Features

Perspective: Gordon Chambers

Gordon Chambers
Songwriter/producer/performer
Chamber Music
Brooklyn NY


Job History
I worked in the music section of the public library.
I delivered newspapers.
I was an assistant in the MIS department of ABC news.
Then I was an Essence Entertainment Editor position.
Until I leveraged that to become a Grammy-winning songwriter-producer-performer. Here's my discography:

Songs
-Angie Stone: "No More Rain" (Arista)
-Aaron Neville: "To Make Me Who I Am," "Sweet Amelia," "Your Sweet and Loving Eyes" (A&M)
-Allure: "The Story, Mama Said" (Crave)
-Anita Baker: "I Apologize" (Elektra)" (Grammy Winner)
-Another Level: "Rain, That Girls Belongs To Me" (Northwestside/Arista UK)
-Aretha Franklin: "The Only Thing That Is Missing" (Arista)
-Aretha Franklin: "Ain't No Way" (To Treat A Lady)" (Arista)
-Assorted Phlavors: "Hiding Place, Trust" (Hall Of Fame/Sony)
-Bobby Brown & Whitney Houston: "My Love" (Arista)
-Beyonce & Marc Nelson: "After All Is Said & Done" (Sony)
-Billie Lawrence: "Chances Are" (Elektra)
-Brandy: "One Voice" (Atlantic)
-Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight & Chaka Khan: "Missing You" (Elektra)
-Brownstone: "If You Love Me," "Half of You," "In The Game of Love" (MJJ/Sony)
-Carl Thomas: "My Valentine" (Bad Boy)
-Cece Penniston: "I'm Moving On" (A&M)
-Damage: "Still Be Loving You" (EMI UK)
-Deborah Cox: "September" (Arista)
-Eternal: "A Melody" (EMI UK)
-Faith: "Fallin' In Love" (Bad Boy)
-Freddie Jackson: "Private Party," "I Wanna Thank You," "One Wish," "Come on Home for Christmas" (RCA)
-Gladys Knight & Jamie Fox: "I Wanna Be Loved" (MCA)
-Glen Jones & Regina Belle: "From Now On" (Peak)
-Heather Headley: "If It Wasn't For Your Love" (RCA)
-Heart: "One Voice" (Sony Japan)
-Hil St. Soul: "I've Got Me, Reach As One" (Gut UK)
-The Honeyz: "Someone To Love Me" (Wildcard UK)
-Illtown All Stars: "Keep It Real" (On Christmas Day)" (Illtown)
-Jade: "If The Mood Is Right" (Giant)
-Janita: "Nice and Easy," "I Wanna Be Happy," "Thank The Heavens" (550/Sony)
-Jason Downs: "Four Chords" (Zomba UK)
-Jesse Powell: "Looking For Love," "I Like" (MCA)
-Kele Le Roc: "A Lil' Bit O' Lovin'" (Polygram UK)
-Kevin Sharpe: "If She Only Knew" (Asylum Nashville)
-Kym Waters: "I Apologize" (Warlock)
-Kleeshay: "Rush" (Wildcard UK)
-Marc Anthony: "How Could I" (Sony)
-Marc Dorsey: "Changes" (40 Acres)
-Martine McCutcheon: "The First Time I Fell In Love" (Innocent UK)
-Maxi Priest & Beenie Man: "Mary's Got A Baby" (Virgin)
-Men Of Vision: "If This Is Love Again" (MJJ)
-Mikki Howard: "Nobody, Ain't No Way" (Peak)
-Naughty By Nature: "DJ Shoutout" (Tommy Boy)
-Najee: "Someone Watching Over Me" (Ncoded Music)
-Nancy Wilson: "One More Try" (Sony)
-Ninety Eight Degrees: "If She Only Knew" (Universal)
-Patti Labelle: "Something More" (Def Jam Classics)
-Patti Labelle and Ron Isley: "Gotta Go Solo" (Def Jam Classics)
-Paul Taylor: "Someone Watching Over Me" (Peak)
-Prophet Jones: "All That I Do" (University/Motown)
-Phyllis Hyman: "Why Not Me," "It's Not About You" (Philly International)
-Queen Latifah: "Winky's Theme" (Motown)
-Ronan Keating: "Brighter Days" (Polygram UK)
-Sam Salters: "Could've Been Me" (Laface)
-Sandy & Junior: "Don't Run Away With My Heart" (Universal UK)
-Seven Mile: "Looking For Somebody" (Crave)
-Stephanie Mills: "Can't Let Him Go," "Healing Time" (JMT Records)
-Silk: "Please Don't Go," "Because Of Your Love" (Electra)
-SWV: "Where Is The Love" (RCA)
-Terri & Monica: "I Need Your Love" (SONY)
-Tamia: "Falling For You" (Elektra)
-Tevin Campbell: "For Your Love" (Qwest)
-Toshi Kubota: "Get It Together" (Sony Japan)
-Usher: "The Final Goodbye" (Laface)
-Velaz: "If You Love Me" (Warner Discos)
-Veronica: "A Love To Come Home To" (Mercury)
-Whitney Houston: "One Wish" (For Christmas)" (Arista)
-Will Downing: "Real Soon" (Motown)
-Will Downing: "Riding On A Cloud" (Verve)

