Central Sound Studio : Interview (1981)

Lakeland Ledger article with Carl and Jesse Chambers, Wednesday, February 4, 1981

Chambers cousins bring their music home to Auburndale

By Susan Barbosa
Ledger staff writer

AUBURNDALE - Two and a half years ago, cousins Carl and Gerald "Jesse" Chambers quit their jobs, signed on with a touring country-rock band and hoped for the best. Today Carl has a song of his own, "Take Me Home With You," on Billboard's country music charts and Jesse is taking a chance on a new band.

Raised on country. bluegrass and gospel music, both say they're proud to have realized their musical ambitions without giving up their hometown.

The 34 year-old cousins grew up making music in Auburndale. After graduating from Auburndale High School, they joined several local bands including "All Saint's Day", "Ron and The Starfires" and "Purple Underground" before putting together their own "Dizzy Rambler Band."

Carl was working as a commercial artist and Jesse was working at a local paper plant in 1978 when the country-rockers, The Bellamy Brothers, enjoying a measure of international success, invited them to record and tour.

The first year with the Bellamys they spent 280 days on the road and wore out two recreation vehicles, says Carl. "For a couple of family men like us, that like to have drove us crazy, but we knew what we were getting into and it was an experience in touring, television and recording that's hard to come by," he says.

"Having three top 10 songs during that time was the best part. Music is what I've done my whole life," Carl says, ''but I was green as far as the road was concerned. Now I know it can be done and I want to do it with my own band."

Carl, the cousin with the salt and pepper beard, stayed with the Bellamys for a year and a half, playing lead guitar as well as having a hand in recording two albums. Jesse, bass player and road manager, left the Bellamys recently to start a new band with Ricky Skaggs (formerly with Emmy Lou Harris).

Both married with children to support, the cousins have different attitudes about earning a living with their music.

Jesse says he won't take any job without a contract that provides the security of a weekly paycheck, He calls working with Skaggs a "career high," but admits he's taking a chance. "By June we'll know if we're going to make it or not."

Carl, pursuing his dream of being a solo singer-songwriter, doesn't have a regular income while he waits for his record to get noticed. "Here I have a song on the charts with the possibility of getting in the top 10 or 20 nationwide and I haven't seen a dime. But if I didn't think there was a chance of making money eventually, I wouldn't stick it out.

"On the other hand. I've been in the business long enough to know that this could all amount to absolutely nothing."

In an interview at Central Sound Studios where both cousins work recording sessions, Jesse said he doesn't want to be a solo star.

That's a real rough road that I don't think I'11 take, but I envy Carl because on down that road he's going to be making money and doing what he wants and I'm still gonna be making a salary and working for someone else.

''I don't want my own band, but every star needs someone they can trust to get things done right, and I'd like to be that for Carl. I'd be in his band or set up crews or, eventually, I'd like to be like a personal manager.

Carl recorded his hit in Auburndale and put on the "finishing touches in Nashville. His "Take Me Home With You'' a snappy tune with a sense of humor, is at 33 on the Billboard charts. It can be heard on WGTO radio, but isn't available for sale.

"The reaction I'm getting to 'Take Me Home' really tickles me. People think it's so good, and I know it's not even my best one.''

But the thing that "tickles" him the most, says Carl, is that a lot of people have told him "you can't make a hit record out of little old Auburndale, Fla., and they're the ones I want to show that it can be done.