Search - General Johnson :: The Best Of The Arista Years

The Best Of The Arista Years
General Johnson
The Best Of The Arista Years
Genres: Pop, R&B, Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (12) - Disc #1

UK collection from the late, great Soul vocalist which compiles his '70s recordings for the Arista label. General Johnson is best-remembered as the principal member of the hit making Chairmen of the Board, for whom he prov...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: General Johnson
Title: The Best Of The Arista Years
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Edsel Records UK
Release Date: 4/12/2011
Album Type: Import
Genres: Pop, R&B, Rock
Style: Soul
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 740155105730

Synopsis

Product Description
UK collection from the late, great Soul vocalist which compiles his '70s recordings for the Arista label. General Johnson is best-remembered as the principal member of the hit making Chairmen of the Board, for whom he provided lead vocals and wrote many of the hits, such as 'Give Me Just a Little More Time'. After the dissolution of the Chairmen of the Board, Johnson signed to the Arista label in 1976. He recorded one album and a handful of singles, brought together in this package. The extensive booklet notes are provided by acknowledged authority Tony Rounce. This is the first time that these tracks have been brought together on one CD. Edsel.

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Member CD Reviews

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.