Misplaced Pages

#347652

119-536: Chapin recorded a total of 11 albums from 1972 until his death in 1981. All 14 singles that he released became hits on at least one national music chart. Chapin's best-known songs include " Taxi " and " Cat's in the Cradle ." As a dedicated humanitarian, Chapin fought to end world hunger . He was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. In 1987, Chapin

238-462: A Christen Eagle aerobatic plane, two Cessna 210 Centurion airplanes, and a 1997 amateur-built Rutan Long-EZ . On April 21, 1989, Denver was in a plane accident while taxiing down the runway at Holbrook Municipal Airport in his vintage 1931 biplane. Denver had stopped to refuel on a flight from Carefree, Arizona , to Santa Fe, New Mexico . Reports stated wind gusts caught the plane, causing it to spin around and sustain extensive damage. Denver

357-753: A United States Army Air Forces pilot stationed at Roswell Army Air Field . Captain Deutschendorf Sr. was a decorated pilot who set a number of air speed records in a Convair B-58 Hustler in 1961. In his 1994 autobiography Take Me Home , Denver described his father as a stern man who could not show his love for his children. With a military father, Denver's family moved often, and he found difficulty gaining friends and assimilating with children of his own age. The introverted Denver often felt misplaced and did not know where he truly belonged. While stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona ,

476-467: A "pop" or "backfire" accompanied by a reduction in the engine noise level just before the plane crashed into the sea. In addition to Denver's failing to refuel and his subsequent loss of control while attempting to switch fuel tanks, the NTSB determined other key factors that led to the crash. Foremost among these was his inadequate transition training on this type of aircraft and the builder's decision to put

595-418: A $ 2.50 fare and tells him to keep the change. (The fare would be equivalent to $ 18 in 2023.) Harry realizes they both got what they asked for: Sue is "acting" happy in a loveless marriage and sterile affluence, while Harry is "flying" a taxi, taking tips, and "getting stoned ." A censored radio version of the single replaced "stoned" with "stalled". Chapin said, "there's not a single line that tells how

714-516: A Broadway play, The Night That Made America Famous , which earned two Tony Award nominations and two Drama Desk Award nominations. By 1976, Chapin was established as one of the most popular singers of the decade. He released his first live album, Greatest Stories Live . The album sold 2.1 million units. However, Elektra Records underwent a management change and gave almost no promotion for his later albums with Elektra, but they all sold at least 250,000 units each and charted successfully. By

833-567: A Country Boy "; and " Sunshine on My Shoulders ". Denver appeared in several films and television specials during the 1970s and 1980s, including the 1977 hit Oh, God! , in which he starred alongside George Burns . He continued to record into the 1990s, also focusing on environmental issues as well as lending vocal support to space exploration and testifying in front of Congress to protest censorship in music. Known for his love of Colorado, Denver lived in Aspen for much of his life. In 1974, Denver

952-606: A Jet Plane ". He made several copies and gave them out as presents for Christmas. Milt Okun , who produced records for The Chad Mitchell Trio and folk group Peter, Paul and Mary , had become Denver's producer as well. Okun brought the unreleased "Jet Plane" song to Peter, Paul and Mary. Their rendition hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Denver's song also made it to No. 2 in the UK in February 1970, having also made No. 1 on

1071-524: A Life ," became a hit on the Bubbling Under chart. The album sold 500,000 units. Chapin resolved to leave his imprint on Long Island. He envisioned a Long Island where the arts flourished, universities expanded, and humane discourse was the norm. "He thought Long Island represented a remarkable opportunity", said Chapin's widow, Sandy. In the mid-1970s, Chapin devoted much time and effort to social activism, including raising money to combat hunger in

1190-418: A March 18, 1965, accident involving truck driver Gene Sesky. Other notable songs from the album include "Shooting Star," "Halfway to Heaven," and " Six String Orchestra ." In 1975, Chapin released his fifth album, Portrait Gallery , which produced a top-40 Billboard Adult Contemporary hit, " Dreams Go By ." However, it was less successful than the last, selling 350,000 units. Chapin also wrote and performed

1309-402: A butler answering the door that Sue no longer lives there. The butler gives Harry a forwarding address. Harry tells his cabbie, "I got one more fare for you." The address proves to be that of a modest brownstone urban apartment. At the door: Far from an affluent suburban trophy wife , Sue is now a working-class woman—but is happy with her life, no longer the cold and cloistered socialite, she

