Joe Chambers aka Joseph Chambers (22 August 1942 – 15 August 2024) 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 Joseph Lamar Chambers was born on 22 August 1942Tribute Archive - Joseph Lamar Chambers in his grandmother's house in Scott County, Mississippi. He was the youngest of the sons.Hit Parader Magazine, August 1969 - Page 38 The Story Of THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS, JOE CHAMBERS His family was a sharecropping family. He was one of eight boys. He also had five sisters.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 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.Hit Parader Magazine, August 1969 - Page 38 The Story Of THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS, JOE CHAMBERS
Joe, Willie, Lester, George Chambers, along with drummer Brian Keenan made up The Chambers Brothers.Mix On Line, 03/01/2013 - Classic Track: The Chambers Brothers, “Time Has Come Today” There were however earlier drummers who were with the brothers for short times. They were Mike KonnicBlues RecordsA Complete Guide to 20 Years of Recorded Blues, By Mike Leadbitter and Neil Slaven, 1968 - - Page 47 CHAMBERS BROTHERSNAMM - Willie and Joe Chambers Full Interview January 20, 2020, Time 26:55 and Jesse "Nicky" Cahn.classicbands.com The Chambers BrothersCash Box, March 26, 1966 - Page 15 Cash Box RECOD RAMBLINGS, NEW YORK
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.Ebony, October 1969 - Page 166 The Brothers gave up overalls and gospel to hasten success
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.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 It is Joe Chambers' lead vocal that is heard on the song.Washington Free Press, March 7, 1968 - Page 17 SIGN OF Z, The Chambers Brothers, The Time Has Come. Columbia CS 9522
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.Nashville Music Guide, December 14, 2019 - R&B Legend Marva Holiday Featuring Joseph Chambers Release “To Love Somebody” - Sherryl Craig
Career 1960s 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.Mojo, June 2023 - Page 40 MOJO EYEWITNESS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS TIME HAS OME TODAY - INTERVIEWS By Lois Wilson, WC
The Chambers Brothers had been signed to the Vault record label since 1965.Pop Matters, 14 February 2008 - Forgotten Treasures of ’60s Soul: The Chambers Brothers’ Vault Recordings 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 9276.45Cat - The Chambers Brothers - Discography, USA, Call MeTales From the Woods, Issue No. 43/44 - July/August 2004 - Page 23 SOUL/R&B released in the UK "Call Me" was performed 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" His composition, "Don't Lose Your Cool" was also performed on the same show. 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
Joe Chambers composed the song "It's Groovin' Time" which appeared on the 1967 album Now. However, the song was credited to C. Perry.Richie Unterberger - LINER NOTES FOR THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS NOW! By Richie Unterberger
"Time Has Come Today" According to brother Willie, Joe went to see Timothy Leary at ULCA and that inspired him to write "Time Has Come Today".Mojo, June 2023 - Page 42 MOJO EYEWITNESS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS TIME HAS OME TODAY - INTERVIEWS By Lois Wilson, WCLoudersound, 2 August 2022 - The Chambers Brothers and the acid classic that psychedelicised black American folk music By Jo Kendall Most of the writing was by Joe, while Willie's contribution was more on the instrumentation side.American Songwriter, May 4, 2025 - How The Chambers Brothers Snuck "Time Has Come Today" Past the Label to Music Immortality By Jim Beviglia And the line, "My soul has been psychedelicized" is from Willie.Power Pop, November 12, 2022 - Chambers Brothers – Time Has Come Today It was a hit and peaked at no. 11 on the Record World 100 Top Pops chart for the week of 28 September,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 No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1968,The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition, By Joel Whitburn - p. 114 and no. 9 on the RPM 100 in Canada..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 song became an era defining song and was used in a multitude of movies and television shows. It was also used in commercials.The Pop History Dig, 4 Aug 2024 - “Era-Defining Music” 1967-1971, Time Has Come…
Further activities 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".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
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.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. Joe Chambers sang lead on "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "Rock Me Mama".
In March 1969, the group was set to play at the University of Massachusetts at a time when there were demonstrations and protests. Just as the group was about to go on stage, the local police to their manager of a bomb threat. They were given the option of playing or informing the audience of 3500 about the bomb and have the audience evacuate the venue. Joe Chambers went on stage and asked the puzzled crowd if they wanted to see them perform. They were met with a roar of approval by the audience and began to play. Afterwards the police informed the group that the threat was false and no bomb had been located.RPM Weekly, Volume 11 No. 2 Week of March 10th. 1969 - Page 8 NEW YORK CITY - RICHARD ROBINSON
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.Record World, December 6, 1969 - Page 22 record world Album Reviews PICK HITS, LOVE, PEACE AND HAPPINESS, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS Columbia KGP 20. 1970s The song, "Love Peace and Happiness" that he co-wrote with his brothers,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. 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.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.) It was at no. 35 in the Cash Box Looking Ahead chart for the week of 14 February.Cash Box, February 14, 1970 - Page 26 Cash Box Looking Ahead, 35 LOVE, PEACE & HAPPINESS Chambro - BMI) Chambers Brothers (Columbia 45088) It made no. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of 28 February.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
By 1970, the Chambers Brothers had recorded three albums for Columbia, The Time Has Come,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 A New Time – A New Day,Record World, October 12, 1968 - Page 12 record world ALBUM REVIEWS, A NEW TIME -A NEW DAY, THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS - Columbia CS 9671. and Love, Peace and Happiness.Robert Christgau - Consumer Guide Album, The Chambers Brothers: Love, Peace, and Happiness (Columbia, 1969) 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.Hit Parader Magazine, April 1971 - Page 56 CHAMBERS BROS. (continued from page 45) 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.Billboard, October 31, 1970 - Page 4 Chambers Do Own Producing In Move to Get 'Their Sound' The Chambers Brothers produced their New Generation album that was released in 1971. Joe and Brian Keenan arranged the orchestrations on the record.The Chambers Brothers, New Generation, Columbia C 30032, 1971 Produced by The Chambers Brothers, Orchestrations by Brian Keenan and Joe ChambersBillboard, October 31, 1970 - Chambers Do Own Producing In Move to Get 'Their Sound'