music.wikisort.org - Musician

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.

Willie Chambers
Born	(1938-03-03) March 3, 1938 (age 84) Mississippi
Genres	Rock, gospel music, soul music, psychedelic rock, blues
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1961–present
Labels	Columbia

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

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]

Willie and brother Joe provided backing vocals on "Haunted House", a track on the Before The Rain album by Lee Oskar, released in 1978.[7]

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".[8] 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.[9][10]

In 2006, he sat in with a group called Vince and the Invinceables at a benefit concert for Arthur Lee of the group Love.[11][12]

Between 2008 to 2009, he was involved with the Artie Vegas Revue.[13] 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.[14][15] In September 2015, Chambers and Louis Metoyer were scheduled to appear at Pickwick Gardens, Ronnie Mack's Salute to Tina Turner event.[16]

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,[17][18] [19] they recorded "Get Out And Vote!!!" which was released in 2018.[20]

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.[21][22]

In November, 2022 Chambers was interviewed for the Psychedelic Scene YouTube channel.[23]

Discography (selective)

Singles

Act	Title	Album	Catalogue	Year	Notes #
Willie Chambers	"Taxi Hey"		Angel Tongue Records	2011	[24]
Crazy Tomes, Guitar Shorty, Willie Chambers	"Back to the Motherland"			2015	[25]
Louis Metoyer feat Willie Chambers	"Get Out And Vote!!!"			2018	[26]
Trans-X	"She Freaks out on the Floor"	Discolocos, Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)		2018	[27]
Trans-X	"Keep it Coming"	iscolocos, Vol. 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)		2020	[28]

Appearances (selective)

Act	Title	Album	Catalogue	Year	Notes #
Lee Oskar	"Haunted House"	Before The Rain	Elektra 6E-150	1978	Backing: Willie, Joe and George[29]
Maria Vidal	"Life On The Train"	Maria Vidal	A&M Records SP 6-5160	1987	Backing: Willie and Joe[30]
Kid Ramos	"Leave Me Alone"	Kid Ramos	Evidence ECD 26104-2	1999	Willie Chambers vocal[31]
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[32]
Various	"Me and the Devil"	Gospel, The Ultimate Collection	The Red Box THERB432	2007	Featuring Willie Chambers[33]
Stephen Rowe	"Restless Soul"	Restless Soul (Album)		2009	Willie appears in the "Restless Soul" video[34]
Jessie Sparks	"Calendar Years"	Jessie Sparks (EP)		2012	Backing: Willie and Joe Chambers contribute to "Calendar Years"[35][36]
Fuzzbee Morse	"Underground Railroad"	Dreams And Other Living Things	Giant Mogul 0001	2015	Backing Vocals – Joe Chambers, Lisa Frazier, Tyra Juliette, Willie Chambers[37]

Film and guest appearances

• Restless Soul (Video)
• The making of "Restless Soul" video
• South Central Gospel - Documentary - 2011 - Himself[38]

References

External links

• DOLA - Willie Chambers
• Second Hand Songs - Willie Chambers

Music

• tangible-technology.com, 21-08-2005 - "I Move Easy," written by TJ Tindall and sung by Willie Chambers
• Michael Donnelly YouTube channel - Barbara Dane & Willie Chambers "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" live, Berkeley, Oct 17, 2022
• Michael Donnelly YouTube channel - Willie Chambers "I Was Born To Sing The Blues" live, Berkeley, Oct 17, 2022

Interviews

• Prihod Productions, Apr 29, 2015 - LARocks TV interviews Willie Chambers
• Tom Meros Youtube Channel, November 1, 2019 - The Chambers Brothers - Willie Chambers tells Tom about their history
• NAMM Oral History Library (2020) - Willie Chambers Interview
• Kevin Grace Youtube Channel, Mar 18, 2022 - Willie Chambers of The Chambers Brothers Interview (Mar 12, 2022)
• Psychedelic Scene channel, Nov 17, 2022 - Willie Chambers Interview with Psychedelic Scene

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