SECTION 10

#1732790294348

1428-511: A decade listening to fans ask about what he imagined happening to Harry and Sue later in their lives, Chapin wrote and composed "Sequel", which he released on the album of the same name . Written in the same style as "Taxi", it continues the story of Harry and Sue with them meeting again ten years later. Released as a single, "Sequel" peaked one position higher, but lasted two weeks fewer, on the Hot 100 than "Taxi". It also remains his last appearance on

1547-473: A documentary film-maker and took a job with The Big Fights, a company run by Bill Cayton that owned a large library of classic boxing films. Chapin directed Legendary Champions in 1968, which was nominated for a documentary Academy Award . In 1971, he began focusing on music. With John Wallace, Tim Scott, and Ron Palmer, Chapin started playing in various nightclubs in New York City. In 1972, there

1666-472: A dream that he would be driving the cab in a big city and he'd stop and pick up a lady, and they would look at each other and know that they both sold out their dreams. According to Chapin, he wrote the song then. However, the week the license was supposed to come through, he got a big film job and didn't have to drive the cab. John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver ,

1785-521: A few years later. Chapin's first formal introduction to music was trumpet lessons at The Greenwich House Music School under Mr. Karesick. Harry's younger brothers Tom and Steve were choirboys at Grace Episcopal Church in Brooklyn Heights, and through them Chapin met "Big" John Wallace , a baritone with a five- octave range, who later became his bassist, backing vocalist, and straight man onstage. Chapin began performing with his brothers while

1904-471: A fool of me from one end of the valley to the other". In 1993, Denver pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge and was placed on probation. In August 1994, while still on probation, he was again charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence after crashing his Porsche into a tree in Aspen. Though a July 1997 trial resulted in a hung jury on the second DUI charge, prosecutors later decided to reopen

2023-701: A graduate-student apartment complex at Stony Brook University , a theater in Heckscher Park in Huntington, New York , and a playground at the intersection of Columbia Heights and Middagh Street in Brooklyn Heights . The village of Croton-on-Hudson , New York, has hosted the Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger, a 10k, 5k, and fun run, since 1981. On December 7, 1987, on what would have been his 45th birthday, Chapin

2142-480: A man tried To take his time on Earth And prove before he died What one man's life could be worth I wonder what would happen to this world Chapin's work on hunger included being widely recognized as a key player in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger (under 39th President Jimmy Carter ) in 1977 (he was the only member who attended every meeting). Chapin was also

2261-552: A multiple-city tour of the People's Republic of China. He also released a greatest-hits CD, Homegrown , to raise money for homeless charities. In 1994, he published his autobiography, Take Me Home , in which he candidly spoke of his cannabis , LSD , and cocaine use, marital infidelities, and history of domestic violence. In 1996, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame . In 1997, Denver filmed an episode for

2380-639: A one-album contract with Boardwalk Records and released his ninth studio album, Sequel , which was described as his fastest-breaking album. Three singles were released, with all of them becoming hits. The first single, "Sequel," became a top-25 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 . The song is a follow-up to “Taxi.” The second single, " Remember When the Music ," became a top-50 hit on the Adult Contemporary Chart. The last single, " Story of

2499-464: A pop-rock anthem. "I didn't agree with this assessment," Kragen said, but he reluctantly turned Denver down anyway. Denver later wrote in his 1994 autobiography "Take Me Home" about the rejection, "It broke my heart not to be included." For Earth Day 1990, Denver was the on-camera narrator of a well-received environmental television program, In Partnership With Earth, with then- EPA Administrator William K. Reilly . Due to his love of flying, Denver

SECTION 20

#1732790294348

2618-1046: A retired Air Force chaplain, after which Denver's remains were cremated and his ashes scattered in the Rocky Mountains. Further tributes were made at the following Grammy and Country Music Association Awards. In 1998, Denver posthumously received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Folk Music Association , which also established a new award in his honor. In 2000, CBS presented the television film Take Me Home: The John Denver Story loosely based on his memoirs, starring Chad Lowe as Denver. The New York Post wrote, "An overachiever like John Denver couldn't have been this boring". That same year on April 22, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, Pennsylvania dedicated

