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Harry Chapin

Biography

Harry Chapin's career as a popular singer/songwriter was cut short by an auto accident in 1981, yet he left behind a series of recordings that his fans continue to treasure decades after his death. Chapin was never a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter. Critics accused him of over-sentimentalizing his subjects and attaching heavy-handed morals to his socially aware story-songs; the heavily orchestrated arrangements that accompanied many of his songs didn't help his case with the critics, either. Nevertheless, Chapin earned a devoted audience during the '70s, through his music and his charity work as a social activist.

Chapin began performing while he was in high school, singing in the Brooklyn Heights Boys' Choir and forming a band with his brothers Tom and Stephen. During college, he decided to pursue a career as a documentary filmmaker; in 1968, he directed the Oscar-nominated Legendary Champions. In 1971, he switched his career, concentrating on music. Chapin recruited a backing band through an ad in the Village Voice; the respondents included bassist John Wallace, guitarist Ron Palmer, and cellist Tim Scott. The group began performing in various clubs around New York and the singer/songwriter was soon signed to Elektra Records.

Heads and Tails, Chapin's first album, was released in the summer of 1972 and became a success thanks to the hit single "Taxi," which soon became the songwriter's signature tune. Later that year, he released his second album, Sniper and Other Love Songs, which didn't fare quite as well as his debut. Short Stories, Chapin's third album, appeared in the spring of 1973; it spent 23 weeks on the chart due to the success of the single "W.O.L.D.," a story about the life of a disc jockey. After recording his fourth album, Verities and Balderdash, Chapin disbanded his backing band and began work on his musical The Night That Made America Famous; both Wallace and cellist Michael Masters worked on the show, along with guitarist Doug Walker, drummer Howie Fields, and Chapin's brothers Tom, Steve, and Jim. While he was working on the musical, Verities and Balderdash became his biggest hit, peaking at number four on the U.S. charts and becoming a gold record. The album's success was benefited by the number-one single "Cat's in the Cradle," a song about an inconsiderate, career-oriented father that was based on a poem written by Chapin's wife.

The Night That Made America Famous opened on February 26, 1975. It closed on April 6, after 75 performances; the show would earn two Tony nominations. Chapin won an Emmy award that spring for his contributions to ABC television's children's series Make a Wish, which was hosted by his brother Tom. That spring, the singer/songwriter co-founded World Hunger Year, a charity designed to raise money to fight international famine; the organization earned over $350,000 in its first year. In the fall of 1975, Chapin delivered Portrait Gallery, his follow-up to Verities and Balderdash. While the album performed respectably, peaking at number 53, it failed to recapture the mass audience of his previous album.

Greatest Stories -- Live, a double album released in the spring of 1976, became the singer/songwriter's second gold album, peaking at number 48. Chapin was becoming more politically active throughout 1976, as evidenced by his role as a delegate at that summer's Democratic Convention. Late in 1976, he released On the Road to Kingdom Come, which spent a mere six weeks on the charts. The 1977 double-album Dance Band on the Titanic was on the charts for a few more weeks, yet it didn't spawn a hit single. The following year, Chapin met with President Jimmy Carter, discussing the need for a Presidential Commission on Hunger; he also released Living Room Suite that summer, which peaked at number 133.

Chapin released a second live album, Legends of the Lost and Found -- New Greatest Stories Live, in the fall of 1979; it was his least-successful album, spending only three weeks on the charts. In 1980, he signed with Boardwalk Records, releasing Sequel that fall; the title track of the album was a sequel to his first hit single, "Taxi," and became his last Top 40 hit.

On July 16, 1981, Chapin was driving to a business meeting on the Long Island Expressway near Jericho, NY, when his car was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer. The accident caused his gas tank to explode, killing the singer/songwriter in the process. A memorial fund was established in his name following his death, with Elektra Records providing the initial donation of 10,000 dollars. Over the years, the fund has raised an estimated $5 million, which has gone to a variety of social causes that were close to Chapin's heart. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Continued…

Selected Discography

Story Of A Life (Box Set)
1999

Verities & Balderdash
1974

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steve7581 says:

10-12-2008

Great man - great music. Despite being labeled as 70's soft rock, his lyrics meant something and the musicianship was fantastic - "Greatest Stories -- Live" was one of the best live albums of the mid-70's.... a a h I miss the days of real music.....

