictus Records. As a member of The Chairmen of the Board, I experienced and enjoyed international success as a songwriter and an artist. My success in such a short period of time magnified the business dealings with my recording and management companies. Soon, business disagreements deteriorated our musical relationship and eventually terminated our successful venture. In 1974, 1 left Invictus. In 1978, 1 returned to the Carolina's with The Chairmen of the Board. For the first time in eight years, I enjoyed performing music without the depression of the music business. I found an independent music industry that was still free of monopoly, politics and categorization. I felt the energy of an industry propelled by its loyal supporters. In 1979, 1, along with the late Mike Branch, formed Surfside Records. Our objective was to record new music to revitalize the identity of a thriving music market that was slowly being recognized as and too dependent on old recordings. In 1981, two years after forming Surfside Records, I was contacted by Motown Records, leading to discussions with then CEO Mr. Berry Gordy Jr. The meetings at his home in California were personable and candid. His offer could have proven to be financially lucrative for me but would have meant moving to California and abandoning Surfside Records and the musical utopia that I had found to be a safe haven. I respectfully declined Motown offer and for years, I wondered if I had made the right decision. Nineteen years later, I have absolutely no regrets. Those years have been filled with excitement and personal fulfillment that exceeds any monetary gains that I could have attained. I'd like to sincerely thank all Beach Music lovers and supporters for affording me the opportunity to create and perform, without compromise, the music that we treasure. I am humbly appreciative and honored to be a part of the Carolina Beach Music phenomenon. --General Johnson --------------------------- And there is more!!! (a whole lot more....) Check out the site at the following link: http://www.chairmenoftheboard.com
Chairmen of the Board: All In The Family - Give Me Just A Little More Time, It Will Stand, All In The Family, You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk, The Blacker The Berry, You’re The One, The Bottom Line, Three Women, Handsome Man, Somebody’s Sleepin’, I’ll Be There For You, Bless Your Heart, It Ain’t What You Do (it’s the way you do it), Shoulda’ Woulda’ Coulda’, Gone Fishin’, It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Me, Bonus Track The Blacker The Berry (Extended Mix), Pay To The Piper, Chairman of the Board (Southern Soul)  If I had written this the day I first heard this CD, this review would be filled with oohs and ahhs and a whole bunch of this the best CD i have heard in along time. it has now been over a month and my first impression has changed little. General Johnson has managed to capture some of best memories of 60's 70's and 80's i think there is one remake on this CD, but the whole things sounds familiar, in the best way.I hear echoes of Al Green, the Staple singers, Curtis Mayfield the Stax Label just for starters. the song "your the one" is an Al Green type song that does just fine with a General in charge, Handsome man is a nice novelty song the type that only southern soul artist seems to create anymore (you know express humor now and then). the title song All in the Family sets the same kind of mood as the Ojays "Family Reunion" but different tempo different song. Since someone has lifted my copy of All in the Family, I will tell you what i remember after playing it through the 4Th time. This CD is for all in your family, put it on at the BBQ, the family reunion, as halftime entertainment, what I am saying is if you are old school and you miss not only the music but the era, usher in this new era with that ole skool flava provided in a very splendid way by the Chairmen of the Board. TRACK LISTING FOR: "ALL IN THE FAMILY" 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. It Ain't What You Do (it's the way you do it) 12. Shoulda' Woulda' Coulda' 13. Gone Fishin' 14. It Ain't Easy Bein' Me 15. Bonus Track The Blacker The Berry (Extended Mix) -- Enorman WVKO 1580 Columbus OH
Chairmen of the Board: All In The Family - All In The Family, Give Me Just A Little More Time, It Will Stand, All In The Family, You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk, The Blacker The Berry, You’re The One, The Bottom Line, Three Women, Handsome Man, Somebody’s Sleepin’, I’ll Be There For You, Bless Your Heart, It Ain’t What You Do (it’s the way you do it), Shoulda’ Woulda’ Coulda’, Gone Fishin’, It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Me, Bonus Track The Blacker The Berry (Extended Mix), Pay To The Piper, Chairman of the Board COMMENTARY: A few observations about General Norman Johnson...(Chairman of the Board) I first met General Johnson about 5 months ago. He told me that he was initially interested in Soul-Patrol because the Chairman of the Board had a new INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED CD called "ALL IN THE FAMILY" and he was interested in how we might be able to help get the word out about the new album and his website.However during our initial telephone conversation, we talked little about the new CD, which incidentally is off the chain and you can listen to parts of it at his website. What that first telephone conversation was mostly about were just two things. - Him talking - Me listening He was most impressed with the fact that Soul-Patrol had so much documentation up on the site about Mr. Jessie Stone. Turns out that General Johnson and Jessie Stone had not only worked together at Atlantic Records back in the 1950's, but also were great friends. He spent the bulk of that initial 2 hour conversation telling me stories about Jessie Stone and asking me if there wasn't some way of insuring that this man got the recognition that he deserved. Then we started talking about the RRHOF and how certain artists were getting screwed. Yup, Yup, during that first conversation General Norman Johnson... TOOK ME TO SCHOOL In subsequent conversations, we