2737-447: A row. The song was performed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , which received so many calls that Chapin returned the next night. It was the first time in the show's history that a performer had been called back the next night. It was also one of the first performances on The Midnight Special , with John Denver hosting. When asked if the song was true, Chapin said "It's emotionally true, if not literally true. I've been in

2856-481: A solid fan base, many of whom remained loyal throughout his career. Denver recorded two more albums in 1970, Take Me to Tomorrow and Whose Garden Was This , including a mix of songs he had written and covers. Denver's next album, Poems, Prayers & Promises (1971), was a breakthrough for him in the United States, thanks in part to the single " Take Me Home, Country Roads ", which went to No. 2 on

2975-507: A song about an aging disc jockey who has given up his entire life and family for his career. The song is sung from the point of view of the disc jockey, who is singing to his ex-wife. It was inspired by American radio personality Jim Connors. Chapin wrote the song when he listened to Connors calling his ex-wife in the WMEX studio in Boston. The song became a top-40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 ,

3094-573: A teenager, with their father occasionally joining them on drums. Chapin graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1960 and was among the five inductees in the school's Alumni Hall of Fame for the year 2000. He briefly attended the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado , and was then a student at Cornell University , but did not complete a degree. Chapin originally intended to be

3213-651: A theme of railroad songs. It won a posthumous Best Musical Album for Children Grammy , Denver's only Grammy. His final concert was held in Corpus Christi, Texas, at the Selena Auditorium on October 5. Denver's first marriage, in 1967, was to Annie Martell of St. Peter, Minnesota . She was the subject of his song " Annie's Song ", which he composed in 10 minutes as he sat on a Colorado ski lift . They lived in Edina, Minnesota , from 1968 to 1971. After

3332-589: A top-10 hit in Canada, and a top-10 and -20 hit in various other countries. Other notable songs from the album not released as singles are " Mr. Tanner ," "Mail Order Annie," and "They Call Her Easy." The song "Mr. Tanner" was loosely based on a pair of New York Times concert reviews of baritone Martin Tubridy ;– once in 1971 and once in 1972. In 1974, Chapin released his most successful album, Verities and Balderdash , which sold 2.5 million units because of

3451-430: A weekly music and variety show directed and produced by Stanley Dorfman . Denver's live concert special, An Evening with John Denver , won the 1974–1975 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special, Comedy-Variety or Music. When Denver ended his business relationship in 1982 because of Weintraub's focus on other projects, Weintraub threw Denver out of his office and accused him of Nazism . Denver later told Arthur Tobier, when

3570-403: Is Sue, an old flame from Harry's youth. They had gone their separate ways to follow their dreams: Sue wanted to be an actress, and Harry wanted to learn to fly (hinting at Chapin's real-life experience at the United States Air Force Academy ). When the taxi arrives at Sue's home, she vaguely offers to get together with him sometime, but Harry knows this won't happen. Sue gives him a $ 20 bill for

3689-541: Is a way to communicate a feeling." An exhibition of over 40 never-before-seen photographs taken by Denver debuted at the Leon Gallery in Denver , Colorado, in 2014. Denver was also an avid skier and golfer, but his principal interest was in flying. Denver's love of flying was second only to his love of music. In 1974, Denver bought a Learjet to fly himself to concerts. He was a collector of vintage biplanes and owned

Harry Chapin - Misplaced Pages Continue

3808-591: Is now chair of the Harry Chapin Foundation, where she continues to pursue his legacy. His son, Josh, is involved with the foundation, along with other family members. Chapin often remarked that he came from an artistic family. His father Jim , brothers Tom and Steve, and daughter Jen Chapin are musicians, while his nieces, Abigail and Lily Chapin, perform under the name the Chapin Sisters . His paternal grandfather, James Ormsbee Chapin ,

3927-422: Is now warmer and wiser. She tells Harry of hearing him on the radio; he shrugs off the hype of stardom, and invites her to see his show that night. She politely declines, saying only, "I work at night." Harry provides few other details on the reunion, urging listeners not to dig deeper: "If I answered at all, I'd lie." This time, it's Harry who offers money as they part, which she declines to take. Harry reflects on

4046-496: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge . He had battled to expand the refuge in the 1980s, and he praised President Bill Clinton for his opposition to the proposed drilling. The letter, which Denver wrote in the midst of the 1996 United States presidential election , was one of the last he ever wrote. In 1992, Denver, along with fellow singers Liza Minnelli and John Oates , performed a benefit to fight

