A story on the history of Long Island without a mention of the Chapin brothers is an incomplete one.
Brothers Harry, Tom and Steve, three of the four children of percussionist Jim Chapin and Jeanne Elspeth, the daughter of literary critic Kenneth Burke, are music icons on Long Island.
The oldest of the three, Harry, paved the way for his brothers. The Grammy Award-winning artist and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee has sold over 16 million records worldwide and recorded 11 albums before his untimely death in 1981 at just 38.
However, Harry’s humanitarian work, which rages on through his family, is where many recognize him. In his fight against hunger, Harry is responsible for creating Long Island Cares and WhyHunger , while the Harry Chapin Food Bank is named after him. Harry’s role in attempting to end world hunger was acknowledged at one of the highest levels possible, as he was a significant participant in the formation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977 and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1987.
“You try to work toward the light,” Tom said. “You try to work toward doing positive work. And what is more awful than hungry children or hungry old people. Long Island Cares is one of the great food banks in America, and that was started by Harry. And WhyHunger, the organization I’ve been a board member of since the beginning. Those are some of the best things that we get to do.”
In addition to his own philanthropic contributions, Tom is also an accomplished artist. With 26 recordings and hundreds of songs under his belt, Tom is still going strong today at 79. On July 18, he will host an environmental concert at the Walt Whitman Birthplace in Huntington Station.
“My dad was a jazz drummer, and he died just short of 90,” Tom said. “He was playing right up to the end. People say, ‘Are you going to retire?’ And I say, ‘Retire to do what? Do what I love to do? It’s what I’m doing right now.’”
The Chapin musical gene has also spread beyond the brothers. Tom’s daughters, Abigail and Lily Chapin, form the Chapin Sisters band, formerly alongside their half-sister and Tom’s stepdaughter, Jessica Craven. Additionally, Harry’s daughter, Jen Chapin, is also a musician.
“What’s amazing to me, when I watch my daughters, is how good they are,” Tom said. “Very often I’ve done concerts where I do a couple of songs then bring them out. I always feel like it’s the moment in The Wizard of Oz when it goes to the color. It’s really indescribable. The joy I get from watching them and we also perform with Harry’s daughter. And their kids are now starting in music.”
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