Harry Chapin
Tom Chapin
Ron Palmer
Tim Scott
John Wallace
Steve Chapin
Russ Kunkel
Michael Masters
Paul Leka
Jeanne French
Jim Chapin
Howie Fields
Doug Walker
Yvonne Cable
Kim Scholes
This is a FAN page. Harry is my all time favorite singer/songwriter and I just want more people to get a chance to hear him and learn about him.
My name is Ken and I will post my own thoughts here just like the rest of you, as a fan.
-Ken
Harry Chapin
(December 7, 1942 July 16, 1981)
Harry Chapin was an American singer and songwriter. He originally intended to be a documentary film-maker, and directed Legendary Champions in 1968, which was nominated for a documentary Academy Award. In 1971, he decided to focus on music. With Big John Wallace, Tim Scott and Ron Palmer, Chapin started playing in various local nightclubs in New York City.
Chapin's debut album was Heads and Tales (1972), which was a success thanks to the single "Taxi." His follow-up album, Sniper and Other Love Songs, was less successful, but his third, Short Stories, was a major success. Verities & Balderdash, released soon after, was even more successful, bolstered by the chart-topping hit single "Cat's in the Cradle" (co-written by his wife). He also wrote and performed a Broadway musical, The Night That Made America Famous.
In the mid 1970s, Chapin focused on his social activism, including raising money to combat hunger in the United States and co-founding the organization World Hunger Year, before returning to music with On the Road to Kingdom Come. He also released a book of poetry, Looking...Seeing, in 1977.
He was married to Sandy Chapin, and was stepfather to her children as well as having children of his own with her. The story of their meeting and romance is told in his song "I Wanna Learn a Love Song."
Chapin died on July 16, 1981 in an automobile accident on the Long Island Expressway at the age of 38. He was headed to perform a concert in Eisenhower Park in Nassau County when his car was struck by a truck. An autopsy showed that he had suffered a heart attack, but it could not be determined whether that occurred before or after the collision. Although Chapin was a notoriously poor driver, Supermarkets General, the owner of the truck, paid $12 million to his widow in the ensuing litigation.
Chapin was interred in the Huntington Rural Cemetery, Huntington, New York. His epitaph is taken from his song "I Wonder What Would Happen to this World." It is:
Oh if a man tried
To take his time on Earth
And prove before he died
What one man's life could be worth
I wonder what would happen
to this world
Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor in 1987 for his campaigning on social issues, particularly his highlighting of hunger around the world and in the United States. His work on hunger included being widely recognized as a key player in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977.
Chapin often remarked that he came from an artistic family. His father Jim Chapin and brothers Tom Chapin and Steve Chapin are also musicians, as are his daughter, Jen Chapin, and two of his nieces (see the Chapin Sisters). His grandfather was an artist who illustrated Robert Frost's first two books of poetry.
A biography of Chapin entitled Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story, by Peter M. Coan, was released following his death. Although Chapin had co-operated with the writer, following his death the family withdrew their support. There is some debate about the accuracy of the details included in the book.
Did you make it to the tribute show Friday night? I am sorry to say I wasn't able to make it this year. I was at last years and it was a fantastic show. I heard from a friend of mine that did go that it sounds like this show was equally good if not better than last years. Both Bill Pere and the L.U.N.C.H. Ensemble along with the Steve Chapin band all received a prolonged standing ovation at the end of the show. Hopefully I will be able to make it next year. Let me know what you thought if you went.
I haven't been around for a while and just wanted to check in with ya.Hearing Harry sing while scanning through the comments makes me smile.He is my hero.He can still make me laugh and cry by just listening to him.I often wonder what he would have accomplished if he had not lost his life so soon.I am sure it would have been awesome for he had done so much already.I still miss him.He was a beautiful person,from the inside out. Have a safe and happy weekend.
Hey, thanks for the friend's add. Remember, D Guitars Miami is always there to take care of any guitar or bass repair/modification/customization situation!! Rock on.
