Willie Chambers

Willie Chambers
Born (1938-03-03) March 3, 1938 (age 85)
Mississippi
GenresRock, gospel music, soul music, psychedelic rock, blues
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1961–present
LabelsColumbia

Willie Chambers (born March 3, 1938) is a singer, guitarist, and former member of The Chambers Brothers, a rock band in the 1960s with hits "In The Midnight Hour", "I Can't Turn You Loose", and "Time Has Come Today". He continues to be a regular attraction at various venues in Los Angeles and further afield.

Background

Along with brothers Lester, Joe and George, Willie was a founding member of The Chambers Brothers and stayed with them through their evolution which included the addition of drummer Brian Keenan in 1965 and the group's eventual breakup. He sang lead on one of their hits, a cover of Wilson Pickett's "In The Midnight Hour". He also co-wrote their biggest hit "Time Has Come Today" with his brother Joe. He would later work as a session musician.[1][2] More recently, he has become more active and has collaborated with artists such as Louis Metoyer.[3] He has also been involved with Australian born artists such as Jessie Sparks and singer Stephen Rowe, appearing in his "Restless Soul" video.[4]

He had a business relationship with publicist Beverly Noga. Acts she had represented included Sonny & Cher, Cream, the Bee Gees and The Chambers Brothers. After her 1964 founded company, Contemporary Public Relations closed down, she and Willie Chambers formed Hebewillen Enterprises and Hebewillen Publishing which ran until her death in 2021.[5]

Career

1960s to 1980s

During the 1960s, Willie was worried about he and his brothers with performing political songs with Barbara Dane. Years later he said "You can’t do music and politics. It’s like gasoline and water. It doesn’t mix.".[6]

In a review of the Live in Concert on Mars album by The Chambers Brothers which featured Steve Cropper, Willie's singing on the song "Superstar" was referred to as a gem with the reviewer also saying that 7:37 wouldn't be too long for progressive airplay.[7]

Willie and brother Joe provided backing vocals on "Haunted House", a track on the Before The Rain album by Lee Oskar, released in 1978.[8]

1990s to 2000s

Chambers added his vocals to a track on Kid Ramos' self-titled album. Mike Boehm of Los Angeles Times gave a review in September 1999. He noted Chambers' input to the song "Leave Me Alone", describing it as "piercing, full-on cries in the role of a man caged in a romance he doesn’t want".[9] In 2005, he sang lead on "I Move Easy" which was written by T. J. Tindall and featured Tindal, Earl Scooter on background vocals. The rhythm section featured Earl Young and Ronnie Baker and Larry Washington from MFSB.[10][11]

In 2006, he sat in with a group called Vince and the Invinceables at a benefit concert for Arthur Lee of the group Love.[12][13]

Between 2008 and 2009, he was involved with the Artie Vegas Revue.[14] He and his brother Joe Chambers worked with Australian singer Jessie Sparks. They contributed to the song "Calendar Years" which featured on her EP which was released in 2012. The song was described as a funky piece with a soulful vocal.[15][16] In September 2015, Chambers and Louis Metoyer were scheduled to appear at Pickwick Gardens, Ronnie Mack's Salute to Tina Turner event.[17]

Collaboration with Louis Metoyer

In addition to Chambers and Metoyer working on various projects such as appearing at the Pickwick Gardens Turner event and performing with the Madero Sisters,[18][19][20] they recorded "Get Out And Vote!!!" which was released in 2018.[21]

2020s

Chambers had worked with group Trans-X and worked on two dance collaborations, "She Freaks out on the Floor" in 2018 and "Keep it Coming" in 2020.[22][23]

On October 17, 2022, Chambers and Barbara Dane who the Chambers Bro's worked with in the mid-60s performed together live on stage in Berkley singing, "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around".[24][25] In November, 2022 Chambers was interviewed for the Psychedelic Scene YouTube channel.[26] It was also published on line in transcript form.[27]

Discography (selective)

Singles
Act Title Album Catalogue Year Notes #
Willie Chambers "Taxi Hey" Angel Tongue Records 2011 [28]
Crazy Tomes, Guitar Shorty, Willie Chambers "Back to the Motherland" 2015 [29]
Louis Metoyer feat Willie Chambers "Get Out And Vote!!!" 2018 [30]
Trans-X "She Freaks out on the Floor" Discolocos, Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 2018 [31]
Trans-X "Keep it Coming" iscolocos, Vol. 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 2020 [32]
Appearances (selective)
Act Title Album Catalogue Year Notes #
Lee Oskar "Haunted House" Before The Rain Elektra 6E-150 1978 Backing: Willie, Joe and George[33]
Maria Vidal "Life On The Train" Maria Vidal A&M Records SP 6-5160 1987 Backing: Willie and Joe[34]
Kid Ramos "Leave Me Alone" Kid Ramos Evidence ECD 26104-2 1999 Willie Chambers vocal[35]
Paul Revere & The Raiders "Time Has Come Today" Ride To The Wall Volume II Ride To The Wall Foundation RTTWF 2005 2005 Vocal Willie Chambers[36]
Various "Me and the Devil" Gospel, The Ultimate Collection The Red Box THERB432 2007 Featuring Willie Chambers[37]
Stephen Rowe "Restless Soul" Restless Soul (Album) 2009 Willie appears in the "Restless Soul" video[38]
Jessie Sparks "Calendar Years" Jessie Sparks (EP) 2012 Backing: Willie and Joe Chambers contribute to "Calendar Years"[39][40]
Fuzzbee Morse "Underground Railroad" Dreams And Other Living Things Giant Mogul 0001 2015 Backing Vocals – Joe Chambers, Lisa Frazier, Tyra Juliette, Willie Chambers[41]