4165-510: The Billboard charts despite the first pressings of the track being distorted. Its success was due in part to the efforts of his new manager, future Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub , who signed Denver in 1970. Weintraub insisted on a reissue of the track and began a radio airplay campaign that started in Denver, Colorado. Denver's career flourished thereafter, and he had a series of hits over

4284-543: The Billboard 200 . The album's follow-up single, " I Wanna Learn a Love Song ," charted at number 7 on Billboard Adult Contemporary . The song is a true story of how Chapin met his wife, Sandra Chapin . " 30,000 Pounds of Bananas " was included on the album and became the number-one requested song for a few weeks, despite not being released as a single. It is a semi-fictional account of a truck crash that occurred in Scranton, Pennsylvania , transporting bananas—based loosely on

4403-617: The Grammy Awards five times in the 1970s and 1980s, and guest-hosted The Tonight Show on several occasions. In 1975, Denver was awarded the Country Music Association 's Entertainer of the Year award. At the ceremony, the outgoing Entertainer of the Year, Charlie Rich , presented the award to his successor after he set fire to the slip of paper containing the official notification of the award. Some speculated Rich

4522-730: The Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, New York , as well as hunger causes such as food banks), and proceeds from his concert merchandise were used to support World Hunger Year. Among those he helped is filmmaker Michael Moore , who, in 1977, got help funding his Mid-Michigan based independent newspaper startup, The Flint Voice , with Chapin benefit concerts. On October 15, 1977, a one-time benefit concert called Four Together - Concert for World Hunger and featuring Chapin and three other renowned folk and country rock singer-songwriters -- Gordon Lightfoot , James Taylor and John Denver --

4641-595: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) showed that the leading cause of the crash was Denver's inability to switch fuel tanks during flight. The quantity of fuel had been depleted during the plane's flight to Monterey and in several brief practice takeoffs and landings Denver performed at the airport immediately before the final flight. His newly purchased amateur-built Rutan aircraft had an unusual fuel tank selector valve handle configuration. The handle had originally been intended by

4760-807: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with estimated sales of more than 33 million units. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, disdain for city life, enthusiasm for music, and relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music , the Billboard Hot 100 , and adult contemporary , earning 12 gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs " Take Me Home, Country Roads "; " Poems, Prayers & Promises "; " Annie's Song "; " Rocky Mountain High "; " Calypso "; " Thank God I'm

4879-720: The 1970s, Denver's onstage appearance included long blond hair and wire-rimmed "granny" glasses. His embroidered shirts with images commonly associated with the American West were created by the designer and appliqué artist Anna Zapp. Weintraub insisted on a significant number of television appearances, including a series of half-hour shows in the United Kingdom, despite Denver's protests at the time, "I've had no success in Britain ;... I mean none ". In December 1976, Weintraub told Maureen Orth of Newsweek : "I knew

Harry Chapin - Misplaced Pages Continue

4998-433: The Cradle" is one of the most difficult songs to perform, due to Chapin's master guitar playing and his brilliant syncopation of the lyrics, meaning each word must fit perfectly and in time with the playing. Also, despite seeming social and political differences with Chapin, Dr. James Dobson often quotes the entirety of "Cat's in the Cradle" to illustrate dynamics of contemporary American families. A children's picture book

5117-819: The Deutschendorfs purchased a house and lived there from 1951 to 1959. Denver lived in Tucson from ages six to 14. During these years, Denver attended Mansfeld Junior High School and was a member of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus for two years. He was content in Tucson, but his father was transferred to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama . The family later moved to Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas , where Denver graduated from Arlington Heights High School . Denver

5236-480: The Hot 100 chart, though his last single " Story of a Life " would reach No. 5 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 . Chapin joked that, if he wrote a third act to the song, it would be called " Hearse " so he could kill off the characters. Chapin died seven months after "Sequel" peaked. In the song, Harry, now a successful musician, returns to San Francisco to play a concert, and has "eight hours to kill before

5355-544: The Lost and Found , and Chapin Music! Tom and Steve continued to perform together (often with Harry's former bandmates) occasionally after his death. Country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter is Chapin's fifth cousin . Grammy Awards Rock Music Awards Billboard Rockies Taxi (Harry Chapin song) " Taxi " is a song written by Harry Chapin , released as a single in early 1972 to coincide with

