NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – New York City music icon Theresa Chambers passed away on Sunday (August 11th) after a long illness. Born in Manhattan on March 1st, 1960, she was 64. There was no one in the music industry at one time or another who did not work with her at the many venues across the city from the 1990s through the 2000s. She booked talent for many of New York City’s famed venues.
Chambers was a fundamental part of the live music community in New York City for decades, having worked at talent agency APA, Studio 54 as Steve Rubell’s assistant and as a talent booker for promoter Ron Delsener Presents. She was also the founding booker at many legendary music venues such as The Bowery Ballroom, Mercury Lounge, Fez, and the BB Kings, among others, in the city for many emerging British and American Artists. She was a great friend to managers, labels and especially the Artists she booked. As one person said this past week, “Theresa was seriously a badass with a heart,” and “For years, she was the gatekeeper of great up-and-coming talent.”
Chambers was named Talent Buyer of the Year at the Pollstar Awards in 1999. In addition to her roles in the live music business, she was an accomplished manager for many artists, including, but not limited to, Ireland’s Hot House Flowers and chart-topping Something Happens. She has also worked with David Bowie, Herbie Hancock, The Sugarcubes, and Sinead O’Connor.
Steve Ferguson, Music Agent at Paladin Artists, said, “Theresa was one of a kind…a hustler, always fighting for her beliefs and the acts she worked with. And that infectious laugh! I will truly miss her.”
Long-time manager and industry veteran Dave Lory added, “Theresa not only knew great talent, but she was a dear friend. I worked with her while booking the New Music Seminar for years, along with many artists I have managed. Theresa was among the first people to contact me when Jef Buckley disappeared in the Mississippi River. She cared for the people she worked with, along with the Artists. She will be missed and was one of a kind. No one will be like her again; Theresa was that special.”
NY Music Industry Veteran/Music Publicist Fiona Bloom says, “I used to be so intimidated by her. Sometimes, I would call, and when she picked up the phone, I would start shaking and lose my train of thought. I admired and respected her so much. After literally going to hundreds of shows at the Mercury Lounge (a combination of artists I repped or being a fan), we developed a friendship that included countless conversations about new artists on the scene. Her favorite thing to talk about! She always had her finger on the pulse, with some of the best ears in the biz. Fearless and Bold. I remember she told me once I was overly persistent to the point of irritation, but she also said it’s the only way to do your job, and you get it done! We’ve lost a great soldier! A champion for the unsung and a true live music lover! NYC venues will feel emptier without her.”
Her children will miss her: Ryan, James and Anna; her brothers Christopher, Paul and Daniel; and her beloved Aunt Colleen.
Chamber’s last year was spent supporting the post-punk band that her daughter Anna fronted, Torture and the Desert Spiders. The family will announce a memorial service later in the year, and an announcement will be made at that time.
For more information, contact Dave Lory at dlory@wweg.com
RIP.
