General Norman Johnson,

lead singer of the soul vocal trio Chairmen of the Board,died Wednesday at age 67.

His group was best known for the song “Give Me Just a Little More Time,” a favorite of Carolina beach music and shag dancing aficionados. It’s a defining song of the Southern soul sub-genre.

The track climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart in 1970.

The group would release three more Top 40 hits in 1970,

but that was the end of the Chairmen’s chart run.

Johnson was born in Virginia but started his career in Raleigh, N.C., with another beach music phenomenon, the Showmen (“It Will Stand”), before relocating to Detroit in the late 1960s. The Chairmen of the Board came together there, but the group later flew south, where there was always demand for the singers who created beach music’s classics.

According to the Charolotte Observer, Johnson’s bandmate Ken Knox says that the band moved south in the early ’80s. Johnson settled in Atlanta, but Knox came to Charlotte, which is the headquarters of the group’s record label.

Though he’s probably best known for “Give Me Just a Little More Time,” Johnson won a Grammy for best R&B song in 1970 for writing Clarence Carter’s Top 5 hit “Patches,” a hard-luck tearjerker about growing up poor.

[Edited 10/14/10 19:57pm]

Sad to hear about General Johnson.

Absolute legend.... Salute the General R.I.P.

HuMpThAnG said:

General Norman Johnson,

lead singer of the soul vocal trio Chairmen of the Board,died Wednesday at age 67.

His group was best known for the song “Give Me Just a Little More Time,” a favorite of Carolina beach music and shag dancing aficionados. It’s a defining song of the Southern soul sub-genre.

The track climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart in 1970.

The group would release three more Top 40 hits in 1970,

but that was the end of the Chairmen’s chart run.

Johnson was born in Virginia but started his career in Raleigh, N.C., with another beach music phenomenon, the Showmen (“It Will Stand”), before relocating to Detroit in the late 1960s. The Chairmen of the Board came together there, but the group later flew south, where there was always demand for the singers who created beach music’s classics.

According to the Charolotte Observer, Johnson’s bandmate Ken Knox says that the band moved south in the early ’80s. Johnson settled in Atlanta, but Knox came to Charlotte, which is the headquarters of the group’s record label.

Though he’s probably best known for “Give Me Just a Little More Time,” Johnson won a Grammy for best R&B song in 1970 for writing Clarence Carter’s Top 5 hit “Patches,” a hard-luck tearjerker about growing up poor.

[Edited 10/14/10 19:57pm]

another piece of my early childhood slipping away. loved 'give me just a little more time' and i also remember 'patches'. it was later covered by a country singer, really appropriate given its subject matter - hard luck stories and country music go hand in hand!

i also remember 'pay to the piper' and 'chairman of the board'. man, reminds me of old los angeles, back in the early 70s . . . .

He was not only a great singer but he wrote great songs. He repped Virginia too. RIP.

I remember "Give Me Just a Little More Time" since the days it played dozens of times a day on the radio back in the early 70's. Used to love that sound he made with his mouth after the line "...and our love will surely grow". The sad part, aside from the passing of General Johnson, is that I never gave any thought to who actually sang the song (...aside from it being "The Chairmen of The Board").

May General Johnson be resting peacefully.

HuMpThAnG said:

Johnson won a Grammy for best R&B song in 1970 for writing Clarence Carter’s Top 5 hit “Patches,” a hard-luck tearjerker about growing up poor.

Boy, THAT's putting it mildly. "Patches" is so sad, I can hardly even listen to it today, lol. I remember back when that song used to play on the radio 20 times a day also. Sometimes (...like right now), I really-really miss the 70's.

Requiescat in pace, General J.