The Slickstah says:

09-24-2008

My parents were Harry Chapin fans. I saw him for the first time live in July, 1977, I met him at least twice after concerts, and I saw six shows altogether before he died. For years afterward I couldn't listen to his songs. It was only recently that I revisited his music and came to a true appreciation of the altruism of this humble man. he was a man who truly believed in the ability of the ordinary person to make a significant difference in the world. I saw Tom Chapin and Big John Wallace doing

tcgtriplecha i says:

edited on 08-29-2008

He was a wonderful performer and writer. His brother Tom is an incredible musician. Harry Chapin was also a great guy. My ex's brother worked with him on World Wide Hunger issues with OXFAM.

willynjim says:

edited on 09-18-2008

"Cat`s in the cradle" is one my favorites by this man who left us way to soon.Rickey Skaggs(Count r y ) had a good recording of this song..both are very good ,big message..

sohonage0 says:

edited on 08-04-2008

Saw Harry perform at Mizzou when there in 1977. He was literally the last person to leave the auditorium. He sat on the stage after the show talking to us knuckleheads as if our opinions mattered. A sweet, charming, funny, and very emphathetic man. He "made" my roomate play the guitar for him, and then insisted he send him tapes of his songs. My roomate never followed up. He encouraged us all to "be the change!" He was a giant of a man with an even bigger soul.

kenforst says:

07-19-2008

I consider Harry Chapin to be the Kurt Vonnegut of singer/songw r i t e r s : human, honest, wonderfully imperfect, perfectly wonderful.

romrod says:

07-11-2008

Having met Harry at a concert he gave with his brother Tom in Italy at a USO function in 1980, I felt I lost a good friend. In September 2007 I was at a meeting of people that we had to bring a song that had meaning and touched something within ourselves to signify our life. I brought "Cat's in a cradle". It brought tears to everyone in the room, with several people leaving to cry, off by themselves. When they returned, they opened up, and found a renewed energy to straighten out themselves. H

Rick Williams says:

07-09-2008

To think of this wonderful voice screaming its last in horrible pain on the LIE is one of the worst memories I have of Harry. I wish I had been able to see him in concert...he was so much fun on the albums. Sorely missed after 27 years, rest in peace, Harry!

johns487 says:

06-05-2008

One of the first albums I bought (that tells you how old I am!) was his Greatest Hits album. I could listen to "A Better Place to Be" for hours and never get tired of it. I attended a concert of his at Bryant College and he couldn't get the first words to "Taxi" out of his mouth before the crowd went wild. He is truly one of the great story tellers of our life and his intro to "A Better Place To Be" starts to prepare you for the incredible song that comes next. Harry, you are the greatest and te

dawn_chesher says:

05-16-2008

He was a great story teller. I love his music!

money one says:

05-06-2008

one of the greatest men of all times

homelovenest says:

04-06-2008

Harry to me is a timeless artist, the world is a better place, because he was here. He put his whole heart in every song, He was helping the poor, before it was popular. He did it because he saw the need. His music brings me great joy, I can't wait to hear his storys, even though, I know every word by heart. I can only to be half the person he was, we lost him too soon, but he left us with soo much. I think if you listen to his songs, each one of us, could find one, and more than that for me, th

carl.brown1 says:

edited on 04-01-2008

i grew up listening to the songs with my folks and the songs still have dear meaning to all of us. They are lasting stories that show a piece of all of us and our shortcomings that show our hopes, dreams and sorrows. I understand they still do a benefit concert in LI in the late summer or fall.

William Finfrock says:

02-25-2008

jonhdenver

Dean Bagdasarian says:

edited on 02-21-2008

Had achance to see Harry once and I said " I'll go next time" . Well there was no next time. Serious lesson learned there. Deffinately the best story song writer ,EVER. Can't listen to "A BETTER PLACE TO BE", "Coreys Coming", "Mail Order Annie",Tangl e d Up Puppet ,without crying .

Archie Davis says:

02-15-2008

Knew him well...nites of trading tunes on the axes...first nite we met, my girlfriend kept saying it's Harry!..yeah ; okay...after a nite or playing and drinks...he finally said he had to go but wanted to play one more but he couldn't sing the high parts, did anyone know the words? and of course, my date started..I do, I do...what the?..He started singing and I was going it's Harry Chapin! Taxi was the tune...Harry ' s w/me everyday...I see his kindness come out in the most curious places....Th a n k

dcormier4 says:

02-11-2008

Both of you are lucky ones, my parents took my older brother to see Harry Chapin in San Diego in 1979 and promised me the next time he was in town (So. Cal.) they would take me, it never happened. I was staying at my grandmothers when the news came across the TV that Harry died in a car accident, I was 14 and I wept, both of my two favorite artist were dead, Harry and Jim Croce. I still listen to them both and share their music with my children as did my parents with me...just last night my 14 y

mikekprs says:

edited on 02-10-2008

I could play and sing every Harry Chapin song - one of the few artists in my vocal register! When he died, I gathered my friends for a tribute party - played, partied, and memorialized a great man, a fine artist, and a pre-eminent humanitarian (WHO - way before Geldorf. Saw him 4 times in various venues, as well as his brother. Still can't play "Cat's" without weeping.

Perry Smith says:

01-22-2008

I saw Harry Live in Melbourne Australia in the late 70s, he was a warm and inclusive performer. Everybody I knew left the concert happy, each humming one of Harry's tales....