5474-694: The Muppets , A Christmas Together and Rocky Mountain Holiday . He also tried acting, appearing in "The Camerons are a Special Clan" episode of the Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law television series in October 1973 and "The Colorado Cattle Caper" episode of the McCloud television series in February 1974. In 1977, Denver starred in the hit comedy film Oh, God! opposite George Burns . He also hosted

5593-721: The National Association of Campus Activities (NACA), the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award for Community Service from the Long Island Association, and the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award by Long Island Cares. Before his death, Chapin had worked with Peter M. Coan for several years on Chapin's biography, Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story . Soon after Chapin's death, his estate notified Coan that he must return all materials related to

5712-519: The Olympic Games athletes, as well as local venues including many schools. In 1985, Denver asked to participate in the singing of " We Are the World " but was rejected, despite his obvious genuine commitment to charity work and his musical talent. According to Ken Kragen (who helped produce the song), Denver was snubbed because many people felt his image would hurt the credibility of the song as

5831-625: The Osborn Award from the Aviation/Space Writers' Association, and was honored by the Houston Film Festival. In the mid-1970s, Denver became outspoken in politics. He expressed his ecologic interests in the epic 1975 song " Calypso ", an ode to the eponymous exploration ship RV  Calypso used by Jacques Cousteau . In 1976, Denver campaigned for Jimmy Carter , who became a close friend and ally. Denver

5950-576: The PMRC's objectives. For instance, Denver described how he was censored for " Rocky Mountain High ", which was misconstrued as a drug song. Denver also toured Russia in 1985. His eleven concerts in the USSR were the first by any American artist in more than 10 years. Denver returned two years later to perform at a benefit concert for the victims of the Chernobyl disaster . In October 1992, Denver undertook

6069-571: The US Cash Box chart in December 1969. RCA did not actively promote Rhymes & Reasons with a tour, but Denver embarked on an impromptu supporting tour throughout the Midwest, stopping at towns and cities, offering to play free concerts at local venues. When he was successful in persuading a school, college, American Legion hall, or coffeehouse to let him play, Denver distributed posters in

SECTION 50

#1732790294348

6188-461: The United States. His daughter Jen said: "He saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America. He co-founded the organization World Hunger Year with radio personality Bill Ayres , before returning to music with On the Road to Kingdom Come . He also released a book of poetry, Looking ... Seeing , in 1975. More than half of Chapin's concerts were benefit performances (for example, a concert to help save

6307-599: The Wind " and " Let the Sunshine In ", joined by such diverse musical icons as Jennifer Warnes , Donna Summer , and Rick James . In 1984, ABC Sports president Roone Arledge asked Denver to compose and sing the theme song for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo . Denver worked as both a performer and a skiing commentator, as skiing was another of his enthusiasms. Denver composed "The Gold and Beyond", and sang it for

6426-894: The World Hunger League in fighting hunger in America. Since WNEW-FM changed formats, other New York stations have continued to do fundraisers for the charity. In 1987, singer Kenny Rogers was awarded the first-ever "ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award" from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Since 1987, the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award has been bestowed more than 20 times to various artists for their various "humanitarian contributions." The ASCAP awards are now presented by Why Hunger,

6545-559: The afternoon of July 16, 1981, Chapin was driving on the Long Island Expressway en route to perform at a free benefit concert at Lakeside Theater at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, New York , that evening. At 12:27 p.m. Chapin had reportedly put on his emergency flashers, decelerated his vehicle's speed to 15 mph, and had weaved from the far-left lane to the center lane, to the left lane, and then back to

6664-612: The album, " Sunday Morning Sunshine ," charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a top-40 hit on Billboard Adult Contemporary . The album was less successful than the last, selling 350,000 units. The album also contained the Chapin anthem "Circle." In 2004, the double album Sniper and Other Love Songs and Heads & Tales was released. It contained previously unreleased tracks from both albums. In 1973, Chapin released his third album, Short Stories . The album sold over 1 million units and produced another international hit, " W.O.L.D. ,"

6783-505: The back, and I'd turn and look at her and she'd look at me and know we both sold out our dreams." Billboard ranked "Taxi" as the 85th song of the year. "Taxi" also earned Chapin a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist of the Year. The follow-up album, Sniper and Other Love Songs , was also released in 1972. The album's title song, " Sniper ," is a semi-fictional account of the University of Texas tower shooting . The single release from

