Joe Chambers (singer)
Joe Chambers aka Joseph Chambers was a singer, guitarist, songwriter and arranger. He was also a member of the 1960s group, The Chambers Brothers. The songs he wrote or co-wrote include, "Don't Lose Your Cool", the 1960s psychedelic soul song; "Time Has Come Today", "A New Time, A New Day", "Love, Peace and Happiness", and others.
Joe Chambers | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joseph Lamar Chambers 22 August 1942 |
| Died | 15 August 2024 (aged 81) |
| Genres | Blues, gospel, rock, soul |
| Occupations | Musician, Hairdresser |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1960s - 2020s |
| Formerly of | The Chambers Brothers, The Chambers Brothers Band, The Joe Chambers Experience, Ash Grove Alumni |
Joe Chambers aka Joseph Chambers was a singer, guitarist, songwriter and arranger. He was also a member of the 1960s group, The Chambers Brothers. The songs he wrote or co-wrote include, "Don't Lose Your Cool", the 1960s psychedelic soul song; "Time Has Come Today", "A New Time, A New Day", "Love, Peace and Happiness", and others.
Background
[edit]Joseph Lamar Chambers was born on 22 August 1942[1] in his grandmother's house in Scott County, Mississippi. He was the youngest of the sons.[2] His family was a sharecropping family. He was one of eight boys. He also had five sisters.[3][4] He was eight years old when the family moved to Dolittle, Leake County, near the city of Carthage.
There was music in the house. His brothers Major and Willie both played the guitar. It was around 1965 that he became more interested in playing the guitar.[5]
Joe, Willie, Lester, George Chambers, along with drummer Brian Keenan made up The Chambers Brothers.[6] There were however earlier drummers who were with the brothers for short times. They were Mike Konnic[7][8] and Jesse "Nicky" Cahn.[9][10]
According to Ebony magazine, nobody in The Chambers Brothers line up was under six feet tall. Brian the drummer was six foot tall. Willie was six-foot-two, George and Lester were six-foot-three and Joe was six-foot-five tall.[11]
With brother Willie, Joe wrote "Time Has Come Today", which according to Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era by Bruce Pollock is one of the most enduring '60s chants.[12] It is Joe Chambers' lead vocal that is heard on the song.[13]
In later years he was fronting his band in Los Angeles, The Joe Chambers Experience. He also worked with Marva Holiday and recorded "To Love Somebody" which was released in 2019.[14]
Career
[edit]1960s
[edit]It was in part due to Joe Chambers that the Chambers Brothers got their start at the Ash Grove. Joe was a hairdresser, and he was straightening Lightnin' Hopkins' hair. Then they got talking to the club's owner Ed Pearl who the brothers a chance.[15]
The Chambers Brothers had been signed to the Vault record label since 1965.[16] Joe and Willie composed "Call Me" which was produced by Cliff Goldsmith. Backed with Joe's composition, "Seventeen", it was released in the US on Vault V-920 in 1965. It had a UK release on Vocalion 9276.[17][18] "Call Me" was performed on Hollywood a Go Go on 26 June 1965.[19][20] His composition, "Don't Lose Your Cool" was also performed on the same show. [21][22]
Joe Chambers composed the song "It's Groovin' Time" which appeared on the 1967 album Now. However, the song was credited to C. Perry.[23]
"Time Has Come Today"
[edit]According to brother Willie, Joe went to see Timothy Leary at ULCA and that inspired him to write "Time Has Come Today".[24][25] Most of the writing was by Joe, while Willie's contribution was more on the instrumentation side.[26] And the line, "My soul has been psychedelicized" is from Willie.[27] It was a hit and peaked at no. 11 on the Record World 100 Top Pops chart for the week of 28 September,[28] No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1968,[29] and no. 9 on the RPM 100 in Canada..[30]
The song became an era defining song and was used in a multitude of movies and television shows. It was also used in commercials.[31]
Further activities
[edit]In July 1968, The Chambers Brothers appeared on Playboy After Dark. With Joe Chambers on lead vocals, the group performed "I Wish It Would Rain".[32]
By October 1968, the album A New Time – A New Day was out. It included the song "A New Time, A New Day" that he co-wrote with Brian Keenan.[33][34][35] Joe Chambers sang lead on "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "Rock Me Mama".[citation needed]
