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Willie Chambers (born March 3, 1938) is an American singer, guitarist, and former member of The Chambers Brothers, a rock band in the 1960s with hits "Time Has Come Today", "I Can't Turn You Loose", and "Love, Peace and Happiness". He continues to be a regular attraction at various venues in Los Angeles and further afield.
He was born into a sharecropping family in a poor part of Mississippi. There were eight brothers and five sisters in the family.Richie Unterberger - LINER NOTES FOR THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS' PEOPLE GET READY By Richie Unterberger Willie and his three brothers started out singing at the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lee County. Older Brother George who had been in the army headed to South Los Angeles after his release and later on, the three other brothers followed.Music Amnezia, Feb, 10 - 2014 - 1954: The Chambers Brothers
He sang lead on their cover of Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour".Local Lix, June 03, 2019 - Willie Chambers, The Chambers Brothers, Part 1 – Willie Chambers (11:50)A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, October 13, 2021
- [https://500songs.com/podcast/episode-134-in-the-midnight-hour-by-wilson-pickett/ Episode 134: “In the Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett By Andrew Hickey]
He also co-wrote their biggest hit "Time Has Come Today" with his brother Joe.
He would later work as a session musician.classicbands.com The Chambers Brothers
In recent years, he has become more active and has collaborated with artists such as Louis Metoyer. Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2021 - Willie Chambers, a former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 83 years old today He has also been involved with Australians born artists such as Jessie Sparks and singer Stephen Rowe, appearing in his "Restless Soul" video. Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2021 - Willie Chambers, a former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 83 years old today
He had a business relationship with publicist Beverly Noga, who, in the past had represented Sonny & Cher, Cream, the Bee Gees and The Chambers Brothers. After her company which she founded in 1964, Contemporary Public Relations closed down, she and Willie Chambers formed Hebewillen Enterprises and Hebewillen Publishing, which ran until her death in 2021. The Hollywood Reporter, OCTOBER 11, 2021 - Music Publicist Beverly Noga Dies at 87 by Mike Barnes
During the 1960s, The Chambers Brothers performed with Barbara Dane. Willie was worried about himself and his brothers performing political songs with Dane. Years later he said "You can’t do music and politics. It’s like gasoline and water. It doesn’t mix.".KPCC 89.3FM - The Frame, Activist and folksinger Barbara Dane taught The Chambers Brothers how to ‘do your thing’
By 1965, The Chambers Brothers had signed with the Vault Records record label. Pop Matters, 14 February 2008 - Forgotten Treasures of ’60s Soul: The Chambers Brothers’ Vault Recordings With brother Joe, 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, and in the UK on Vocalion Records 9276.45Cat - 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 Years later, it was described by Way Back Attack as a "raw and rockin' soul tune...with a prominent cowbell beat!".Way Back Attack - THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS Time Has Come Today The group performed the song as well as "Don't Lose Your Cool" on Hollywood a Go Go on 26 June 1965.Funky 16 Corners, September 13, 2016 - The Chambers Brothers – Call MeGazzarri 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" In an interview on 20 January 2020, Willie and Joe talked about "Call Me" and how it got played on a radio station, one they remembered being KRLA that had the Rocket to Stardom show. They said that their song was opposite to what the station was usually playing. "Call Me" was a "Record of the Week there".NAMM - Willie and Joe Chambers Full Interview January 20, 2020, Time 13:00 The UK release on Vocalion had a brief review in the 30 July 1966 issue of Record Mirror, where the reviewer said that they managed a few interesting gimmicks on the song. Record Mirror, July 30, 1966 - Page 9 singles reviewed by Norman Jopling and Peter Jones, rapid reviews
In October 1968, the Chambers Brothers' album, A New Time – A New Day was released. It was reviewed in the 12 October issue of Record World. It contained the songs, "A New Time – A New Day", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Guess Who", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "Love is All I Have", "You Got the Power - To Turn Me On" and "No, No, No, Don't Say Good-By". The last two songs were composed by Willie. Record World, October 12, 1968 - Page 12 record world ALBUM REVIEWS, A NEW TIME -A NEW DAY, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS - Columbia CS 9671.Popsike - THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS SOUTH AFRICA LP A NEW TIME - A NEW DAY, SIDE 1, SIDE 2
Alexis Korner and Peter Thorup would perform "You Got the Power" live in 1973 which appeared on their album.Apple Music - Live on Tour in Germany (Live) (with Snape), Alexis Korner, Peter Thorup Thorup and Ole Frimer would record a version which appeared on their 2016 "På Stedet album. iMusic - På Stedet, Peter Thorup & Ole Frimer Danish band, The Blues Overdrive would perform the song in 2018. Bluesnews.dk, 12 Mar 2018 - The Blues Overdrive gemte trumferne til sidst - Jakob Wandam, Demonstrerede klassen
