Biography of harry chapins death

American singer-songwriter (–)

Harry Forster Chapin (; December 7, – July 16, ) was an Land singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger untraditional best known for his fixed rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success disclose the s. Chapin, a Grammy Award-winning artist and Grammy Entry-way of Fame inductee, has advertise over 16 million records general.

Chapin recorded a total get into 11 albums from until climax death in All 14 singles that he released became hits on at least one not public music chart. Chapin's best-known songs include "Taxi" and "Cat's sufficient the Cradle."

As a complete humanitarian, Chapin fought to intention world hunger. He was pure key participant in the origin of the Presidential Commission earlier World Hunger in ^[1][2] Slice , Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal uncontaminated his humanitarian work.^[3]

Biography

Harry Forster Chapin was born on December 7, , in New York Get into, the second of four descendants of percussionist Jim Chapin swallow Jeanne Elspeth, daughter of grandeur literary critic Kenneth Burke. Dominion brothers, Tom and Steve, would also become musicians.^[4][5]

The earliest Chapin to come to America was Samuel Chapin, who was probity first deacon of Springfield, Colony, in His other great-grandparents command his mother's side had immigrated in the late 19th century.^[6]:&#;4&#; Chapin's parents divorced in , with his mother retaining breakin of their four sons, tempt Jim spent much of sovereign time on the road reorganization a drummer for Big Band-era acts such as Woody Jazzman. Chapin's mother married Films remodel Review magazine editor Henry Lyricist a few years later.

Chapin's first formal introduction to song was trumpet lessons at Prestige Greenwich House Music School decorate Mr. Karesick.^{[6]:&#;21–22&#;} Harry's younger brothers Tom and Steve were choirboys at Grace Episcopal Church behave Brooklyn Heights, and through them Chapin met "Big" John Author, a baritone with a five-octave range, who later became cap bassist, backing vocalist, and on end man onstage. Chapin began execution with his brothers while dialect trig teenager, with their father from time to time joining them on drums. Chapin graduated from Brooklyn Technical Elate School in and was amid the five inductees in honourableness school's Alumni Hall of Renown for the year He bluntly attended the United States Drain Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and was then regular student at Cornell University, however did not complete a level.

Chapin originally intended to make ends meet a documentary film-maker and took a job with The Grand Fights, a company run bid Bill Cayton that owned straighten up large library of classic enclosing films. Chapin directed Legendary Champions in , which was out of action for a documentary Academy Award.^[7] In , he began objective on music. With John Insurgent, Tim Scott, and Ron Wanderer, Chapin started playing in several nightclubs in New York Borough.

Career

Early music career (–)

In , there was a bidding hostilities over Chapin between music abrupt heavyweights Clive Davis at Town and Jac Holzman at Elektra. Chapin signed a multi-million symbol recording contract with Elektra Annals. The contract was one suggest the biggest of its regarding. It granted him free tape time, along with many on the subject of perks.^[6]

The same year, Chapin free his debut album, Heads & Tales. The album was let down international success, selling over lag million units. Its success was due to the top Developing Hot hit single "Taxi." Picture song also became a top-5 hit in Canada. The come next of the song in U.s. is credited to American transmit advertise personality Jim Connors, who helped promote the song on probity radio despite its length, current helped it to stay method the charts for 16 weeks. It became the number-one on request song for 10 weeks interject a row. The song was performed on The Tonight Expose Starring Johnny Carson, which established so many calls that Chapin returned the next night. Be a smash hit was the first time bask in the show's history that expert performer had been called tone of voice the next night. It was also one of the have control over performances on The Midnight Special, with John Denver hosting.

When asked if the song was true, Chapin said "It's shamefully true, if not literally reckon. I've been in the layer business on and off pay money for a lot of years don wasn't doing well at individual point. So, I went weight and got a hack accredit for bread, and during magnanimity month that I was lag behind for it to come insult, I heard an old dear of mine had gotten wed and instead of becoming apartment house actress, she married a prosperous guy. I envisioned some blackness I'd be driving a hack in the big city streets and this lady would verve in the back, and I'd turn and look at out and she'd look at on a par and know we both advertise out our dreams."^[8] Billboard ranged "Taxi" as the 85th melody of the year. "Taxi" too earned Chapin a Grammy prison term for Best New Artist medium the Year.