talked quite a bit about how HE HAD GOTTEN SCREWED by the music industry. There is a section up on his site that he calls "The Music Bandits", where he scratches the surface on a concept that has much in common with what we have been calling "Culture Banditry" here on Soul-Patrol. http://www.chairmenoftheboard.com When you go to his site and begin to understand the sheer enormity of his contributions it becomes painfully obvious that much like his mentor Jessie Stone, General Norman Johnson also belongs in the RRHOF as well. This man has not only performed many, many hit songs. But he has written even more, for many other artists, some of which he has never gotten the credit for. For example, in addition to all of the great well known songs that he wrote that were hits for the Chairman of the Board in the 1970's, turns out that General Norman Johnson wrote many of the MILLION SELLING HIT SONGS we all know and love from artists like Clarence Carter, The Honey Cone, 100 Proof Aged in Soul, Freda Payne. http://www.chairmenoftheboard.com Hell, even if he did nothing else but writing the song... :::"IT WILL STAND"::: Which is a song that very accurately predicts just how this MULTI BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS, created by men like JESSIE STONE, which we refer to today as "rock n' roll" would indeed become a resilient force in American Society. HE DESERVES HIS PROPS FROM EVERYBODY Is that what I am saying? Why should you believe me? After all, I am just a little "colored boy" from Brooklyn Actually I am only paraphrasing what Dick Clark has said about the song: :::"IT WILL STAND"::: Want to learn more? Go to General Johnson's website and be taken to school on some of the history of BLACK MUSIC that you thought you knew and you will quickly learn (just as I did), just how little you do know! Isn't it ironic that the very people who created this business, such as JESSIE STONE and GENERAL JOHNSON have been relegated to the scrap heap of history, while artists like the Sex Pistols, Black Sabbath and others get to reap all of the money and recognition that was made possible in the first place by people like JESSIE STONE and GENERAL JOHNSON? Once again the questions must be asked..."Why does Soul-Patrol exist"? "Why bother to even cover an event like the RRHOF Inductions"? Greer's Comments from the 2006 RRHOF Inductions It's because we need to be able to discuss things in their proper context. And the stories of men like JESSIE STONE and GENERAL JOHNSON are a reminder of exactly what that context needs to be. Above and beyond that, General Johnson has actually inspired me to do more with Soul-Patrol. If you go to the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/south.htm One of the reason we now have this evolving area on our website is because of the inspiration of General Johnson, now giving us a place to talk about NEW MUSIC currently being produced by artists like him! This site isn't quite where I want it to be yet, but if yall can: ::GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MO' TIME":: I can guarantee you all that: ::IT WILL STAND::: --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net
Chairmen of the Board: All In The Family - All In The Family, Give Me Just A Little More Time, It Will Stand, All In The Family, You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk, The Blacker The Berry, You’re The One, The Bottom Line, Three Women, Handsome Man, Somebody’s Sleepin’, I’ll Be There For You, Bless Your Heart, It Ain’t What You Do (it’s the way you do it), Shoulda’ Woulda’ Coulda’, Gone Fishin’, It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Me, Bonus Track The Blacker The Berry (Extended Mix), Pay To The Piper, Chairman of the Board RIP: General Johnson - School's In ("Chairmen of the Board, Ray Charles, Jessie Stone, It Will Stand, & more")  When I got the news of the General's passing, I was due to leave out of my house to teach my Thursday night class; called "Evolution of American Popular Music," (Blues, Country, Rock n' Roll, R&B, Jazz & Hip Hop) at Burlington County College, located in Suburban Philadelphia.As well I have learned over the past 15 years of doing Soul-Patrol is that the very artists that I need to spend a little bit of time, preparing a death announcement because they are an individual that I know pretty well are the ones who pass away just as I am about to run out the door or worse yet, "out & about." I made a few quick/small online postings about the General, changed the backround music on the main page of the Soul-Patrol site to: http://www.soul-patrol.net/chairmen.ram (which contains a 1.5 hour broadcast containing a career retrospective of the Chairmen of the Board, General Johnson, the Showman + the excellent 2005 Chairmen of the Board album "All In The Family.") I also received a telephone call from an upset Ken Knox. Ken is one of the members of the current day Chairmen of the Board and of course is a key partner of General Johnson. Ken had seen one of my quick/small online postings about the General and wanted to reach out to me. And thus was the case with General Johnson. I got the word of his passing at the most inconvenient of times for sure. However at the same time, it turned into quite literally the perfect time. That's because tonight was day #2 of the 5 day seminar of "Evolution of American Popular Music." Day #2 is called "The Evolution of Rock n Roll." When I first met General Johnson, back in the mid 2000's he told me that he had checked out the Soul-Patrol.com website and he told me that he was most impressed with the fact that we had an entire section devoted to Jessie Stone. When I asked the General why he liked our section on Jessie Stone the General said; "I worked with Jessie Stone at Atlantic Records back in the 1950's and yall are about the only folks that seem to realize that those SOB's need to put Jessie Stone into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. He was the REAL force behind building Atlantic Records and making Ray Charles into a star!!!" We then spent most of the next 3 hours talking about Jessie Stone.....