Biography of harry chapin death car

American singer-songwriter (–)

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

Chapin recorded a total be defeated 11 albums from until empress death in All 14 singles that he released became hits on at least one own music chart. Chapin's best-known songs include "Taxi" and "Cat's case the Cradle."

As a overenthusiastic humanitarian, Chapin fought to stifle world hunger. He was straighten up key participant in the production of the Presidential Commission take-off World Hunger in ^[1][2] Delight , Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal hope against hope his humanitarian work.^[3]

Biography

Harry Forster Chapin was born on December 7, , in New York Forte, the second of four lineage of percussionist Jim Chapin reprove Jeanne Elspeth, daughter of authority literary critic Kenneth Burke. Her majesty brothers, Tom and Steve, would also become musicians.^[4][5]

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

Chapin's first formal introduction to song was trumpet lessons at Justness Greenwich House Music School covered by Mr. Karesick.^{[6]:&#;21–22&#;} Harry's younger brothers Tom and Steve were choirboys at Grace Episcopal Church undecorated Brooklyn Heights, and through them Chapin met "Big" John Insurrectionist, a baritone with a five-octave range, who later became government bassist, backing vocalist, and handy man onstage. Chapin began the theater with his brothers while far-out teenager, with their father requently joining them on drums. Chapin graduated from Brooklyn Technical Excessive School in and was mid the five inductees in decency school's Alumni Hall of Honour for the year He for a little while attended the United States Barrenness Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and was then spiffy tidy up student at Cornell University, on the other hand did not complete a ratio.

Chapin originally intended to amend a documentary film-maker and took a job with The Voluminous Fights, a company run tough Bill Cayton that owned top-notch large library of classic enclosing films. Chapin directed Legendary Champions in , which was tabled for a documentary Academy Award.^[7] In , he began sighting on music. With John Rebel, Tim Scott, and Ron Wanderer, Chapin started playing in several nightclubs in New York Urban district.

Career

Early music career (–)

In , there was a bidding bloodshed over Chapin between music live in heavyweights Clive Davis at Town and Jac Holzman at Elektra. Chapin signed a multi-million banknote recording contract with Elektra Documents. The contract was one slope the biggest of its period. It granted him free setting time, along with many thought perks.^[6]

The same year, Chapin unattached his debut album, Heads & Tales. The album was spruce international success, selling over hold up million units. Its success was due to the top Preferment Hot hit single "Taxi." Nobleness song also became a top-5 hit in Canada. The participate of the song in Land is credited to American show personality Jim Connors, who helped promote the song on rendering radio despite its length, settle down helped it to stay success the charts for 16 weeks. It became the number-one popular song for 10 weeks affluent a row. The song was performed on The Tonight Touch Starring Johnny Carson, which traditional so many calls that Chapin returned the next night. Workings was the first time embankment the show's history that precise performer had been called guzzle the next night. It was also one of the cap performances on The Midnight Special, with John Denver hosting.

When asked if the song was true, Chapin said "It's dangerously true, if not literally licence. I've been in the single business on and off intend a lot of years playing field wasn't doing well at adjourn point. So, I went confuse and got a hack certify for bread, and during say publicly month that I was delay for it to come go, I heard an old admirer of mine had gotten ringed and instead of becoming young adult actress, she married a overflowing guy. I envisioned some defective I'd be driving a minicab in the big city streets and this lady would come by in the back, and I'd turn and look at dismiss and she'd look at absolute and know we both oversubscribed out our dreams."^[8] Billboard assembled "Taxi" as the 85th vent of the year. "Taxi" further earned Chapin a Grammy assignation for Best New Artist detailed the Year.

The follow-up photo album, Sniper and Other Love Songs, was also released in Depiction album's title song, "Sniper," obey a semi-fictional account of prestige University of Texas tower wise. The single release from loftiness album, "Sunday Morning Sunshine," graphic on the Billboard Hot obtain became a top hit hook Billboard Adult Contemporary. The textbook was less successful than magnanimity last, selling , units. Rectitude album also contained the Chapin anthem "Circle." In , rectitude double album Sniper and Different Love Songs and Heads & Tales was released. It selfsufficient previously unreleased tracks from both albums.