The follow-up ep, Sniper and Other Love Songs, was also released in Honourableness album's title song, "Sniper," quite good a semi-fictional account of goodness University of Texas tower exquisite. The single release from authority album, "Sunday Morning Sunshine," layout on the Billboard Hot enjoin became a top hit smidgen Billboard Adult Contemporary. The release was less successful than distinction last, selling , units. Primacy album also contained the Chapin anthem "Circle." In , birth double album Sniper and Show aggression Love Songs and Heads & Tales was released. It self-supported previously unreleased tracks from both albums.

Career peak (–)

In , Chapin released his third manual, Short Stories. The album vend over 1 million units captain produced another international hit, "W.O.L.D.," a song about an nitpicking disc jockey who has terrestrial up his entire life paramount family for his career. Leadership song is sung from greatness point of view of interpretation disc jockey, who is melodic to his ex-wife. It was inspired by American radio individuality Jim Connors. Chapin wrote blue blood the gentry song when he listened get as far as Connors calling his ex-wife staging the WMEX studio in Beantown. ^[9] The song became well-ordered top hit on the Inspiriting Hot , a top beat in Canada, and a temporary halt and hit in various strike countries. Other notable songs overexert the album not released makeover singles are "Mr. Tanner," "Mail Order Annie," and "They Call upon Her Easy." The song "Mr. Tanner" was loosely based dilemma a pair of New Dynasty Times concert reviews of barytone Martin Tubridy&#;– once in ^[10] and once in ^[11]

In , Chapin released his most comfortable album, Verities and Balderdash, which sold million units because produce the number 1 hit "Cat's in the Cradle." The melody line is about a father who does not find time provision his son during the boy's childhood; ultimately the son grows up to be just lack his father, not making circle time for his dad. Excellence song earned Chapin another Grammy nomination for Best Male Protrude Vocal Performance, and Chapin was inducted into the Grammy Corridor of Fame. Verities and Balderdash peaked at number four intensification the Billboard The album's outcome single, "I Wanna Learn uncomplicated Love Song," charted at back copy 7 on Billboard Adult Virgin. The song is a speculate story of how Chapin fall over his wife, Sandra Chapin. "30, Pounds of Bananas" was target on the album and became the number-one requested song sustenance a few weeks, despite battle-cry being released as a lone. It is a semi-fictional be concerned about of a truck crash rove occurred in Scranton, Pennsylvania, crossing bananas—based loosely on a Pace 18, , accident involving stuff driver Gene Sesky.^[12][13] Other odd songs from the album cover "Shooting Star," "Halfway to Heaven," and "Six String Orchestra."

In , Chapin released his onefifth album, Portrait Gallery, which up with a top Billboard Adult Concurrent hit, "Dreams Go By." Still, it was less successful pat the last, selling , accessories. Chapin also wrote and undiminished a Broadway play, The Night-time That Made America Famous, which earned two Tony Award nominations and two Drama Desk Present nominations.

Later years (–)

By , Chapin was established as way of being of the most popular concert of the decade. He free his first live album, Greatest Stories Live. The album vend million units. However, Elektra Papers underwent a management change favour gave almost no promotion financial assistance his later albums with Elektra, but they all sold virtuous least , units each topmost charted successfully.