In late 1969, the album Love, Peace and Happiness had been released. It was reviewed in the 6 December issue of Record World where the reviewer called it sizzling music.[36]
1970s
[edit]The song, "Love Peace and Happiness" that he co-wrote with his brothers,[37] was released as a single. It was one of the five Cash Box Picks of the Week for the week of 7 February 1970. It was referred to as a stand out side.[38] It was at no. 35 in the Cash Box Looking Ahead chart for the week of 14 February.[39] It made no. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of 28 February.[40]
By 1970, the Chambers Brothers had recorded three albums for Columbia, The Time Has Come,[41] A New Time – A New Day,[42] and Love, Peace and Happiness.[43] According to Charles LaMarr, the group's manager, the band wasn't satisfied with their three previous albums. Joe Chambers said that the producers assigned to them weren't willing to listen to their ideas as well as how the band should be presented. He said that they had worked very hard and didn't now want to risk their sound. Joe also said that they wanted to produce other acts and he believed that Brooklyn Bridge was one that they would produce. He also said that this was their time.[44] The band had been experimenting with new instruments. They had played with 22 -piece orchestra at Carnegie Hall. In a 31 October 1970 article by Billboard, Joe Chambers said that he could see their future working with a large band.[45] The Chambers Brothers produced their New Generation album that was released in 1971. Joe and Brian Keenan arranged the orchestrations on the record.[46][47]
The Chambers Brothers performed at Mills College on Tuesday 28 September 1971. After performing "Funky" from the New Generation album, Joe performed "When the Evening Comes", which was described by the Oakland Tribune as a beautiful ballad that had a magnetic effect on the crowd.[48][49] The group had performed the song earlier that year on 12 February at Fillmore East in New York. [50]
Joe and Brother Willie were backing vocalists on the song "Haunted House", which is from Lee Oskar's 1978 Before the Rain album.[51]
1980s
[edit]Joe Chambers appeared in the Angry Samoans' video of "The Time Has Come Today" as the President. In the scene, the lead singer of The Angry Samoans is about to push the nuclear button which would destroy the world. However, the president chooses life.[52]
In 1984, Joe was part of a group called the Chambers Brothers Band which featured himself, Willie Chambers, Chris Chambers, Duke Williams, Corey Spags and Cotton Kent.[53] Group members, Williams, Kent and Spags (aka Corey Spagnolo[54][55][56]) were from the group, Duke Williams and The Extremes.[57] Three songs were recorded at Rusk Studios. They were "Here We Go", "Let's Get Funky" and "You Are My Life".[58][59] "Lets Get Funky", which was apparently released on the Vogue label in Europe, was heard live on a show at RFM in Paris in 1984.[60] The group also released a four-track 12" EP The Chambers Brothers Are Back in 1985, that had the songs, "I've Been Lovin' You Too Long", "Rainin' in My Heart", "Body Work Part 1" and "Body Work Part 2".[61]
Both Joe and Willie were backing vocalists on Maria Vidal's self-titled album that was released in 1987.[62]
1990s
[edit]In 1994, Joe was playing in a version of The Chambers Brothers which consisted of himself, brothers Willie and George, another guitarist, George's son on drums and the son of one of his sisters on bass. They were playing in Seattle, Portland and Eugene, as well as San Jose and San Francisco.[63]
Joe Chambers, Willie Chambers, and Pops Chambers provided backing vocals on Maria Muldaur's Southland of the Heart album which was released in 1998.[64]
Along with Willie and George Chambers, Joe lent his backing vocals to "You Give Me Love" and "Dreams to Remember" which appear on Lester Chambers' 1999 self-titled album.[65]
2000s - 2020s
[edit]Joe, Willie, Lester and George sang backup on the Delgado Brothers song "If the World" which is on their Learn to Fly album that was released in 2009.[66]
