Lester Chambers
Encyclopedia
Lester Chambers is an American
recording artist, and former member and lead singer of the 1960s soul rock group The Chambers Brothers
, who had the hit single
, "Time Has Come Today
." He sang lead on the Chambers Brothers songs "All Strung Out Over You," "People Get Ready
," "Uptown," "I Can't Turn You Loose
," and "Funky." Following going solo he has released various singles
and album
s over the years, and has teamed up with ex-Electric Flag
bassist Harvey Brooks
to form the Lester Chambers Harvey Brooks Band, and added vocals to Bonnie Raitt
's Sweet Forgiveness
album.
collection was stolen. There were over sixty Chambers Brothers albums and over one hundred singles stolen. Lola Chambers had spent twenty five years collecting Chambers Brothers records at various venues. She wanted to leave these for their sons. Lester Chambers developed a number of medical problems that went untreated because he lacked insurance. He later became homeless, sleeping in a rehearsal hall in Novato, California
, until Yoko Ono
paid to rent a home for him and his son Dylan.
In addition there was the royalties
aspect. In a chat session on the Soul Patrol website, Lester Chambers mentioned some of the injustices that black artists had to endure as well as himself and his brothers.
In an article by Moses Avalon, Mrs. Chambers claimed to have never received a royalty cheque, nor an advance, in upward of 30 years. Equally The Olympics
who had the hit "Hully Gully
," complained that despite this appearing on 94 different compilation album
s worldwide, they had never received a royalty cheque.
In March 2011, Lester Chambers was inducted into the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame.
Lester Chambers & KK Martin
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
recording artist, and former member and lead singer of the 1960s soul rock group The Chambers Brothers
The Chambers Brothers
The Chambers Brothers is a soul-music group, best known for its 1968 hit record, the 11-minute long song "Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions with modern psychedelic and rock elements, spawning a heady mix...
, who had the hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, "Time Has Come Today
Time Has Come Today
"Time Has Come Today" is a song recorded by The Chambers Brothers in 1966. It was then released on album in November 1967, and it spent five weeks at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1968....
." He sang lead on the Chambers Brothers songs "All Strung Out Over You," "People Get Ready
People Get Ready (song)
"People Get Ready" was a 1965 single by The Impressions, and the title track from the album of the same name. The single is today the group's best-known hit, reaching number-three on the Billboard R&B Chart and number 14 on the Billboard Pop Chart...
," "Uptown," "I Can't Turn You Loose
I Can't Turn You Loose
"I Can't Turn You Loose" is a song written and first recorded by American soul singer Otis Redding. It was released as the B-side to his 1965 single "Just One More Day"...
," and "Funky." Following going solo he has released various singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s over the years, and has teamed up with ex-Electric Flag
Electric Flag
The Electric Flag was a blues rock soul group, led by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and drummer Buddy Miles, and featuring other well-known musicians such as vocalist Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks. Bloomfield formed the Electric Flag in 1967, following his stint...
bassist Harvey Brooks
Harvey Brooks
Harvey Brooks is an American bassist. He has played in many styles of music...
to form the Lester Chambers Harvey Brooks Band, and added vocals to Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
's Sweet Forgiveness
Sweet Forgiveness
-Track listing:#"About to Make Me Leave Home" – 4:14#"Runaway" – 3:57#"Two Lives" – 3:49#"Louise" – 2:45#"Gamblin' Man" – 3:27#"Sweet Forgiveness" – 4:11...
album.
Hardship
In 2003, the home of Lola and Lester Chambers was broken in to and their recordGramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
collection was stolen. There were over sixty Chambers Brothers albums and over one hundred singles stolen. Lola Chambers had spent twenty five years collecting Chambers Brothers records at various venues. She wanted to leave these for their sons. Lester Chambers developed a number of medical problems that went untreated because he lacked insurance. He later became homeless, sleeping in a rehearsal hall in Novato, California
Novato, California
Novato is a city located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in northern Marin County. Novato is located about north-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level . The 2010 U.S. Census estimated the city population to be about 51,904. Novato is about ...
, until Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
paid to rent a home for him and his son Dylan.
In addition there was the royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
aspect. In a chat session on the Soul Patrol website, Lester Chambers mentioned some of the injustices that black artists had to endure as well as himself and his brothers.
In an article by Moses Avalon, Mrs. Chambers claimed to have never received a royalty cheque, nor an advance, in upward of 30 years. Equally The Olympics
The Olympics (band)
The Olympics were an American doo-wop group, formed in 1957 by lead singer Walter Ward . The group included Eddie Lewis , Charles Fizer , Walter Hammond and Melvin King and except for Lewis were friends in a Los Angeles, California, high school...
who had the hit "Hully Gully
Hully Gully
The Hully Gully is a type of unstructured line dance often considered to have originated in the sixties, but is also mentioned some forty years earlier as a dance common in the black juke joints in the first part of the twentieth century. In its modern form it consisted of a series of "steps" that...
," complained that despite this appearing on 94 different compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s worldwide, they had never received a royalty cheque.
In March 2011, Lester Chambers was inducted into the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame.
Albums
- Do You Believe in Rock and Roll - Explosive Records - 2008
- It's Time - Explosive Records - 2005
- Lesters Besters Vol.1 - 2004
- Lester Chambers - 1999
Lester Chambers & KK Martin
- Blues For Sale - Ranell - 2001