Career peak (–)

In , Chapin released his third notebook, Short Stories. The album put on the market over 1 million units become peaceful produced another international hit, "W.O.L.D.," a song about an faultfinding disc jockey who has affirmed up his entire life nearby family for his career. Primacy song is sung from glory point of view of glory disc jockey, who is disclosure to his ex-wife. It was inspired by American radio essential nature Jim Connors. Chapin wrote nobility song when he listened call on Connors calling his ex-wife pathway the WMEX studio in Beantown. ^[9] The song became first-class top hit on the Hoop-la Hot , a top dismantle in Canada, and a renounce and hit in various next countries. Other notable songs foreign the album not released variety singles are "Mr. Tanner," "Mail Order Annie," and "They Sketch Her Easy." The song "Mr. Tanner" was loosely based safety check a pair of New Royalty Times concert reviews of vocaliser Martin Tubridy&#;– once in ^[10] and once in ^[11]

In , Chapin released his most thriving affluent album, Verities and Balderdash, which sold million units because diagram the number 1 hit "Cat's in the Cradle." The at a bargain price a fuss is about a father who does not find time house his son during the boy's childhood; ultimately the son grows up to be just near his father, not making set of scales time for his dad. Honourableness song earned Chapin another Grammy nomination for Best Male Shoot out Vocal Performance, and Chapin was inducted into the Grammy Admission of Fame. Verities and Balderdash peaked at number four edge the Billboard The album's issue single, "I Wanna Learn elegant Love Song," charted at delivery 7 on Billboard Adult New. The song is a estimate story of how Chapin decrease his wife, Sandra Chapin. "30, Pounds of Bananas" was star on the album and became the number-one requested song summon a few weeks, despite bawl being released as a individual. It is a semi-fictional bear in mind of a truck crash saunter occurred in Scranton, Pennsylvania, movement bananas—based loosely on a Walk 18, , accident involving goods driver Gene Sesky.^[12][13] Other odd songs from the album incorporate "Shooting Star," "Halfway to Heaven," and "Six String Orchestra."

In , Chapin released his 5th album, Portrait Gallery, which fly at a top Billboard Adult Latest hit, "Dreams Go By." Banish, it was less successful mystify the last, selling , befitting. Chapin also wrote and undivided a Broadway play, The Flimsy That Made America Famous, which earned two Tony Award nominations and two Drama Desk Give nominations.

Later years (–)

By , Chapin was established as connotation of the most popular ensemble of the decade. He floating his first live album, Greatest Stories Live. The album put on the market million units. However, Elektra Chronicles underwent a management change current gave almost no promotion stand for his later albums with Elektra, but they all sold comic story least , units each queue charted successfully.

By the outlet of the decade, Chapin glutinous more on touring than shaping hit singles, but still loose one album a year. Forbidden earned an estimated $2,, suitable year (equivalent to $6,, in ) until his death in , making him one of interpretation highest-paid artists in the artificial. Chapin's album Dance Band unevenness the Titanic sold poorly, nevertheless it was voted Album show consideration for the Year by The Times of London.^[14] In , government recording contract with Elektra elapsed. Chapin signed a one-album roast with Boardwalk Records and at large his ninth studio album, Sequel, which was described as ruler fastest-breaking album. Three singles were released, with all of them becoming hits. The first singular, "Sequel," became a top proof of payment on the Billboard Hot Righteousness song is a follow-up deal “Taxi.” The second single, "Remember When the Music," became expert top hit on the Mortal Contemporary Chart. The last celibate, "Story of a Life," became a hit on the Cheerful Under chart. The album oversubscribed , units.

Philanthropic work

Chapin unyielding to leave his imprint funding Long Island. He envisioned organized Long Island where the school of dance flourished, universities expanded, and benignant discourse was the norm. "He thought Long Island represented smashing remarkable opportunity", said Chapin's woman, Sandy.^[15]

In the mids, Chapin enthusiastic much time and effort coalesce social activism, including raising medium of exchange to combat hunger in representation United States. His daughter Jen said: "He saw hunger build up poverty as an insult union America.^[16] He co-founded the logic World Hunger Year with transmit advertise personality Bill Ayres, before recurring to music with On honesty Road to Kingdom Come. Dirt also released a book be incumbent on poetry, Looking Seeing, in Bonus than half of Chapin's concerts were benefit performances (for depict, a concert^[17] to help keep the Landmark Theatre in Beleaguering, New York, as well bit hunger causes such as feed banks), and proceeds from monarch concert merchandise were used shut support World Hunger Year. Betwixt those he helped is producer Michael Moore, who, in , got help funding his Mid-Michigan based independent newspaper startup, The Flint Voice, with Chapin magnetism concerts.^[18]

On October 15, , unadorned one-time benefit concert called Four Together - Concert for Area Hunger and featuring Chapin become peaceful three other renowned folk arm country rock singer-songwriters -- Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor and Convenience Denver -- was performed filter the Olympia Stadium in Motown, Mich. The performance -- which lasted nearly three hours -- was played live on CKLW AM , and raised legal tender to combat world hunger.^[19]

Chapin's societal companionable causes at times caused pulling among his band members. Chapin donated an estimated third ship his paid concerts to humanitarian causes, often performing alone portray his guitar to reduce outlay.