By the spongy of the decade, Chapin similar more on touring than development hit singles, but still unattached one album a year. Do something earned an estimated $2,, ignorant year (equivalent to $6,, in ) until his death in , making him one of integrity highest-paid artists in the field. Chapin's album Dance Band snag the Titanic sold poorly, on the contrary it was voted Album bear witness the Year by The Times of London.^[14] In , enthrone recording contract with Elektra elapsed. Chapin signed a one-album transmit with Boardwalk Records and unconfined his ninth studio album, Sequel, which was described as coronet fastest-breaking album. Three singles were released, with all of them becoming hits. The first unique, "Sequel," became a top pound on the Billboard Hot Goodness song is a follow-up make available “Taxi.” The second single, "Remember When the Music," became pure top hit on the Of age Contemporary Chart. The last sui generis incomparabl, "Story of a Life," became a hit on the Cheerful Under chart. The album put on the market , units.

Philanthropic work

Chapin resolute to leave his imprint repair Long Island. He envisioned keen Long Island where the terrace flourished, universities expanded, and painless discourse was the norm. "He thought Long Island represented excellent remarkable opportunity", said Chapin's woman, Sandy.^[15]

In the mids, Chapin committed much time and effort on a par with social activism, including raising currency to combat hunger in excellence United States. His daughter Jen said: "He saw hunger status poverty as an insult solve America.^[16] He co-founded the structure World Hunger Year with cable personality Bill Ayres, before incessant to music with On integrity Road to Kingdom Come. Explicit also released a book extent poetry, Looking Seeing, in Advanced than half of Chapin's concerts were benefit performances (for living example, a concert^[17] to help set free the Landmark Theatre in Siege, New York, as well by the same token hunger causes such as aliment banks), and proceeds from crown concert merchandise were used distribute support World Hunger Year. Between those he helped is producer Michael Moore, who, in , got help funding his Mid-Michigan based independent newspaper startup, The Flint Voice, with Chapin support concerts.^[18]

On October 15, , unembellished one-time benefit concert called Four Together - Concert for False Hunger and featuring Chapin folk tale three other renowned folk sit country rock singer-songwriters -- Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor and Convenience Denver -- was performed throw in the towel the Olympia Stadium in Metropolis, Mich. The performance -- which lasted nearly three hours -- was played live on CKLW AM , and raised impecuniousness to combat world hunger.^[19]

Chapin's community causes at times caused scraping among his band members. Chapin donated an estimated third racket his paid concerts to generous causes, often performing alone nervousness his guitar to reduce surge.

One report quotes Chapin's woman saying soon after his decease – "only with slight exaggeration" – that "Harry was mien 17 relatives, 14 associations, figure foundations, and 82 charities. Ravage wasn't interested in saving impecunious. He always said, 'Money anticipation for people,' so he gave it away." Despite his outcome as a musician, he keep upright little money and it was difficult to maintain the causes for which he raised a cut above than $3 million in grandeur last six years of top life.^[20] The Harry Chapin Begin was the result.

Death

On ethics afternoon of July 16, , Chapin was driving on position Long Island Expressway en line to perform at a hygienic benefit concert at Lakeside Theater^[21] at Eisenhower Park in Suck in air Meadow, New York, that gloaming. At &#;p.m. Chapin had reportedly put on his emergency flashers, decelerated his vehicle's speed approximately 15&#;mph, and had weaved spread the far-left lane to high-mindedness center lane, to the lefthand lane, and then back divulge the center lane before circlet vehicle was struck from caress by a semi-trailer truck. Honesty force of the collision humbled the rear of the vehivle, ruptured the fuel tank, arena dragged the car several platoon feet on the pavement. Passers-by managed to help the involuntary Chapin out of his swallowed Volkswagen Rabbit. Chapin was at once taken by helicopter from decency crash site outside Jericho, Recent York, to the nearby Nassau County Medical Center, where noteworthy was pronounced dead at &#;p.m. due to internal bleeding.^[2][22]

Chapin's woman won a $12 million determination in a negligence lawsuit accept Supermarkets General, the owners classic the truck involved.^[23]

Chapin is consigned to the grave in the Huntington Rural Burial ground in Huntington, New York. Sovereignty epitaph is taken from dominion song "I Wonder What Would Happen to This World":

Oh if a man tried
Own take his time on Earth
And prove before he died
What one man's life could be worth
I wonder what would happen
to that world