Both Joe and Willie sang back up on Australian singer Jessie Sparks' song "Calendar Years" which was from her Calendar Years self-titled 2012 EP.[67] Also that year, the Carlos Marques-Marcet directed Western (short film), The Yellow Ribbon was released. Joe Chambers had a part in the film as Barry, the narrator. He also sang the song "The Yellow Ribbon".[68][69]
Joe and his band The Experience were appearing at Harold's Place on Pacific Ave., San Pedro on 17 Jan 2015.[70]
In Late 2019, a collaboration between Chambers and Marva Holiday, "To Love Somebody" was released.[71]
Chambers along with Steve Moos and Wendy Waldman was a member of a member of the Ash Grove Alumni band.[72] In a 2021 event that was related to former prisoner, Gary Tyler, that also featured former M*A*S*H star, Mike Farrell taking about the moral depravity of the death penalty, Joe Chambers and the Ash Grove Alumni played two sets, finishing off with "Time Has Come Today".[73] Joe Chambers and Wendy Waldman with the Ash Gove Alumni were appearing at the Logan House at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts on 4 March 2023.[74]
In 2024, Joe and Willie were awarded the Best of the West Award for their musical contribution.[75]
The Ash Grove Alumni featuring Joe Chambers and Wendy Waldman were booked to appear at Logan House at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts on 1 June 2024. Unfortunately due to undisclosed circumstances, the event was postponed.[76]
Death
[edit]Joe Chambers died on 15 August 2024.[77][78] His brother Lester announced the news on social media.[79] Joe was actually looking forward to the Ash Grove Alumni show which would have been one day after his 82nd birthday. However, he died before it could happen. So, the show was changed to a tribute.[80]
Further reading, listening
[edit]- NAMM - Interview with Joe Chambers 3 March, 2020
- Lou Morheim channel, Premiered Sep 1, 2024 - Best of the West Artist Award 2024 "The Chambers Brothers" (Joe and Willie Chambers) (video)
References
[edit]- ^ Tribute Archive - Joseph Lamar Chambers
- ^ Hit Parader Magazine, August 1969 - Page 38 The Story Of THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS, JOE CHAMBERS
- ^ Classic Harmonica Blues from Smithsonian Folkways, Co-produced and annotated by Barry Lee Pearson and Jeff Place SFW CD 40204 c 2012 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings - Page 26 15. Hooka Tooka
- ^ .Richieunterberger.com - LINER NOTES FOR THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS' PEOPLE GET READY By Richie Unterberger
- ^ Hit Parader Magazine, August 1969 - Page 38 The Story Of THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS, JOE CHAMBERS
- ^ Mix On Line, 03/01/2013 - Classic Track: The Chambers Brothers, “Time Has Come Today”
- ^ Blues Records
A Complete Guide to 20 Years of Recorded Blues, By Mike Leadbitter and Neil Slaven, 1968 - ISBN 0-8256-0110-X - Page 47 CHAMBERS BROTHERS - ^ NAMM - Willie and Joe Chambers Full Interview January 20, 2020, Time 26:55
- ^ classicbands.com The Chambers Brothers
- ^ Cash Box, March 26, 1966 - Page 15 Cash Box RECOD RAMBLINGS, NEW YORK
- ^ Ebony, October 1969 - Page 166 The Brothers gave up overalls and gospel to hasten success
- ^ The rock song Index: the 7500 most important songs of the Rock and Roll era, 1944-2000, By Bruce Pollock - Page 371 TIME HAS COME TODAY
- ^ Washington Free Press, March 7, 1968 - Page 17 SIGN OF Z, The Chambers Brothers, The Time Has Come. Columbia CS 9522
- ^ Nashville Music Guide, December 14, 2019 - R&B Legend Marva Holiday Featuring Joseph Chambers Release “To Love Somebody” - Sherryl Craig
- ^ Mojo, June 2023 - Page 40 MOJO EYEWITNESS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS TIME HAS OME TODAY - INTERVIEWS By Lois Wilson, WC
- ^ Pop Matters, 14 February 2008 - Forgotten Treasures of ’60s Soul: The Chambers Brothers’ Vault Recordings
- ^ 45Cat - The Chambers Brothers - Discography, USA, Call Me
- ^ Tales From the Woods, Issue No. 43/44 - July/August 2004 - Page 23 SOUL/R&B released in the UK
- ^ Funky 16 Corners, September 13, 2016 - The Chambers Brothers – Call Me
- ^ Gazzarri Dancers - featuring the 1964-66 HOLLYWOOD A GO-GO dancers, EPISODE LIST, EPISODE # 27 HOLLYWOOD A GO-GO SYND.EP.# 21, JUNE 26, 1965, CHAMBERS BROTHERS - "Call Me"
- ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries Third series Volume 23, Part 5, Number I, Section I Music Current and Renewal Registrations January-June 1969 - Page 977 NAME INDEX, Chambers, Joseph L. DON'T LOSE YOUR COOL.
