Eric K. (SoulfulStuff)
Reviewed on 2/3/2017...
General Johnson (his given name) first found fame with his early 1960s group
the Showmen, whose 1961 anthem "It Will Stand" became a favorite of beach
music dancers on the Carolina shore. A series of recordings for the Minit
and Swan labels produced other beach classics but no further national hits.
By the late 60s, the Showmen had run their course and Johnson was looking
for another deal. Along came Motown expats Holland-Dozier-Holland, scouting
recruits for their new Invictus label. They matched Johnson with three
other musicians to form the Chairmen of the Board, whose first release was
"Give Me Just a Little More Time," a top ten hit across America in 1970.
The group would place five more singles on the Billboard Hot 100 ending in 1974.
At the same time, Johnson was proving his talent as a songwriter, too, with
hits like Clarence Carter's "Patches" (Grammy winner for best R&B song, 1971).
He also co-wrote Freda Payne's anti-war hit "Bring the Boys Home" and
Honey Cone's "Want Ads" and "Stick Up."
In 1976, Johnson found himself at Arista records, where his first single,
"All in the Family," was his most successful, reaching #22 on Billboard's
soul chart. Four subsequent Arista singles made the chart as well,
including "Don't Walk Away," which only reached #42 but is today considered
a highlight of the Arista sides. Most of the Arista material was combined
on an album which was inexplicably held back from release until 1977, when
it was issued to little fanfare and no chart success.
This disc features 11 of Johnson's best Arista tracks, plus a "special disco
version" of "Don't Walk Away." This is stellar 1970s soul, in a class with more
commercially successful music from the same era by the likes of Johnnie
Taylor, the Spinners, Manhattans, etc.
After his Arista stint, Johnson returned to his Carolina roots and
reunited with another of the former members of Chairmen of the Board.
They recorded pleasant music suited to the dancing crowds who continued
to support the beach music scene.
As the author of this disc's booklet says, Johnson's "inimitable
voice always identified everything that he was involved with as a
singer."
General Johnson died at age 69 in 2010.