We all honor Harry in our own ways because the impact that he had is never ending. This is our way.... Please go to YouTube and search Mr. Tanner Robin Eve. This was recorded live on Long Island about 2 weeks ago and is our way of saying thank you. Thanks Harry...keep the change Robin Eve
www.robineve.com www.prunebelly.org - together we can make a difference in the life of a child. please log on to find out how today.
Great work Ken, I have all of Harry's album except The Last Protest Singer which I have been unable to get here in Australia so it was great to hear Basic Protest Song, I just have to get that album now,, Cheers Jack..
I met Harry in Seattle a couple of times. My wifes Aunt Sue was his secretary in N Y. Still have one of his promo pics hanging with the family pics on the wall. Of all the performers that I have listened to over the years I still love Harrys music the best. I think my favorite, just for fun, song has always been 30000 lbs of bananas, if you could add that song it would be great.
Thanks for keeping up with this fan page Ken! It toally rocks!!! If I could request anything it would be from Harry's album "Greatest Stories Live". You already have Cats up there, but that album is just filled with not just the songs but a bit of the his-story behind them as well! Keep up the good work and thanks again for this gem in the rough!
Well I made a request a couple weeks ago, so I suppose I'll repost what I said here:
Harry Chapin is really the only person whom I can call a hero and an idol, and I just absolutely loved his music (I personally own 20 of his CDs and 3 DVDs, and I have yet to purchase a few). Are you familiar with the Harry Chapin Tribute Concert that occured on December 7th, 1987? I find that concert simply amazing, particularly with the performances by Judy Collins, Pat Benatar and John Wallace (Wallace's performance actually inspired me to learn to sing in that manner; a powerful baritone).
Anyway I was wondering if you would be so kind as to upload "Last Stand" from that concert, as performed by John Wallace. If you need the song, I can certainly give it to you. If not, well, thanks anyway.
Hello Harry, Thank you very much for your friendship! It is my privilege and honor to welcome you to my world and I thank you for allowing me into yours. I wish for you every possible success and happiness. Peace & Love, Russ
Just stopping by to say hi. I love the comment from the person below me. I love hearing of people discovering Harry's music even so many years later. The reason you and I have our sites dedicated to him in the first place! I love it!
I'm so embarassed! I thought I knew quite a bit about modern music, but yesterday a poet friend said to me "your music reminds me of a lot of stuff, but most of all my favorite : "Harry Chapin"! I'd never heard of him! So I rush to Wikipedia then check out the web(there's plenty of videos, but my system is too slow!) and here I found his music! These songs are classics, and it seems that Harry was a great man and deeply loved!Thank u for this page and for keeping the memory alive and for allowing fools like me to discover this work 25 years later!
Hello Ken, thanks for the add. Harry Chapin is really the only person whom I can call a hero and an idol, and I just absolutely loved his music (I personally own 20 of his CDs and 3 DVDs, and I have yet to purchase a few). Are you familiar with the Harry Chapin Tribute Concert that occured on December 7th, 1987? I find that concert simply amazing, particularly with the performances by Judy Collins, Pat Benatar and John Wallace (Wallace's performance actually inspired me to learn to sing in that manner; a powerful baritone).
Anyway I was wondering if you would be so kind as to upload "Last Stand" from that concert, as performed by John Wallace. If you need the song, I can certainly give it to you. If not, well, thanks anyway.
Ken.. Thank you soo much for honoring Harry.. I saw him in concert at Washington Park in '75.. Janice Ian was the opening performer.. I have every single and album that he made.. "Taxi" is my all-time favorite..
THANKS FOR THE ADD!! TO A GREAT MUSICIAN WHO WAS TAKEN FROM US WAY TO SOON!! GREW UP LISTENING TO HARRY CHAPIN - STILL LOVE IT TODAY AND ALWAYS WILL!! PEACE!!