- ^ hollywoodagogo channel, Oct 21, 2012 - Don't Lose Your Cool by the Chambers Bros
- ^ Richie Unterberger - LINER NOTES FOR THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS NOW! By Richie Unterberger
- ^ Mojo, June 2023 - Page 42 MOJO EYEWITNESS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS TIME HAS OME TODAY - INTERVIEWS By Lois Wilson, WC
- ^ Loudersound, 2 August 2022 - The Chambers Brothers and the acid classic that psychedelicised black American folk music By Jo Kendall
- ^ American Songwriter, May 4, 2025 - How The Chambers Brothers Snuck "Time Has Come Today" Past the Label to Music Immortality By Jim Beviglia
- ^ Power Pop, November 12, 2022 - Chambers Brothers – Time Has Come Today
- ^ Record World, Vol. 23, No. 1112 September 28, 1968 - Page 33 100 TOP POPS Week of September 28, 1968, This Wk. Sept. 28 ★, Last Wk. Sept. 21 20, TIME HAS COME TODAY Chambers Bros.-Columbia 44414, Wks. on Chart 7
- ^ The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition, By Joel Whitburn - p. 114
- ^ RPM Weekly, Volume 10 No. 6 Week of October 7th. 1968 - Page 5 THE RPM 100, • 9 16 35, TIME HAS COME TODAY Chambers Bros-Columbia 44414-N
- ^ The Pop History Dig, 4 Aug 2024 - “Era-Defining Music” 1967-1971, Time Has Come…
- ^ Ae13U Blue Planet channel, Aug 15, 2025 - Playboy After Dark S01E01 Johnny Mathis, Mort Sahl, Chambers Brothers, Bill Russell 1968 07 23, 15:50 - 19:31
- ^ Record World, Vol. 23, No. 1115 October 19, 1968 - Page 129 THE UNDERGROUN-GROOVE, Coming at the right time., `A New Time A New Day.'
- ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries Third series Volume 23, Part 5, Number I, Section I
Music Current and Renewal Registrations January-June 1969 - Page 977 NAME INDEX, Chambers, Joseph. A NEW TIME, A NEW DAY. - ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries Third Series Volume 23, Part 5, Number I, Section I
Music Current and Renewal Registrations January-June 1969 - Page 455 A NEW TIME, A NEW DAY; w & m Brian Keenan & Joseph Chambers. 2 p. © Chambro Music Pub. Co. 10Jul69;EU123280. - ^ Record World, December 6, 1969 - Page 22 record world Album Reviews PICK HITS, LOVE, PEACE AND HAPPINESS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS Columbia KGP 20.
- ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries Third series Part 5, Number I, Section I Music Current and Renewal Registrations January-June 1970 - Page 1101 Chambers, Joseph. LOVE, PEACE AND HAPPINESS.
- ^ Cash Box, February 7, 1970 - Page 26 Cash Box Record Reviews, Picks of the Week, CHAMBERS BROTHERS (Columbia 45088), Love, Peace & Happiness (2:50) (Chambro, BMI — Chambers Bros.)
- ^ Cash Box, February 14, 1970 - Page 26 Cash Box Looking Ahead, 35 LOVE, PEACE & HAPPINESS Chambro - BMI) Chambers Brothers (Columbia 45088)
- ^ Billboard, February 28, 1970 - Page 66 Billboard HOT 100 FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 28, 1970, THIS WEEK 96, 1 Wk. Ago -, 2 Wks. Ago -, 3 Wks. Ago -, LOVE, PEACE AND HAPPINESS, Weeks On Chart 1
- ^ Cash Box, November 25, 1967 - Page 25 Cash Box Album Reviews, Pop Best Bets, THE TIME HAS COME—Chambers Brothers—Columbia CL 2722/CS 9522
- ^ Record World, October 12, 1968 - Page 12 record world ALBUM REVIEWS, A NEW TIME -A NEW DAY, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS - Columbia CS 9671.
