George Chambers was the bass player for the pioneering psychedelic soul rock band, the Chambers Brothers. George and his brothers Lester, Joe, and Willie started singing in church together as children in Mississippi and formed the band in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s. They started out as a gospel group but later became known in the LA folk music community and were invited by Pete Seeger to play at the Newport Folk Festival. The band went electric, adding drummer Brian Keenan, making them one of the first interracial bands. They embraced psychedelic soul music and had a huge hit in 1968 with “Time Has Come Today.” They continued to perform and record as the Chambers Brothers until the mid-1970s. George would go back to gospel music and he would occasionally get back together with his brothers and perform.
We invite you to share condolences for George Chambers in our Guest Book.
Died: Saturday, October 12, 2019 (Who else died on October 12?)
Details of death: Died at the age of 88.
Is there someone you miss whose memory should be honored? Here are some ways.
Full obituary: Rolling Stone
Related lives:
- Was 1968 the Greatest Rock Music Year Ever? (videos)
- Larry Taylor (1942–2019), Canned Heat bassist
- Peter Tork (1942–2019), bassist for The Monkees
