| HARRY CHAPIN CHRONOLOGY
1942 - December 7th - Born in New York City to Jean Elspeth Burke and James Forbes Chapin.
1949 - First trumpet lesson.
1953 - Moved to Brooklyn Heights; joined Grace Church Choir.
1957 - Took up guitar.
1958 - Chapin Brothers ("a pre-pubescent Kingston Trio") is formed.
1960 - Graduated Brooklyn Technical High School. (June) Entered U.S. Air Force Academy. (September) Entered Cornell University; major: Architecture.
1961 - First film job, at Drew Associates.
1963 - Re-entered Cornell; major: Philosophy. Wrote first song: "Stars Tangled in Her Hair."
1965 - Full-time music with Chapin Brothers - their album, Chapin Music! is released on Rock-Land Records.
1966 - Film job in Los Angeles, making airline commercials.
1967 - Film job at Caton, Inc. in N.Y. - writer and director.
1968 - Traveled to Ethiopia with Jim Lipscomb to make a film for World Bank - Harry saw and filmed victims of Third World poverty. Married Sandy Gaston with her 3 children Jaime, Jason, Jono.
1970 - Worked on Al Lowenstein's Congressional Campaign. Songwriting job for ABC-TV, working on new weekly 1/2 hr. children's show, "Make a WIsh."
1971 - Jennifer Elspeth Chapin, daughter, born. (July) Formed 4-piece band (featuring former Grace Church Choirboy, John Wallace), worked as opening act for The Chapins at The Village Gate, NYC. Signed recording contract with Elektra Records' Jac Holzman.
1972 - First album, "Head and Tales," produced by Holzman, released. Single, "Taxi," reached #18 on Billboard Singles chart. Joshua Burke Chapin, son, born. Grammy Nomination: Best New Artist of the Year "Sniper and Other Love Songs," 2nd album, is released. Contains song "Circle," which was a #1 hit - recorded by The New Seekers - in Europe. Billboard Magazine Trendsetter Award.
1973 - "Short Stories" released; single "WOLD" hits Billboard Singles chart.
1974 - "Make a Wish" won Emmy and Peabody Awards. "Verities and Balderdash" is released. KHJ, LA's biggest Top 40 Station, played song "What Made America Famous?" once an hour during July 4th Weekend.
1975 - First WHY Hungerthon. "Verities and Balderdash" charts at #1, awarded Gold Album. "Cat's in the Cradle" #1 Single, awarded Gold record. Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Male Vocalist. Poetry book, Looking . Seeing. Broadway musical, "The Night that Made America Famous," starring and written by Harry, opens. Two Tony nominations. Harry began teaching songwriter's workshop in Huntington.
1976 - "Portrait Gallery" released; single: "Dreams Go By." Founded World Hunger Year. "Greatest Stories Live" released, eventually becomes Harry's 2nd Gold Album. Single: "A Better Place to Be". Jaycees: "One of the Ten Most Outstanding Men in America." "On the Road to Kingdom Come" released. Performed/wrote songs for ABC Bicentennial Special, "The Conscience of America."
1977 - "Danceband on the Titanic" released; named "Best Album of the Year" by the London Times. "Chapin" caberet show opened in Los Angeles. First issue of Food Monitor. "Rockies" Public Service Award. James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver appeared with Harry in Detroit concert benefitting hunger lobbying groups.
1978 - Public Relations Society of America Lone Eagle Award. Brooklyn Technical High School Distinguished Alumni Award. "Living Room Suite" released. Song "Flowers are Red" generates overwhelming mail response when sung on the "Tonight" show. Appointed by President Carter to Presidential Commission on World Hunger. Rolling Stone published "Singing for the World's Supper," by Dave Marsh, detailing Harry's work with WHY and Presidential Commission on Hunger. Honorary Doctor of Letters: Adelphia University. New Jersey Network. NY City Hunger Hotline established.
1979 - "Legends of the Lost and Found (New Greatest Stories Live)" released. "Mother and Daughter: The Loving War "ABC-TV film inspired by song "Tangled-Up Puppet," featured Chapin songs, narration and cameo appearance by Harry.
1980 - Founded Long Island Cares. Signed by Neil Bogart to Boardwalk Records; recorded "Sequel" - fastest-breaking single and album of Harry's career. Good Faith Food Donor Bill passed in NY State. Performed 2,000th Concert at The Bottle Line, NYC - WNEW-FM. CW Post L.I. University - Honorary Doctor of Letters.
1981 - July 16th - Died on Long Island.
"Cotton Patch Gospel" opened in Boston. Harry and band recorded 16 songs for projected lp "The Last Protest Singer." "The Last Stand," Harry's last completed song, sung publicly for the 1st time by John Wallace at Grace Church. Completed version of "Jubilation' also performed here for the 1st time, by The Cotton Pickers.
1982 - "Cotton Patch Gospel" opens in Atlanta; becomes longest-running play in that city's history. Kenny and Marianne Rogers established World Hunger Media Awards. "Cotton Patch Gospel" cast album is released. CBS-Fox Video released "Harry Chapin: The Final Concert" videocassette.
1983 - First Harry Chapin 5K Run.
1985 - "USA for Africa," produced by Ken Kragen and a result of Harry's inspiration, records "We Are The World" to benefit victims of famine in Ethlopia. "Lies and Legends: The Musical Stories of Harry Chapin" opens at Apollo Theater in Chicago. "Lies and Legends" opens at Village Gate, NYC. "Lies and Legends" cast album released.
1986 - "Anthology" retrospective album released by Elektra Records. Congressional Medal of Honor #111: Harry Chapin. "Remember When the Music" re-recorded by brother Tom.
1987 - Harry Chapin Park Dedication, Brooklyn, NY. Harry Chapin: A Legacy in Song A collection of 23 of Harry Chapin's most beloved son released by Cherry Lane Music Co., Inc. 110 Midland Avenue, Port Chester, NY 1057 Elektra release of "Heads and Tales" and "Greatest Stories Live" on CD; new anthology released on CD: "Harry Chapin Gold Medal Collection." "Sequel" re-released on CD (with 2 previously unreleased songs) under title, "Remember When the Music." Harry Chapin Tribute at Carnegie Hall - December 7 (Harry's birthday). "Cotton Patch Gospel" released on 16mm film and videocassette; nominated for Dove Award (Gospel music's Grammy) for long-form video. "Cotton Patch" opens in Philadelphia.
1988 - "Last Protest Singer" release on Dunhill Classics CD. WHY Hunger Campaign. "Harry,Who!", a major motion picture screenplay based on the life of Harry Chapin, written by screenwriter Kyle Morris. |
