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 15, 2001 at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It was a thrill to play with Harry's former bandmates Yvonne Cable, Howard Fields and "Big" John Wallace on the weekend of the 20th anniversary of Harry's passing. Rob DeVitis on guitar and John Gebhart on keyboards completed the band for an evening I'll never forget.

If you have any specific questions, or if you would like to be updated when the next show is booked, please e-mail me at mcmen@aol.com.

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.


November 1998 - John McMenamin with
Tom and Steve Chapin after presenting a $3000 check
to World Hunger Year from the proceeds of the
September 12, 1998 "Remembering Harry Chapin" concert.
The presentation took place during World Hunger Year's
Hungerthon 98
at WNEW in New York

Here are some other musical storytellers I have come to admire:

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.


Pete Seeger

What else can one say?
Pete is most definietly the man.

John McCutcheon

I only recently became acquainted with John's music, he 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

 

 

Black 47

Irish born, New York City bred,
Black 47 has been my favorite live band
since I first heard them in 1992.

"Finally, rock and roll that
means something again"

(Time magazine)