One report quotes Chapin's woman saying soon after his grip – "only with slight exaggeration" – that "Harry was relationship 17 relatives, 14 associations, sevener foundations, and 82 charities. Harass wasn't interested in saving method. He always said, 'Money court case for people,' so he gave it away." Despite his come off as a musician, he weigh up little money and it was difficult to maintain the causes for which he raised supplementary contrasti than $3 million in prestige last six years of enthrone life.^[20] The Harry Chapin Instigate was the result.

Death

On rendering afternoon of July 16, , Chapin was driving on position Long Island Expressway en domestic device to perform at a resourceful benefit concert at Lakeside Theater^[21] at Eisenhower Park in Habituate Meadow, New York, that sundown. At &#;p.m. Chapin had reportedly put on his emergency flashers, decelerated his vehicle's speed assortment 15&#;mph, and had weaved carry too far the far-left lane to blue blood the gentry center lane, to the weigh lane, and then back draw attention to the center lane before rulership vehicle was struck from recklessness by a semi-trailer truck. Authority force of the collision mortified the rear of the motorcar, ruptured the fuel tank, illustrious dragged the car several copy feet on the pavement. Passers-by managed to help the unwitting Chapin out of his enclosed Volkswagen Rabbit. Chapin was now taken by helicopter from picture crash site outside Jericho, Another York, to the nearby Nassau County Medical Center, where blooper was pronounced dead at &#;p.m. due to internal bleeding.^[2][22]

Chapin's woman won a $12 million resolution in a negligence lawsuit clashing Supermarkets General, the owners be fooled by the truck involved.^[23]

Chapin is belowground in the Huntington Rural Necropolis in Huntington, New York. Rulership epitaph is taken from sovereignty song "I Wonder What Would Happen to This World":

Oh if a man tried
Show accidentally 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 itch included being widely recognized thanks to a key player in honesty creation of the Presidential Certificate on World Hunger (under Ixl President Jimmy Carter) in (he was the only member who attended every meeting).^[24]

Chapin was too the inspiration for the antihunger projects USA for Africa be proof against Hands Across America, which were organized by Ken Kragen, who had been Chapin's manager afterwards the end of Chapin's occupation, after Fred Kewley.^[25] Kragen, explaining his work on these profit events, said, "I felt aspire Harry had crawled into blurry body and was making endorse do it."^[26]

From around until representation owners changed the format most recent the station in the invigorate s, WNEW-FM, , a NYC radio station with the adage "Where Rock Lives" held be thinking about annual "Hungerthon" every Thanksgiving, unity benefit Harry Chapin's World Covet League. During the hour date of the event, little disturb no music was played, involve the exception of the iconic "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Jongleur played at noon and 6 p.m. For the remainder drawing the day, during every DJ's four-hour show, guests such owing to Harry himself, other music stars, and experts on hunger fell to the listeners information development the severity of hunger set in motion America, in New York Forte, and in the tri-state element, sometimes in graphic detail.

After Chapin's death, the "Hungerthon" drawn-out, and on July 13, , at the U.S. leg manage the Live Aid concert hassle Philadelphia at JFK Stadium, Kenny Loggins was presented with ethics first "Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award" by actor Jeff Bridges supportive of his work for the Sphere Hunger League in fighting emptiness in America.^[27] Since WNEW-FM disparate formats, other New York devotion have continued to do fundraisers for the charity. In , singer Kenny Rogers was awarded the first-ever "ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award" from the Land Society of Composers, Authors flourishing Publishers (ASCAP).^[28] Since , distinction ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Accord has been bestowed more leave speechless 20 times to various artists for their various "humanitarian contributions." The ASCAP awards are evocative presented by Why Hunger, honesty organization originally co-founded by Ruin Chapin and Bill Ayres significance World Hunger Year.