Willie and brother Joe provided backing vocals on "Haunted House", a track on the Before The Rain album by Lee Oskar, released in 1978.Discogs - Lee Oskar – Before The Rain
In 1984, he was part of a group called the Chambers Brothers Band which featured himself, Joe Chambers, Chris Chambers, Duke Williams, Corey Spags and Cotton Kent.Discogs - The Chambers Brothers Band – The Chambers Brothers Are Back, Back cover Group members, Williams, Kent and Spags (aka Corey Spagnolo Bucks County Courier Times, 24 Dec 1976 - Page 13Bandcamp - music community ATLANTIC CITY GAMBLER by Duke Williams & The Extremes, Recorded at Criteria Sound Studios - Miami, FLAFlickr - Duke Williams and The Extremes 1980) were from the group, Duke Williams and The Extremes. Cash Box, January 19, 1974 - Page 20 cash Box talent on stage, Mountain Duke Wiliams & The Extremes They recorded three songs at Rusk Studios. They were "Here We Go", "Let's Get Funky" and "You Are My Life".Unheard80s.com - The Chambers Brothersunheard80s channel, Dec 12, 2012 - "Here We Go" by the Chambers Brothers (Short Sample) "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. Billboard, July 14, 1984 - Page 20 Radio, Featured Programming They also released a four-track 12" EP The Chambers Brothers Are Back in 1985, that had the songs, "Ive Been Lovin' You Too Long", "Rainin' in My Heart", "Body Work Part 1" and "Body Work Part 2".Discogs - The Chambers Brothers Band – The Chambers Brothers Are Back
Towards the late 1990s, Willie was fronting his Willie Chambers Band. He was the only member from the Chambers Brothers that was in it. According to the 30 October 1997 article "In It for the Long Haul" in the Los Angeles Times by Bill Locey, Chambers' son and Nephew were also in the band. They had recorded a demo or original songs and were looking around for a record deal. Apparently, there were some interested parties. They were to make their debut in Ventura, California at Nicholby's on Saturday, 1 November 1997. Los Angeles Times, Oct. 30, 1997 - MUSIC, In It for the Long Haul By BILL LOCEYOld Calendars - 1997 Calendar
In 2006, he sat in with a group called Vince and the Invinceables at a benefit concert for Arthur Lee of the group Love.Mojo Music Review of the June 28, 2006 Arthur Lee Benefit Concert at the Whisky a Go Golove.torbenskott.dk Whiskey-A-Go-Go, L.A.US June 28. 2006
Between 2008 and 2009, he was involved with the Artie Vegas Revue.archive.upcoming.org - artie vegas #305279
He and his brother Joe Chambers worked with Australian singer Jessie Sparks. They contributed to the song "Calendar Years" which was featured on her 2012 EP. The song was described as a funky piece with a soulful vocal.BC Blog Critics, Feb. 1, 2012 - - Music Review: Jessie Sparks - Jessie Sparks (EP) Frank Beacham's Journal, March 03, 2021 - Willie Chambers, a former member of The Chambers Brothers, is 83 years old today
On Saturday 12 October 2019, Willie's brother George died at age 88.Legacy, October 14, 2019 - George Chambers (1931–2019), Chambers Brothers bassist By Kirk Fox Willie wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday that George was "The best big brother you could ever have". Variety, Oct 14, 2019 - Music > Obituaries George Chambers, of 1960s Hit Group the Chambers Brothers, Dies at 88 By Chris Willman
On October 17, 2022, Chambers and Barbara Dane who the Chambers Brothers worked with in the mid-60s performed together live on stage in Berkley singing, "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around".KPCC 89.3 FM - Activist and folksinger Barbara Dane taught The Chambers Brothers how to ‘do your thing’Michael Donnelly Youtube channel, Oct 19, 2022 - Barbara Dane & Willie Chambers "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" live, Berkeley, Oct 17, 2022 In November, 2022 Chambers was interviewed for the Psychedelic Scene YouTube channel.Psychedelic Scene channel, Nov 17, 2022 - Willie Chambers Interview with Psychedelic Scene It was also published on line in transcript form. Psychedelic Scene Magazine, November 17, 2022- INTERVIEW: WILLIE CHAMBERS OF THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS by Jason LeValley
Willie Chambers was interviewed as an inductee for the California Music Hall of Fame which was published on the MediaNiteRadio YouTube channel on April 19, 2024.MediaNiteRadio channel, Apr 19, 2024 - Interview with Inductee Willie Chambers (Chambers Brothers) at the California Music Hall of Fame
On 15 August 2024, Joe Chambers died.npr - MUSIC, In Memoriam 2024: The Musicians We Lost), Joe ChambersSoul Jazz & Funk - JOE CHAMBERS DIES By Bill Buckley During a memorial performance for his brother held on 7 October 2024, Willie Chambers was joined on stage by three of his daughters to sing "Stand By Me".Lou Morheim channel, Jun 8, 2025 - Joe Chambers Memorial Concert Starring Willie Chambers Oct. 7th 2024, 5:25
Willie Chambers is one of the artists who was set to perform at the Veterans National Telethon festival on 7 June 2025.PFANA - Veterans National Telethon June 7th, FESTIVAL LINEUP, Additional performers:People For A New America (PFANA) channel, May 31, 2025 - Veterans First Initiative Telethon June 7th Announcement with Willie Chambers
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