Biography
The Chairmen of the Board stood among Detroit's most polished and widely embraced soul groups of the early seventies, earning their greatest notice through the stuttering single "Give Me Just a Little More Time," which reached number three. Their run near the summit of the R&B charts proved short, beginning with a Top Ten placement in 1970 and ending in 1973, although the ensemble produced several lasting soul classics of the decade, all marked by the high, trembling vocals of General Norman Johnson, who composed the majority of the group's songs.
A native of Norfolk, VA, Johnson sang in church choirs as a youngster and assembled his first vocal ensemble, the Humdingers, at age 12. While still in high school he launched the Showmen, and during his senior year the band cut the rock & roll tribute "It Will Stand," a single that brushed the pop and R&B charts in 1961. Johnson remained with the Showmen for seven more years, issuing a string of regional hits on Minit and Swan Records. By the close of the group's run its recordings had become fixtures on the East Coast beach music circuit. In 1968 Johnson left to pursue solo work, eventually reaching Detroit, MI, where he joined the new Invictus label founded by former Motown producers and songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland. There he assembled a lineup that included ex-Showmen Danny Woods, Harrison Kennedy from the Stone Soul Children, and Eddie Curtis, previously of Lee Andrews & the Hearts and Huey Smith & the Clowns. The act initially used the name the Gentlemen before adopting the Chairmen of the Board.
Their debut single, "Give Me Just a Little More Time," became an immediate success, climbing to number three pop and number eight R&B in early 1970 and placing Invictus on the industry map. Follow-up releases "(You've Got Me) Dangling on a String" and "Everything's Tuesday" secured further R&B chart traction yet stalled at number 38 pop. The next single, "Pay to the Piper," reached number 13 pop and marked their final Top 40 entry. From 1971 to 1974 the group found stronger support on the R&B side with tracks such as "Chairman of the Board" (1971) and "Finder's Keepers" (1973), both entering the Top Ten. Despite steady single releases the band halted recording in 1971, prompting a brief split. They regrouped the next year and concentrated on the Southeast beach music circuit, where their earlier sides continued to register as regional successes. Although chart momentum proved elusive, Johnson's compositions scored hits for Clarence Carter ("Patches"), Freda Payne ("Bring the Boys Home"), and Honey Cone, who tallied three chart entries—"Want Ads," "Stick Up," and "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show"—with his material.
The Chairmen of the Board maintained an active schedule of touring and album releases until disbanding in 1976, after which each member issued solo projects. Johnson and Woods briefly continued performing under the Chairmen name before Johnson signed with Arista in the late seventies. His output for that label yielded several hits reflecting contemporary disco influences. In the early eighties he rejoined Woods as the Chairmen, and the duo sustained regular Southeast touring engagements over the following two decades.
A native of Norfolk, VA, Johnson sang in church choirs as a youngster and assembled his first vocal ensemble, the Humdingers, at age 12. While still in high school he launched the Showmen, and during his senior year the band cut the rock & roll tribute "It Will Stand," a single that brushed the pop and R&B charts in 1961. Johnson remained with the Showmen for seven more years, issuing a string of regional hits on Minit and Swan Records. By the close of the group's run its recordings had become fixtures on the East Coast beach music circuit. In 1968 Johnson left to pursue solo work, eventually reaching Detroit, MI, where he joined the new Invictus label founded by former Motown producers and songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland. There he assembled a lineup that included ex-Showmen Danny Woods, Harrison Kennedy from the Stone Soul Children, and Eddie Curtis, previously of Lee Andrews & the Hearts and Huey Smith & the Clowns. The act initially used the name the Gentlemen before adopting the Chairmen of the Board.
Their debut single, "Give Me Just a Little More Time," became an immediate success, climbing to number three pop and number eight R&B in early 1970 and placing Invictus on the industry map. Follow-up releases "(You've Got Me) Dangling on a String" and "Everything's Tuesday" secured further R&B chart traction yet stalled at number 38 pop. The next single, "Pay to the Piper," reached number 13 pop and marked their final Top 40 entry. From 1971 to 1974 the group found stronger support on the R&B side with tracks such as "Chairman of the Board" (1971) and "Finder's Keepers" (1973), both entering the Top Ten. Despite steady single releases the band halted recording in 1971, prompting a brief split. They regrouped the next year and concentrated on the Southeast beach music circuit, where their earlier sides continued to register as regional successes. Although chart momentum proved elusive, Johnson's compositions scored hits for Clarence Carter ("Patches"), Freda Payne ("Bring the Boys Home"), and Honey Cone, who tallied three chart entries—"Want Ads," "Stick Up," and "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show"—with his material.
The Chairmen of the Board maintained an active schedule of touring and album releases until disbanding in 1976, after which each member issued solo projects. Johnson and Woods briefly continued performing under the Chairmen name before Johnson signed with Arista in the late seventies. His output for that label yielded several hits reflecting contemporary disco influences. In the early eighties he rejoined Woods as the Chairmen, and the duo sustained regular Southeast touring engagements over the following two decades.
Albums
Singles