6902-458: The book and that he "no longer had the rights to the book-in-progress". Coan sued the estate, receiving a $ 65,000 settlement in 1990. Taxi was published in September 1990. The Lakeside Theatre at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, New York , was renamed Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre during a memorial concert held one month after his death, as a tribute to his efforts to combat world hunger. Other Long Island landmarks named in honor of Chapin include

7021-401: The camp's annual operating budget. During the Aspen Valley Hospital's $ 1.7 million capital campaign in 1979, Denver was the largest single donor. In 1983 and 1984, Denver hosted the annual Grammy Awards, which he had previously done in 1977, 1978, and 1979. In the 1983 finale, he was joined on stage by folk music legend Joan Baez , with whom Denver led an all-star version of " Blowin' in

7140-572: The case, which was closed only after Denver's accidental death in October 1997. In 1996, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that Denver was medically disqualified from operating an aircraft due to his failure to abstain from alcohol ; in October 1995, following Denver's drunk-driving conviction, the FAA had directed Denver to abstain from alcohol if he wished to continue flying airplanes. Beyond music, Denver's artistic interests included painting, but because of his limiting schedule, Denver pursued photography, saying once, "photography

7259-413: The center lane before his vehicle was struck from behind by a semi-trailer truck . The force of the collision crushed the rear of the car, ruptured the fuel tank, and dragged the car several hundred feet on the pavement. Passers-by managed to help the unconscious Chapin out of his engulfed 1975 Volkswagen Rabbit . Chapin was immediately taken by helicopter from the crash site outside Jericho, New York , to

SECTION 60

#1732790294348

7378-414: The circle of their lives. When they were young, she had wanted to be an actress and he a pilot. Ten years ago she was acting happy in her high-end life while he was flying high, stoned in his taxi. Today he "act[s] as I'm facing the footlights, And now she's flying with both feet on the ground." The song ends with: According to the liner notes in The Essentials: Harry Chapin , Chapin was inspired to write

7497-433: The commission's theme song. In 1979, Denver performed "Rhymes & Reasons" at the Music for UNICEF Concert . Royalties from the concert performances were donated to UNICEF . Denver's father taught him to fly in the mid-1970s, which led to their reconciliation. In 1980, Denver and his father, by then a lieutenant colonel , co-hosted an award-winning television special, The Higher We Fly: The History of Flight . It won

7616-429: The crash. Denver was a pilot with over 2,700 hours of experience. He had pilot ratings for single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, glider and instrument. Denver also held a type rating in his Learjet. He had recently purchased the Long-EZ aircraft, made by someone else from a kit, and had taken a half-hour checkout flight with the aircraft the day before the crash. Denver was not legally permitted to fly at

7735-465: The critics would never go for John. I had to get him to the people." After appearing as a guest on many shows, Denver hosted his own variety and music specials, including several concerts from Red Rocks Amphitheatre . His seasonal special, Rocky Mountain Christmas , was watched by more than 60 million people and was the highest-rated show for the ABC network at that time. In 1973, Denver starred in his own BBC television series, The John Denver Show ,

7854-469: The end of the decade, Chapin concentrated more on touring than producing hit singles, but still released one album a year. He earned an estimated $ 2,000,000 per year (approximately $ 11.75M in 2017) until his death in 1981, making him one of the highest-paid artists in the world. Chapin's album Dance Band on the Titanic sold poorly, but it was voted Album of the Year by The Times of London. In 1980, his recording contract with Elektra expired. Chapin signed

7973-400: The environmental group Plant-It 2020 (originally Plant-It 2000). He also had a keen interest in solutions to world hunger and visited Africa during the 1980s to witness firsthand the suffering caused by starvation and work with African leaders toward solutions. From 1973 to at least 1979, Denver annually performed at the fundraising picnic for the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf, raising half of

8092-405: The film business on and off for a lot of years and wasn't doing well at one point. So, I went out and got a hack license for bread, and during the month that I was waiting for it to come through, I heard an old girlfriend of mine had gotten married and instead of becoming an actress, she married a rich guy. I envisioned some night I'd be driving a cab in the big city streets and this lady would get in

8211-561: The first time in the show's history that host Johnny Carson brought a performer back the very next night for an encore performance. "Taxi" helped to establish Chapin's musical style and emerged as the singer-songwriter's early signature song, with Chapin often associated with taxi -related imagery. Jim Connors, music director and disc jockey at Boston AM radio station WMEX , is credited with discovering Chapin. The single charted on both Boston stations WMEX and WRKO in late February, reached number one on both stations in April and ranked 4 for