Soundtracks
-Set It Off (Elektra)
-Clockers (40 Acres)
-Money Train (550)
-The First Wives Club (Work)
-Living Out Loud (RCA Victor)

Awards
-"I Apologize:" Grammy Winner, Best R&B Performance, Female, 1995
-"If You Love Me:" Grammy Nomination, Best R&B Performance, Duo or Group, 1995
-"Missing You:" Grammy Nomination, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, 1996
-"No More Rain:" Lady of Soul Winner, Best R&B Song, Female, 2001
-"If You Love Me:" ASCAP Winner, Top 50 Pop Songs of the Year, 1995
-"If You Love Me:" ASCAP Winner, Top 50 R&B Songs of the Year, 1995
-"I Apologize:" ASCAP Winner, Top 50 R&B Songs of the Year, 1995
-"No More Rain," ASCAP Winner, Top 50 R&B Songs of the Year, 2001

Three words to describe yourself.

Creative; adventurous; compassionate.

What are you currently working on? What is your day-to-day responsibilities?

I'm currently working on my solo album for a fall release; Gerald Levert's new album; The O'Jay's new album; Writing and shopping songs is my day-to-day job and managing my rental properties.

What made you decide to pursue this career?

It was a calling, and obsession, even. From the age of 7, I've been writing songs and imagining who would sing them.

What inspires/motivates you?

The need for love in our society. Music is the soundtrack for our lives, and we're living in love-starved times. Other great artists inspire me. Stevie, Whitney, Chaka, Aretha, Quincy, James Ingram, Lionel Richie and Gladys Knight were all inspirations. My father's record collection was a great inspiration and education. I spent endless hours in his basement reading liner notes and copping riffs.

At what point did you decide to make this career choice?

In college, I started writing a lot, taking music engineering courses, and perfecting my performance skills. After school, I deciced not to take a job as a teacher but to work at Essence because I thought it would keep me closer to the music mix. It paid off. I met Queen Latifah at an interview and she invited me to the studio to collaborate. God is good!

How do you balance your personal and professional life?

My personal and professional life are very intertwined, since my job is very networking-oriented. Most of my close friends and family are not in the business, which keeps me balanced, and gives me something else to talk about besides "shop."

As a writer, I compose for "everyday" people. It's important to be around them and to be "everyday" myself. That's how ideas come to you.

What career achievement are you most proud of?

The fact that Anita Baker's "I Apologize" won a Grammy in 1994 and Babyface took me to dinner with his family and personally congratulated me. That was a surreal night in my life! Producing Whitney Houston was also a dream come true beyond comprehension. She is hands-down, my favorite singer of all time.

What was your biggest personal/career mistake and what did you learn form the experience?

My biggest mistake was giving away my publishing rights to the song I did with Queen Latifah. I was young and naive and didn't understand the business like I do now.

How did you overcome any roadblocks?

I kept moving on. This business is filled with disappointments. You have to believe that you are blessed, talented and necessary and keep it moving! Next project!

Was there ever a time where you thought you would not succeed? Please explain.

I have those thoughts all the time. I can be very insecure. Not about my talent, but about the fickleness of the business. But like I said, I keep it moving. And light usually appears at the end of the tunnell, telling me to keep it going.

Is there a downside to songwriting?

The down side to my success as a writer is that people in the industry don't take my performing as seriously. But they will. When they see my shows, they're shocked. Sometimes in life, you're judged by your own successes, but it's about creating new challlenges for myself to keep me motivated.

What are your Guiding principles?

God, the quality of the legacy of music that inspired me, my family's expecation of greatness.

What were/are your biggest challenges?

My biggest challenge is to keep banging out the hits. It ain't easy. 'Nuff pressure! People's expectations can be very high, almost insurmountable.

What are the personality traits you think a successful person in this industry should have?

Good people skills, confidence, follow-up, self-promotion.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting out?

Make sure your music is great before you shove it in people's faces because, sometimes, you only get one shot.

When is your Birthday? Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school?

I'm a Libra, October 12. I grew up in Teaneck NJ, with proud Jamaican parents and lots of Sunday curry goat dinners! I went to public schools in Teaneck, and graduated from Brown University in 1990.

Message Gordon Chambers and tell him what you think

Ray Tamarra

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