Legacy

Chapin's work on crave included being widely recognized on account of a key player in influence creation of the Presidential Organizartion on World Hunger (under 39 President Jimmy Carter) in (he was the only member who attended every meeting).^[24]

Chapin was besides the inspiration for the antihunger projects USA for Africa stream Hands Across America, which were organized by Ken Kragen, who had been Chapin's manager rest the end of Chapin's existence, after Fred Kewley.^[25] Kragen, explaining his work on these cooperate events, said, "I felt approximating Harry had crawled into capsize body and was making fair do it."^[26]

From around until decency owners changed the format tension the station in the cry s, WNEW-FM, , a NYC radio station with the adage "Where Rock Lives" held prolong annual "Hungerthon" every Thanksgiving, although benefit Harry Chapin's World Desire League. During the hour interval of the event, little brand no music was played, go through the exception of the iconic "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Songwriter played at noon and 6 p.m. For the remainder find the day, during every DJ's four-hour show, guests such variety Harry himself, other music stars, and experts on hunger powerless to the listeners information keep in mind the severity of hunger walk heavily America, in New York Get, and in the tri-state parade, sometimes in graphic detail.

After Chapin's death, the "Hungerthon" long, and on July 13, , at the U.S. leg past it the Live Aid concert hassle Philadelphia at JFK Stadium, Kenny Loggins was presented with ethics first "Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award" by actor Jeff Bridges school his work for the Universe Hunger League in fighting voraciousness in America.^[27] Since WNEW-FM discrepant formats, other New York position have continued to do fundraisers for the charity. In , singer Kenny Rogers was awarded the first-ever "ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award" from the Earth Society of Composers, Authors unthinkable Publishers (ASCAP).^[28] Since , leadership ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Reward has been bestowed more ahead of 20 times to various artists for their various "humanitarian contributions." The ASCAP awards are at this very moment presented by Why Hunger, distinction organization originally co-founded by Chivvy Chapin and Bill Ayres though World Hunger Year.

Four more organizations once presented awards hold the name of Harry Chapin in the past. They take in the National Association of Put on video Merchandisers (NARM) Harry Chapin Statue Humanitarian Award—now known as glory Music Business Association or MusicBiz,^[29] the Harry Chapin Award Contributions to Humanity by significance National Association of Campus Activities (NACA),^[30] the Harry Chapin Concerned Award for Community Service exaggerate the Long Island Association,^[31] near the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Accolade by Long Island Cares.^[32]

Before sovereignty death, Chapin had worked do better than Peter M. Coan for a handful years on Chapin's biography, Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story. Any minute now after Chapin's death, his property notified Coan that he corrode return all materials related conceal the book and that inaccuracy "no longer had the successive to the book-in-progress". Coan sued the estate, receiving a $65, settlement in ^[33]Taxi was publicized in September ^[34]

The Lakeside Theatre-in-the-round at Eisenhower Park in Take breaths Meadow, New York, was renamed Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre extensive a memorial concert held pooled month after his death, whilst a tribute to his efforts to combat world hunger. Molest Long Island landmarks named involved honor of Chapin include shipshape and bristol fashion graduate-student apartment complex at Harsh Brook University, a theater get going Heckscher Park in Huntington, New-found York, and a playground story the intersection of Columbia Crest and Middagh Street in Borough Heights.

The village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York, has hosted distinction Harry Chapin Run Against Eat one`s heart out ove, a 10k, 5k, and games run, since ^[35]

On December 7, , on what would imitate been his 45th birthday, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Governmental Gold Medal for his clash of arms on social issues, particularly rulership highlighting of hunger around nobility world and in the Affiliated States.

In , admirers advance the late singer's passionate disagree against hunger renamed the commit fraud year-old Southwest Florida Food Camber (Fort Myers, FL) the Attend Chapin Food Bank of Sou'west Florida, in tribute to Chapin, and with the permission pale his widow.

In , Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" was ranked number of on magnanimity Recording Industry Association of U.s. list of Songs of depiction Century.

Chapin was inducted turn into the Long Island Music Passage of Fame on October 15,

On September 27, , earlier U.S. Representative Alan Grayson wrote an article on the web publication The Huffington Post increase in value Chapin's song "What Made Earth Famous".^[36]

Singer and songwriter Guthrie Poet has long publicly stated think it over Chapin's song "Cat's in magnanimity Cradle" is one of decency most difficult songs to accept, due to Chapin's masterful bass playing and his brilliant articulation of the lyrics, meaning receiving word must fit perfectly captivated in time with the singing. Also, despite seeming social gift political differences with Chapin, Dr. James Dobson often quotes interpretation entirety of "Cat's in distinction Cradle" to illustrate dynamics clone contemporary American families.^[37]

A children's range book was created using class lyrics of "Mr. Tanner" duct the illustrations of Bryan Langdo; it was published by Flap Grove Press in May

Greenwich Entertainment released a documentary peel titled Harry Chapin: When talk to Doubt, Do Something. It was directed by Rick Korn avoid produced by Jason Chapin. Concentrate was released theatrically and vindicate virtual cinema on October 16, (World Food Day).^[38]

Family

Chapin's widow assignment now chair of the Ravage Chapin Foundation, where she continues to pursue his legacy. Jurisdiction son, Josh, is involved make contact with the foundation, along with concerning family members.^[39]

Chapin often remarked go off at a tangent he came from an beautiful family. His father Jim, brothers Tom and Steve, and female child Jen Chapin are musicians, onetime his nieces, Abigail and Lily Chapin, perform under the fame the Chapin Sisters. His protective grandfather, James Ormsbee Chapin, was an artist who illustrated Parliamentarian Frost's first two books supporting poetry; his maternal grandfather was the philosopher and rhetorician Kenneth Burke.^[5]

Chapin's brothers sometimes performed fretfulness Harry at various times during his career, particularly during endure performances. They played with him before his solo career took off, and were credited be sure about the albums Greatest Stories Live,Legends of the Lost and Found, and Chapin Music! Tom ride Steve continued to perform unintelligent (often with Harry's former bandmates) occasionally after his death.

Country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter silt Chapin's fifth cousin.^[40]

Awards and recognition

Grammy Awards

Rock Music Awards^[41]

Billboard^[42]

Rockies

Other awards service honors

Discography

Main article: Harry Chapin discography

Studio albums

• Heads & Tales (, Elektra)
• Sniper and Other Love Songs (, Elektra)
• Short Stories (, Elektra)
• Verities & Balderdash (, Elektra)
• Portrait Gallery (, Elektra)
• On the Road to Sovereign state Come (, Elektra)
• Dance Band use the Titanic (Double Album, , Elektra)
• Living Room Suite (, Elektra)
• Sequel (, Boardwalk Records)
• The Extreme Protest Singer (, Posthumous, Dunhill Compact Classics)

Live albums

Compilation albums

• Anthology unconscious Harry Chapin (, Elektra)
• The Golden Medal Collection (, Elektra)
• Harry Chapin Tribute (, Relativity Records)
• The Stem Line Encore Collection (, Establish Line / Koch)
• Story of splendid Life (, Elektra)
• Onwards and Upwards (, Harry Chapin Foundation)
• VH1 Cling the Music: The Harry Chapin Collection (, Elektra)
• Songwriter (, Destroy Chapin Foundation)
• The Essentials (, Elektra)
• Classic Hits of Harry Chapin (, Warner Special Products)
• Heads & Tales / Sniper and Other Attraction Songs (, Elektra. Double Memorandum re-release of first two albums with bonus tracks)
• Introducing Harry Chapin (, Rhino Records)
• Bottom Line Account Series: Live (, Probity Bottom Line Record Company)
• The Singles A's & B's (, Rotten Bird Records)

Singles

Video / DVD releases

Bibliography

• Looking Seeing ()

References

External links