Beach music icon General Johnson dead

The State ^ | Oct. 14, 2010 | Steven Brown

[mcjordansc]

General Norman Johnson, lead singer of the popular beach music trio Chairmen of the Board, died Wednesday. He was 67. "It saddens me to announce the passing of our friend and hero General Johnson," wrote singer Ken Knox, a member of the band, on their Facebook page. "He held a special place in his heart for each and everyone of you. His music will live on."

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2010/10/14/1513359/beach-music-icon-general-johnson.html#ixzz12NqRZqNZ

[AppyPappy]

The Jolly Knave in Atlantic Beach
The Bushes in Greensboro
The Embers in Burlington
Fat Harold’s and Across The Street in Ocean Drive

And of course, the May Day/Labor Day beach festivals in Jamestown NC. Bill Griffin and a thousand of his closest friends and where I met my wife. We shagged together for the first and last time to the sounds of the General and the COB that day. I’m from NC so I three-step bop and she is from Virginia where they two-step.

[moovova]

Good Great memories.

My wife and I drove down the strip in MB this weekend. Some sort of October Fest thing going on had the street closed down where the Pavilion USED to be...

[Minutemen]

"Just a Little More Time"
is the only song by Chairman of the Board that I ever heard on radio (sure wasn't beach music).. Did not know he was a "general" either. At any rate, rest in peace.

[luckybogey]

Chairmen Of The Board ~ Patches ~ LIVE 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REaD0aoxejc&feature=related

I was born and raised down in Alabama
On a farm way back up in the woods
I was so ragged the kids would call me patches
Papa used to kid me about it
Of course deep down inside
He was thinkin he had done all he could do
My papa was a great old man
I can see him with a shovel in his hand
See, education he never had
But he did wonders when the time got bad
A little money from the crops he raised
Barely paid the bills we made
Oh life had kicked him down to the plow
When he tried to get up life would kick him back down
One day papa called me to his dyin bed
Put his hands on my shoulders And in tears he said
Patches, I’m depending on you son
To pull the family through My son, it’s all left up to you

Two days later papa passed away
I became a man that day
So I told mama I was gonna quit school
But she said that was dad’s strictest rule
So every morning ‘fore I went to school
I fed the chickens and I chopped wood too
Sometimes I felt that I couldn’t go on
I wanted to leave this but I wanted a home
But I always remembered what my daddy said
With tears in his eyes on his dyin bed
He said, “Patches, I’m depending on you son
I tried to do my best, It’s up to you to do the rest

But then one day a strong rain came
And washed all the crops away
And at the age of thirteen I thought I was carrying
The weight of the whole world on my shoulders
And you know, mama knew what I was going through, Cause
Everyday I had to work the fields
Cause that’s the only way we got our meals
You see, I was the oldest of a family
And everybody else depended on me
Every night I heard my mama pray
Lord, give him the strength to face another day
Though years have passed and all the kids are gone
I aimed to take my mama to a brand new home
God knows people that I shed a tear
My daddy’s voice helped me through the years
Sayin, “Patches, I’m depending on you son
To pull the family through My son, it’s all left up to you
I could still hear papa when he’d say
Patches, I’m depending on you son
I tried to do my best It’s up to you to do the rest”.

[wideawake]

Beach music was a form of southern soul music that was very popular in summer rental communities from the Jersey Shore to Georgia in the early 60s.

[WVKayaker]

My second son* is a trumpet player. While attending college in Greensboro (NC), he got a summer job paying with the O'Kayssions (I'm a girl watcher!). He spend a lot of good hours bumping the riffs with these guys. Though white, they had the same soulful sound...

I am a native Tarheel, surf bum, and fellow traveler (but not a musician)... but at 63, I don't do Myrtle Beach. I spent most of my time a few miles north at some smaller places with better surf (not that there is such a thing on the east coast!)...

As a free-lance artist, his sound has been heard in concert with such artists as Freddie Cole, the Jimmy Dorsey Big Band, and the Okayssions. He can also be heard on Keith Wesby's CD Once and Again. and Before Dawn
*As a band leader, you can find Aaron Noe leading his Big Band, the Aaron Noe Jazz Orchestra and his quartet,the Aaron Noe Jazz 4, in performances at a variety of venues. The Aaron Noe Jazz Ensembles have been featured at some of the finest jazz clubs and festivals and have backed top artists including jazz legend, James Moody.