Episode 36 – John Chamberlin

A Tribute to North Coast Legend John Chamberlin

SnapSessions! presents Episode 36, a special tribute to legendary Mendocino artist and musician John Chamberlin, who would have turned 80 in September 2021. John Chamberlin was a unique character, from his arrival in Mendocino in the late 1960s until his passing in 2013. His posters, signs, and musical contributions to numerous bands were a huge influence on North Coast culture. 

SnapSessions! interviewed musicians, artists, and friends for this salute, including Ellen Callas, Greg Hillman, Kathy O’Grady, Judy Frank, Nick Wilson, Lee Larsen White, Richard Fienburgh, Claudia Paige, Louis Callas, Frannie Leopold, Steve Weingarten, and Bob Ross. They discuss his work with Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys, Horse Badorties, The Mark Levine Review and other bands, and reminisce about his awesome artwork. This episode is an assortment of reflections and laughs from friends who knew and loved John.

SnapSessions! Episode 36 includes samples of some of Chamberlin’s musical performances, including Cat Mother’s “Love Until Your Heart Breaks”, Horse Badorties’s “Jump”, The Mark Levine Revue’s “Navarro by the Sea,” Lenny Laks’s “Ring Around the Sun”, and many more surprises. 

Episode 36 is 1 hour and 17 minutes long.

SnapSessions! includes original music by Marshall Brown, production by Marshall Brown and Ken Krauss, voiceovers by Ken Krauss and Doug Nunn, and articles and interviews by Doug Nunn. Our SnapSessions! artist and logo maker is caricaturist, Daniel Stieglitz.

For this and previous podcasts visit to our website thesnapsessions.com  And you call find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Soundcloud.

Like what you hear? Consider supporting our program by contributing to our Patreon campaign. Our supporters get early access to our shows, transcripts of our segments and interviews, and for this tribute show, access to previously unavailable John Chamberlin performances.

For those interested in music and art from John Chamberlin, please check out the following links:

Many Cat Mother songs (later versions of which John played with) can be found on YouTube– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBy6Q1GQIFE&list=PLzBDtDLSlWnJf3iJY58Lj4tpAIsn_0EMk

Many Horse Badorties songs, in which John was a featured player, can be found on YouTube– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9AohMpupi8&list=PLfIDJ-qUtInKO1HH6LFNReUctm7pBYXt8

John’s contribution as a Mandolin player on Hit & Run’s “The Irish Persons” is lovingly appreciated in a SnapSessions’ episode from December 2020– https://www.thesnapsessions.com/episode-27-the-irish-persons/

Lenny Laks’ Ring Around the Sun(where John was a featured player) and other songs can be found at his Discog site–   https://www.discogs.com/Lenny-Laks-Ring-Around-The-Sun/release/4044559 

Antonia Lamb’s recordings, many of which featured John, can be found at— http://www.antonialamb.com/Recordings.html 

For those interested in John’s Art work, please check out John Chamberlin’s Artwork on Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/groups/1841669452787287

and At the Kelley House Museum in Mendocino—

https://mendocinohistory.pastperfectonline.com/archive/9EA89370-95DC-4883-BD5C-732505532017

https://mendocinohistory.pastperfectonline.com/archive/54D0BF5D-02D3-4909-9BB0-141837853960

And for an overview of John’s artistic contribution to the Mendocino Coast, please read Bob Ross’s excellent article in the January 2016 edition of Real Estate Magazine—

http://www.realestatemendocino.com/images/REM%20682.pdf