Film and guest appearances

  • Restless Soul (Video)
  • The making of "Restless Soul" video
  • South Central Gospel - Documentary - 2011 - Himself[42]

References

  1. ^ classicbands.com The Chambers Brothers
  2. ^ Music Finder Online - WILLIE CHAMBERS
  3. ^ Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2021 - Willie Chambers, a former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 83 years old today
  4. ^ Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2021 - Willie Chambers, a former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 83 years old today
  5. ^ The Hollywood Reporter, OCTOBER 11, 2021 - Music Publicist Beverly Noga Dies at 87 by Mike Barnes
  6. ^ KPCC 89.3FM - The Frame, Activist and folksinger Barbara Dane taught The Chambers Brothers how to ‘do your thing’
  7. ^ Cash Box, October 23, 1976 - Page 26 ALBUM REVIEWS, LIVE IN CONCERT ON MARS — The Chambers Brothers —
    Roxbury RLX 106 — Producer: Wes Farrell — List: 6.98
  8. ^ Discogs - Lee Oskar – Before The Rain
  9. ^ Los Angeles Times, SEPT. 10, 1999 - Album Review : Guitarist Finds the Right Chord : *** 1/2 KID RAMOS, “Kid Ramos,” Evidence BY MIKE BOEHM
  10. ^ Tangible-technology.com - Index of /music/eddie/
  11. ^ Neotomic Aliviac fanzine, 29 Apr 2008 - T.J. Tindall Interview
  12. ^ Mojo Music Review of the June 28, 2006 Arthur Lee Benefit Concert at the Whisky a Go Go
  13. ^ love.torbenskott.dk Whiskey-A-Go-Go, L.A.US June 28. 2006
  14. ^ archive.upcoming.org - artie vegas #305279
  15. ^ BC Blog Critics, Feb. 1, 2012 - - Music Review: Jessie Sparks - Jessie Sparks (EP)
  16. ^ Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2021 - Willie Chambers, a former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 83 years old today
  17. ^ LA Weekly, September 11–17, 2015 - Page 43 Clubs, Rock & Pop
  18. ^ Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2022 - Willie Chambers, former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 84 years old today
  19. ^ LA Weekly, September 10, 2015 - Page 43 CLUBS, ROCK & POP
  20. ^ Instigram - louismetoyergtr Get Out And Vote !! OCTOBER 24, 2020
  21. ^ Spotify - Song Get out and Vote!!!, Louis Metoyer Willie Chambers
  22. ^ Apple Music - Discolocos, Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  23. ^ Apple Music - Discolocos, Vol. 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  24. ^ KPCC 89.3 FM - Activist and folksinger Barbara Dane taught The Chambers Brothers how to ‘do your thing’
  25. ^ Michael Donnelly Youtube channel, Oct 19, 2022 - Barbara Dane & Willie Chambers "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" live, Berkeley, Oct 17, 2022
  26. ^ Psychedelic Scene channel, Nov 17, 2022 - Willie Chambers Interview with Psychedelic Scene
  27. ^ Psychedelic Scene Magazine, November 17, 2022- INTERVIEW: WILLIE CHAMBERS OF THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS by Jason LeValley
  28. ^ Spotify - Taxi Hey
  29. ^ Deezer.com - Back to the Motherland
  30. ^ Spotify - Song Get out and Vote!!!, Louis Metoyer Willie Chambers
  31. ^ Apple Music - Discolocos, Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  32. ^ Apple Music - Discolocos, Vol. 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  33. ^ Discogs - Lee Oskar – Before The Rain
  34. ^ Discogs - Maria Vidal – Maria Vidal
  35. ^ Los Angeles Times, SEPT. 10, 1999 - Album Review : Guitarist Finds the Right Chord : *** 1/2 KID RAMOS, “Kid Ramos,” Evidence BY MIKE BOEHM
  36. ^ Discogs - Paul Revere & The Raiders – Ride To The Wall Volume II
  37. ^ Discogs - Various – Gospel - The Ultimate Collection
  38. ^ Bman's Blues Report, Friday, March 2, 2012 - People Get Ready - WILLIE CHAMBERS
  39. ^ BC Blog Critics, Feb. 1, 2012 - - Music Review: Jessie Sparks - Jessie Sparks (EP)
  40. ^ Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2021 - Willie Chambers, a former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 83 years old today
  41. ^ Discogs - Fuzzbee Morse – Dreams And Other Living Things
  42. ^ "South Central Gospel". Onos Productions. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.

External links

Music

Interviews