Episode 504: Lester Chambers (of the Chambers Brothers)
In July 2013, Lester Chambers was attacked. Performing at a Bay Area blues festival, the singer had just launched into the Impressions’ classic, “People Get Ready,” as a woman charged through the crowd incensed that he had had dedicated the song to Trayvon Martin. It’s something of a dramatic understatement to say Chambers is a survivor. The musician has seen the heights of music stardom, from fronting The Chambers Brothers to guesting on albums by fellow musical legends like Miles Davis. But the years have found the singer battling labels for royalties and even spending a period homeless and uninsured, battling severe medical issues. But while the industry may have abandoned him, Chambers never lost faith in the music. Keeping the family tradition, he’s returned to the stage with his son Dylan, as part of the musical collective, Moonalice.
