Tom Chapin - Biography

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Tom Chapin Detailed Biography -

Adult albums and kids' albums, contemporary folk and pop, Tom Chapin's music spans styles and generations. For more than thirty years and through eighteen compact discs, Chapin has entertained, amused and enlightened audiences of all ages with life-affirming original songs told in a sophisticated array of musical styles. Tom's remarkable musicianship, great songwriting and personal warmth shine through whether he's performing in a concert hall, an outdoor festival, a school, in front of a symphony orchestra or in an intimate coffeehouse. The New York Times calls Tom Chapin "one of the great personalities in contemporary folk music." He has recorded seven albums of adult-oriented material, with his eighth in progress. His concerts and recordings are sparked by strong, intelligent songwriting with clear, engaging vocals and the intricate, melodic guitar work that has become his trademark. Tom says: "Mine is not a traditional music, but it comes from a tradition. My musical heroes are people like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie who wrote and sang real songs for real people; for everyone, old, young, and in between." Tom has also gained widespread critical and popular acclaim for his recordings aimed at 4 to 11 year-olds and their families. Tom and his collaborators John Forster, Michael Mark and Jon Cobert, have created a body of songs which are quickly becoming children's classics. His family albums have been recognized with awards from the American Library Association, Parents' Choice, the New York Music Awards, the National Association of Parenting Publications and Parents Magazine. Five of his family recordings have received Grammy nominations for Best Musical Album For Children. Billboard magazine calls Chapin "the best family artist around." Some Assembly Required, Tom's new family recording, has been nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Musical Album For Children. Chapin's live performances engage the hearts, minds and imaginations of children and adults alike. Parents Magazine says, "Nobody today is writing and performing better kids' songs than Tom Chapin . . . the Pied Piper of children's music." Elementary school teachers across North America have incorporated Chapin's songs into their curriculum, finding them accessible and adaptable to classroom study and interaction. Tom is also a beloved narrator of children's books on CD. He has won three Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album for Children: Mama Don't Allow in 2001, There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly in 2002, and The Train They Call The City Of New Orleans in 2004. His varied career has taken him to Broadway as lead in the musical "Pump Boys and Dinettes," off-Broadway as musical director of both "Cotton Patch Gospel" and "Harry Chapin: Lies & Legends" and on television as host of "Make A Wish" on ABC, and as host of the documentary series "National Geographic Explorer." He has contributed satiric topical songs to National Public Radio's Morning Edition, poking fun at social and scientific trends in the news. Tom has a cameo role in Jonathan Demme's 2004 remake of "The Manchurian Candidate." In addition, Tom works tirelessly on behalf of many charitable organizations. He has joined Save The Children in their mission to make lasting positive changes in the lives of disadvantaged children in the US and around the world. He is on the Board of Directors of World Hunger Year, a hunger organization founded in 1975 by Tom's late brother, singer/songwriter/humanitarian Harry Chapin. Tom and his wife Bonnie live in Rockland County, New York. Tom has two daughters, Abigail and Lily, and two stepchildren, Jonathan and Jessica. Abigail, Lily and Jessica have been performing in Los Angeles as The Chapin Sisters. They are managed by brother Jonathan. Their performances have been termed "haunting, fierce, coquettish and inspiringly modern."