- ^ Robert Christgau - Consumer Guide Album, The Chambers Brothers: Love, Peace, and Happiness (Columbia, 1969)
- ^ Hit Parader Magazine, April 1971 - Page 56 CHAMBERS BROS. (continued from page 45)
- ^ Billboard, October 31, 1970 - Page 4 Chambers Do Own Producing In Move to Get 'Their Sound'
- ^ The Chambers Brothers, New Generation, Columbia C 30032, 1971 Produced by The Chambers Brothers, Orchestrations by Brian Keenan and Joe Chambers
- ^ Billboard, October 31, 1970 - Chambers Do Own Producing In Move to Get 'Their Sound'
- ^ Oakland Tribune, Volume 98, Number 275, 2 October 1971 - Page 16 Chambers are where it's at by DORIS G. WORSHAM
- ^ Time and Date - 1971, Calendar for Year 1971 (United States)
- ^ Wolfgang's - The Chambers Brothers Fillmore East (New York, NY), 5 When the Evening Comes
- ^ Discogs - Lee Oskar – Before The Rain
- ^ Musician, No. 62 December 1983 - Page 86 HOW TO MAKE A GREAT ROCK VIDEO FOR UNDER $10,000 BY JOCK BAIRD
- ^ Discogs - The Chambers Brothers Band – The Chambers Brothers Are Back, Back cover
- ^ Bucks County Courier Times, 24 Dec 1976 - Page 13
- ^ Bandcamp - music community ATLANTIC CITY GAMBLER by Duke Williams & The Extremes, Recorded at Criteria Sound Studios - Miami, FLA
- ^ Flickr - Duke Williams and The Extremes 1980
- ^ Cash Box, January 19, 1974 - Page 20 cash Box talent on stage, Mountain Duke Wiliams & The Extremes
- ^ Unheard80s.com - The Chambers Brothers
- ^ unheard80s channel, Dec 12, 2012 - "Here We Go" by the Chambers Brothers (Short Sample)
- ^ Billboard, July 14, 1984 - Page 20 Radio, Featured Programming
- ^ Discogs - The Chambers Brothers Band – The Chambers Brothers Are Back
- ^ On A&M Records - Maria Vidal - Maria Vidal
- ^ Los Angeles Times, Sept. 29, 1994 - MUSIC, Time Has Come Again to Savor ‘60s Standouts : Reunited Chambers Brothers to visit Ojai’s Bowlful of Blues --and please, don’t call them an oldies-but-goodies act. By BILL LOCEY
- ^ Fishpond - Southland of the Heart By Maria Muldaur, Performer Notes
- ^ Way Back Machine - Lester Chambers EXP 0199-2 Album Credits
- ^ Discogs - The Delgado Brothers – Learn To Fly
- ^ Seattle PI, Feb 1, 2012 - Music Review: Jessie Sparks - Jessie Sparks (EP) By David Bowling
- ^ Cinemaoriental - THE YELLOW RIBBON (CURT), Repartiment: Joseph Chambers, Allen C. Gardner, Clara Houser
- ^ /Westerns All' Italiana, Saturday, January 31, 2015 - The Yellow Ribbon, Song: "The Yellow Ribbon" sung by Joseph Chambers; Cast: Barry, narrator - Joseph Chambers
- ^ L.A. Weekly, January 16 - 22, 2015 - Page 49 HAROLD’S PLACE: 1908 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, 310-832-5503. The Joe Chambers Experience, Sista Sin, The Slow Poisoner, Neptune Recovery, plus poets
- ^ Inde Pulse Music Magazine, November 25, 2019 - New Music from Marva Holiday feat Joseph Chambers – To Love Somebody
- ^ Star Worldwide Networks - Ep. 272 Ash Grove Alumni band members Steve Moos, Wendy Waldman and Joe Chambers of the Chambers Brothers
- ^ The Los Angeles Times, Aug. 16, 2023 - CALIFORNIA, The radical L.A. student newspaper that inspired a generation of activists By Doug Smith
- ^ Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts - The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts presents Ash Grove Alumni, Saturday, March 4, 2023 / 3 pm
- ^ Lou Morheim channel, Premiered Sep 1, 2024 - Best of the West Artist Award 2024 "The Chambers Brothers" (Joe and Willie Chambers) (video)
- ^ Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts - The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts presents Ash Grove Alumni, THIS PERFORMANCE IS POSTPONED NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED
- ^ npr - MUSIC, In Memoriam 2024: The Musicians We Lost), Joe Chambers
- ^ Soul Jazz & Funk - JOE CHAMBERS DIES By Bill Buckley
- ^ Rock Cellar Magazine, August 16, 2024 - Joe Chambers of The Chambers Brothers Passes Away, As Announced by His Brother, Lester Chambers
- ^ Santa Monica Daily Press, August 21, 2024 - R.I.P. Joe Chambers by Charles Andrews, ASH GROVE ALUMNI
External links
[edit]- Discogs - Joseph Chambers
- hollywoodagogo channel, Oct 21, 2012 - Don't Lose Your Cool by the Chambers Bros Joe Chambers lead vocal) (video)
- The Ed Sullivan Show channel, Nov 12, 2020 - The Chambers Brothers "Time Has Come Today" on The Ed Sullivan Show (Joe Chambers lead vocal) (video)
- guitarsliderule channel, Apr 4, 2024 - I Wish It Would Rain - THE Chamber Brothers - Playboy After Dark (Joe Chambers lead vocal) (video)
- agau54 channel, May 21, 2010 - THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS - TO LOVE SOMEBODY (Joe Chambers lead vocal) (audio)