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I heard on the radio the other day that July 16th marks the 28th anniversary of Harry's death. Despite being just 15 when he passed, I grew up a huge Harry fan, being the youngest of eight children, I was listening to my brothers and sisters music from the time I was knee high to a grasshopper.
My brother Tony had all of Harry's albums, and I loved all of it. I still wish I had the opportunity to see Harry live just once, for he was legendary in concert.
So I've always appreciated the music but I knew very little of the man.
For Harry fans or just music fans I found this link it's a Harry Chapin biography
I never got to see him in concert, but I've talked to a lot of people who did. He accomplished a lot in the short 9 year recording career he had. Short Stories was where he won me over as it had some great material on it, particularly the 45 "W.O.L.D.". Songwriting can be at times storytelling, and "W.O.L.D." tells a great story of a man who bounces around from town to town DJ'ing.
He is just as noteworthy for what he had done away from music. He was a tireless worker for the people who didn't know where their next meal was going to come from. He gave more time of himself for charity work than any other recording artist I know of. That I think is what his legacy pencils him in at.
I remember reading the news about his passing. It was finally determined, from what I remembered at the time reading his obituary in the music publications, that he had suffered cardiac arrest behind the steering wheel. He gave so much of himself it was no wonder he had a tired heart.
I had the joy of seeing Harry and the band in concert in Vancouver many times. I'll never forget the time he played a brand new song that no one had heard before. The lyrics described deep, sorrowful feelings you have in an unhappy relationship. He finished the song and the crowd was dead silent for a good 10 seconds. He put down his guitar and looked at us as if to say, "Well?" Everyone was so emotionally choked up! In all of the concerts I've been to, I've never yet seen a reaction like that. It litterly took your breath away.
I had tickets to a concert he cancelled due to a civic strike. We were excited when he rescheduled, but unfortunately he passed away and never made the concert. I have fond memories of Harry's music and concerts, and great respect for him as a humanitarian. What an exceptional man!
I heard on the radio the other day that July 16th marks the 28th anniversary of Harry's death. Despite being just 15 when he passed, I grew up a huge Harry fan, being the youngest of eight children, I was listening to my brothers and sisters music from the time I was knee high to a grasshopper.
My brother Tony had all of Harry's albums, and I loved all of it. I still wish I had the opportunity to see Harry live just once, for he was legendary in concert.
So I've always appreciated the music but I knew very little of the man.
For Harry fans or just music fans I found this link it's a Harry Chapin biography
If you have a Harry Chapin story or just some thoughts feel free to post them here.
RIP Harry
Hey aardvarks,
Nice to finally be able to start a thread about someone whose music you liked/like so much! That was an interesting bio (at times hard to listen to - given who did the narration); nonetheless, interesting and informative.
For quite a while, it seems like rumors were floating around out here in the west that Harry had committed suicide, in the manner described. We obviously didn't have the Internet to be able to learn more. Fortunately, that rumor can be put to rest.
I hope some of those who read news pieces about Harry or otherwise heard his death was a suicide will read the thread.
Double H, WOLD was a huge hit, wasn't it. I could never quite figure out how the guy from NYC who spent some time in San Fran, talked about being
how he worked his way back home via Boise, Idaho. NYC from Boise isn't the usual move.
"The drinking I did on my last big gig made my voice go low
They said that they liked the younger sound when they let me go
So I drifted on down to Tulsa, Oklahoma to do me a late night talk show
Now I worked my way back home again, via Boise, Idaho
That's how this business goes"
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You Did It Aardvarks! W.O.L.D. for Double H
Mr. Tanner.....
