Joseph L. Chambers, of The Chambers Brothers, born in Lena, Mississippi on August 22, 1944, passed away on August 15, 2024 at his Los Angeles home, after a long illness. His sister Jewel Smith was with him.
He and his brother Willie, co-wrote the iconic song “Time Has Come Today,” which has been featured in over 100 films, and numerous TV shows and commercials. Joe had been working on two recording projects. A gospel collaboration with his nephew, Jerry Warner, and The Ash Grove Alumni with Wendy Waldman and Steve Moos.
The original Chambers Brothers band consisted of Joe, Willie, George, and Lester Chambers and Brian Keenan. They were first discovered in 1965 by Pete Seeger at The Newport Folk Festival and then began playing locally at the Ashgrove in Los Angeles. Subsequently, they performed internationally, with artists such as The Doors, The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
David Rubinstein signed them to a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1966. Joe and Willie continued to perform together after the Chambers Brothers disbanded in the 1970s, while Lester pursued his own musical endeavors and most recently joined Moonalice.
In 2021, the Chambers Brothers appeared in the Questlove music documentary “Summer of Soul,” which won an Oscar for “Best Documentary Feature” at the 94th Academy Awards. They are also featured in a 2023 documentary, “The 9 Lives of Barbara Dane.”
Joe is survived by his daughter, four sisters, two brothers, and many nieces and nephews.