 John
McMenamin
I have been
performing Harry Chapin's music since the late 1970s beginning at The
Cabaret Theatre, a small theatre near Pittsburgh where I worked as a
performer and director. I was a huge Chapin fan and would spend many
hours after shows sharing my favorite Chapin music with the audiences
and fellow actors who would remain after the shows. Shortly after Harry's
tragic death in July 1981, I asked the artistic director of the theater,
John Carosella, if I could present an evening of Harry Chapin songs
at the theatre with the profits going to World
Hunger Year. He enthusiastically agreed to lend the theatre for
free, producer John Horanic also pitched in and donated his talents
and Remembering Harry Chapin was born. I performed several encore
tributes there over the next three years.
In 1995, after
a ten-year absence, we all realized how much we missed the concerts
and did another one, in New Stanton, PA, near Pittsburgh . We had about
275 people at the first show and donated the profits to the
Harry Chapin Foundation. The next year my good friend Rob DeVitis
joined with his electric guitar and we drew 400 people for a World Hunger
Year benefit in Monroeville, PA. Other shows have since followed in
Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey, with the proceeds benefiting a charity
such as WHY or the Harry Chapin Foundation. I was delighted to discover
there is still such an interest in Harry's life and music, particularly
among people who are too young to have experienced his legendary live
concerts.
The most recent
show was July 11, 2010 at the Media Theatre for the Performing Arts in Media, PA when I had the great pleasure to perform Harry's music with his former
bandmates Howard Fields and "Big"
John Wallace, and featuring Rob DeVitis on guitar, John Gebhart on
keyboards, and Erin Barnes on cello.
If you have
any specific questions, or if you would like to be updated when the
next show is booked, please e-mail me. As far as the
show itself is concerned, it is an appreciation, not an impersonation.
I love Harry's songs and know some great stories about him and his music.
I consider it a privilege to spend 2 to 3 hours sharing Harry's songs
and stories with the audience. I feel that it's a very special evening
honoring a very special man.
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Tom
Chapin
I
have been listening to Tom since I used to watch "Make a Wish"
when I was a kid. If you have grammar school age kids, check out Tom's
family recordings; if you don't, check out his adult recordings. But
most definitely check him out. Tom is a treasure.
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Pete Seeger
What
else can one say?
Pete is most definietly the man.
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John
McCutcheon
John
is a great songwriter and an amazing musician, and someone who most
definitely "Remembers when the music..."
"John
is one of our greatest songwriters, musicians and song leaders. And
not just incidentally, he is dedicated to organizing and moving this
world in a better direction."
-Pete
Seeger
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