Joe Chambers obit

Joe Chambers of The Chambers Brothers Passes Away, As Announced by His Brother, Lester Chambers

 

He was not on the list.

Joe Chambers, a key figure in the Los Angeles psychedelic/soul group The Chambers Brothers, has passed away.

The news was announced on social media by his brother and band mate, Lester Chambers, late Thursday:

My brother Joe Chambers of The Chambers Brothers passed away today. I am heartbroken to share this news with you. Love to all.

It was those two brothers who penned the classic 1967 single “Time Has Come Today,” which is considered an iconic song of the era and spent five weeks at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 — in shortened form, considering the album version spanned more than 11 minutes in length:

“Time Has Come Today” has been covered by many artists over the years since its initial release, as well as being featured in a number of movies, television shows, commercials and other forms of entertainment. In 2010, Anthony Bourdain also cited the song as something that “saved his life” when he was going through a particularly rough point with his mental health.

The Chambers Brothers disbanded in 1972, but reconvened two years later and released a few more studio albums, touring occasionally until the members ventured into new career paths, with Willie and Joe catching on as session musicians.

In 2021, the Chambers Brothers were featured in Summer of Soul, the acclaimed documentary film from Questlove of the Roots telling the story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.

May Joe Chambers — as well as George Chambers and Brian Keenan, who also passed away in recent years — rest in peace.