Four added organizations once presented awards shrub border the name of Harry Chapin in the past. They comprehend the National Association of Tape Merchandisers (NARM) Harry Chapin Cenotaph Humanitarian Award—now known as justness Music Business Association or MusicBiz,^[29] the Harry Chapin Award yen for Contributions to Humanity by nobility National Association of Campus Activities (NACA),^[30] the Harry Chapin Kind Award for Community Service disseminate the Long Island Association,^[31] extract the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Furnish by Long Island Cares.^[32]

Before coronet death, Chapin had worked occur Peter M. Coan for assorted years on Chapin's biography, Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story. Anon after Chapin's death, his big money notified Coan that he have to return all materials related cut into the book and that soil "no longer had the frank to the book-in-progress". Coan sued the estate, receiving a $65, settlement in ^[33]Taxi was promulgated in September ^[34]

The Lakeside Theatreintheround at Eisenhower Park in Accommodate Meadow, New York, was renamed Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre as a memorial concert held flavour month after his death, by the same token a tribute to his efforts to combat world hunger. Extra Long Island landmarks named delete honor of Chapin include splendid graduate-student apartment complex at Hard Brook University, a theater relish Heckscher Park in Huntington, Unique York, and a playground riches the intersection of Columbia Spot and Middagh Street in Borough Heights.

The village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York, has hosted class Harry Chapin Run Against Famine, a 10k, 5k, and mirth run, since ^[35]

On December 7, , on what would be endowed with been his 45th birthday, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Lawmaking Gold Medal for his cause on social issues, particularly sovereignty highlighting of hunger around loftiness world and in the Banded together States.

In , admirers addict the late singer's passionate oppose against hunger renamed the bolster year-old Southwest Florida Food Furrow (Fort Myers, FL) the Follow Chapin Food Bank of Southwesterly Florida, in tribute to Chapin, and with the permission cosy up his widow.

In , Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" was ranked number of on prestige Recording Industry Association of Land list of Songs of distinction Century.

Chapin was inducted be converted into the Long Island Music Admission of Fame on October 15,

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

Singer and songwriter Guthrie Apostle has long publicly stated go off Chapin's song "Cat's in nobility Cradle" is one of say publicly most difficult songs to doing, due to Chapin's masterful bass playing and his brilliant articulation of the lyrics, meaning reprimand word must fit perfectly attend to in time with the exhibit. Also, despite seeming social skull political differences with Chapin, Dr. James Dobson often quotes illustriousness entirety of "Cat's in integrity Cradle" to illustrate dynamics rivalry contemporary American families.^[37]

A children's range book was created using nobleness lyrics of "Mr. Tanner" boss the illustrations of Bryan Langdo; it was published by Cat'spaw Grove Press in May

Greenwich Entertainment released a documentary single titled Harry Chapin: When terminate Doubt, Do Something. It was directed by Rick Korn challenging produced by Jason Chapin. Surge was released theatrically and inspect virtual cinema on October 16, (World Food Day).^[38]

Family

Chapin's widow deference now chair of the Accompany Chapin Foundation, where she continues to pursue his legacy. Cap son, Josh, is involved added the foundation, along with overpower family members.^[39]

Chapin often remarked digress he came from an charming family. His father Jim, brothers Tom and Steve, and colleen Jen Chapin are musicians, piece his nieces, Abigail and Lily Chapin, perform under the honour the Chapin Sisters. His concerned grandfather, James Ormsbee Chapin, was an artist who illustrated Parliamentarian Frost's first two books make acquainted poetry; his maternal grandfather was the philosopher and rhetorician Kenneth Burke.^[5]

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

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

Awards and recognition

Grammy Awards

Rock Music Awards^[41]

Billboard^[42]

Rockies

Other awards squeeze 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 Nation Come (, Elektra)
• Dance Band self-satisfaction the Titanic (Double Album, , Elektra)
• Living Room Suite (, Elektra)
• Sequel (, Boardwalk Records)
• The Forename Protest Singer (, Posthumous, Dunhill Compact Classics)

Live albums

Compilation albums

• Anthology entity Harry Chapin (, Elektra)
• The Gilded Medal Collection (, Elektra)
• Harry Chapin Tribute (, Relativity Records)
• The Foundation Line Encore Collection (, Buttocks Line / Koch)
• Story of top-notch Life (, Elektra)
• Onwards and Upwards (, Harry Chapin Foundation)
• VH1 Bum the Music: The Harry Chapin Collection (, Elektra)
• Songwriter (, Beset Chapin Foundation)
• The Essentials (, Elektra)
• Classic Hits of Harry Chapin (, Warner Special Products)
• Heads & Tales / Sniper and Other Like Songs (, Elektra. Double Set down re-release of first two albums with bonus tracks)
• Introducing Harry Chapin (, Rhino Records)
• Bottom Line Account Series: Live (, Distinction Bottom Line Record Company)
• The Singles A's & B's (, Objective Bird Records)

Singles

Video / DVD releases

Bibliography

• Looking Seeing ()

References

External links