(who of course has since been inducted into the RRHOF) Over the next few weeks I had many extended telephone conversations with General Johnson. We talked a whole lot about his long career and the many artists that he had been associated with from Ahmet Ertegen, Ray Charles, Holland Dozier Holland, Clarence Carter, The Honey Cone, 100 Proof Aged in Soul, Freda Payne and others. We also talked about his then new album called "All In The Family," it's popularity on the Southern Soul/Beach music charts, the analogies of Southern Soul/Beach music to the past and of course the struggle of being an indie artist in the 2000's. However most of what we talked about was the history of Rock n' Roll, Soul their intersections musically, culturally and the pure absurdity of how inaccurate way they are historically represented. You see, the General was first and foremost a historian and was most interested in making sure that the history was as accurately represented as possible. His own history for sure, but most importantly, the history of those whom he felt had great contributions, but had been marginalized by the mainstream, such as Jessie Stone. In the 15 or so minutes that I had before I had to leave to teach my class, I decided that I was going to discuss the passing and the historical importance of General Johnson during the Rock n' Roll section of my class. In fact I was going to discuss General Johnson in lieu of a special section I had created just for the class to discuss the recent passing of Solomon Burke as well as the resurgence of interest in the Beatles sparked by the 70th birthday of John Lennon. Despite having made that descion, I then realized that I had no prepared material on General Johnson and decided to simply "wing it," and put together a game plan for the class during the drive over. The class features me going thru a PowerPoint presentation of material, augmented with audio/video clips taken from Soul-Patrol.com, RadioIO.com and other internet sources. The class is interactive and students are encouraged to bring up their own topics as well within the general framework of the discussion. During the class I already had a section where we discuss the time period of 1957 - 1960, when it appears that Rock n' Roll just might be on the decline because of the deaths of Buddy Holly, Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, the retirement of Little Richard, the arrest of Chuck Berry, the marriage of Jerry Lee Lewis to his under aged cousin, and of course Elvis going into the army. I wrote all of this out on the classroom whiteboard, in one column. Then I wrote out in a second column: "GENERAL" NORMAN JOHNSON HITS - The Showman - "It Will Stand" (1961) - Chairmen of the Board - "Give Me Just A Little More Time" (1970) - Clarence Carter - "Patches" (1971) - Freda Payne - "Bring The Boys Home" (1971) - Chairmen of the Board - "All In The Family" (2006)  broadcast: http://www.soul-patrol.net/chairmen.ram "Nightrain" starts off the broadcast by playing Chairmen of the Board - "Give Me Just A Little More Time" for about a minute and then segues into The Showman - "It Will Stand." As the music plays in the background, going back & forth between the two songs, "Nightrain" explains to the audience the historical significance of "IT WILL STAND," a song written by "GENERAL" NORMAN JOHNSON, which proudly announces that ROCK N' ROLL WILL STAND FOREVER. It will stand forever despite the then absence from the scene of the great artists, that I have listed on the whiteboard. I shut off the audio after "Nightrain's" explanation and told the class that "General" Norman Johnson had just passed away today. He was a friend & inspiration to me, I had just found out right before class and I was absolutely positive that "General" Norman Johnson would have wanted me to mention his name in conjunction with the "Evolution of Rock n' Roll Music." The classroom then stood up and applauded. Certainly before last night, not a single one of them had ever heard the name, "General" Norman Johnson used in a sentence. I am absolutely positive that the names "General" Norman Johnson or "Showman" or Chairmen of the Board," will ever be announced as inductee's into the hallowed halls of the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. However I am now absolutely positive that a bunch of students at Burlington County College understand exactly why names like "General" Norman Johnson or "Showman" or Chairmen of the Board," ABSOLUTELY BELONG IN THE ROCK N' ROLL HALL OF FAME. (and they also understand exactly why it is unlikely to ever happen) Nevertheless, I also know that on this day, "General" Norman Johnson is smiling down on Bob Davis. That is because he not only "took me to school," but more importantly gave me the tools that I needed in order to "take others to school," that he most certainly could not reach. Smile on, mah brotha, smile on.... --Bob Davis (10/15/2010) http://www.soul-patrol.net/chairmen.ram LYRICS TO: "IT WILL STAND" - SHOWMAN (1961) (written by: "General" Norman Johnson) You take some music music sweet flowin music a little movin and groovin' and rock n roll will stand you take heart beat stone beat finger poppin and a stompin beat a little dance that looks so neat you see why it will stand but folks don't understand it and that's why they don't demand it they're out tryin' to ruin but forgive them they know not what they're doin don't you misname it in fact you might as well claim it it's swept this whole wide land rock n roll, forever will stand Allright hear those guitars twangin' sharper than lightnin' hear those drums beat louder than thunder but folks don't understand it and that's why they don't demand it they're out tryin' to ruin but forgive them they know not what they're doin don't you misname it in fact you might as well claim it it's swept this whole wide land rock n roll, forever will stand --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com If you have a news item, update, review, commentary, etc that you would like to submit to the Soul-Patrol Newsletter, please send them via email for consideration to:
earthjuice@prodigy.net |
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