8330-412: The flight, Denver and the mechanic had attempted to extend the reach of the handle using a pair of Vise-Grip pliers , but this did not solve the problem, and the pilot still could not reach the handle while strapped into his seat. NTSB officials' post-crash investigation showed that because of the fuel selector valve’s positioning, switching fuel tanks required the pilot to turn his body 90 degrees to reach

8449-420: The forefront, bridging folk, pop, and country in a fresh way ... People forget how huge he was worldwide." In 1977, Denver co-founded The Hunger Project with Werner Erhard and Robert W. Fuller . He served for many years and supported the organization until his death. President Jimmy Carter appointed Denver to serve on the President's Commission on World Hunger. Denver wrote the song "I Want to Live" as

8568-658: The fuel selector handle in a hard-to-reach place. The board issued recommendations on the requirement and enforcement of mandatory training standards for pilots operating home-built aircraft. It also emphasized the importance of mandatory ease of access to all controls, including fuel selectors and fuel gauges, in all aircraft. Upon the announcement of Denver's death, Colorado Governor Roy Romer ordered all state flags to be lowered to half-staff in his honor. Funeral services were held at Faith Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Colorado , on October 17, 1997, officiated by Pastor Les Felker,

8687-613: The guy or the girl felt. It's a very cinematic technique. But it's also a very uneconomical technique. That's why my songs are so long. I literally put you in that cab and let you experience. It's a more involving form of music than sitting and hearing somebody sing 'I'm lonely'." Record World called it "spell-binding," saying that Chapin "sets up, develops and resolves a situation in 6:40. A very short 6:40." Billboard called it "a strong piece of folk ballad material while lengthy, should garner hefty top 40 and FM play with sales and chart action to follow." In 1980, after nearly

8806-466: The inspiration for Sue. They met when they were both camp counselors at neighboring summer camps during their college years. Clare MacIntryre-Ross died in March 2016. On the contrary, when asked by John Denver about the song, Chapin stated that he read a newspaper article about his ex-girlfriend who had married a rich man, the same week that his taxi license was supposed to go through. He said that he had

8925-408: The inspiration for the antihunger projects USA for Africa and Hands Across America , which were organized by Ken Kragen , who had been Chapin's manager at the end of Chapin's career, after Fred Kewley. Kragen, explaining his work on these benefit events, said, "I felt like Harry had crawled into my body and was making me do it." From around 1975 until the owners changed the format of the station in

9044-500: The late 1990s, WNEW-FM , 102.7, a NYC radio station with the motto "Where Rock Lives" held an annual "Hungerthon" every Thanksgiving, to benefit Harry Chapin's World Hunger League. During the 24-hour period of the event, little to no music was played, with the exception of the iconic " Alice's Restaurant " by Arlo Guthrie played at noon and 6 p.m. For the remainder of the day, during every DJ's four-hour show, guests such as Harry himself, other music stars, and experts on hunger brought to

9163-493: The latter transcribed his autobiography, "I'd bend my principles to support something he wanted of me. And of course, every time you bend your principles — whether because you don't want to worry about it, or because you're afraid to stand up for fear of what you might lose — you sell your soul to the devil". Denver was also a guest star on The Muppet Show , the beginning of the lifelong friendship between Denver and Jim Henson that spawned two television specials with

9282-529: The listeners information about the severity of hunger in America, in New York City, and in the tri-state area , sometimes in graphic detail. After Chapin's death, the "Hungerthon" continued, and on July 13, 1985, at the U.S. leg of the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia at JFK Stadium , Kenny Loggins was presented with the first "Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award" by actor Jeff Bridges for his work for

9401-503: The nearby Nassau County Medical Center , where he was pronounced dead at 1:05 p.m. due to internal bleeding . Chapin's widow won a $ 12 million decision in a negligence lawsuit against Supermarkets General , the owners of the truck involved. Chapin is buried in the Huntington Rural Cemetery in Huntington, New York . His epitaph is taken from his 1978 song "I Wonder What Would Happen to This World": Oh if

9520-463: The next four years. In 1972, Denver had his first Top Ten album with Rocky Mountain High , with its title track reaching the Top Ten in 1973. In 1974 and 1975, Denver had a string of four No. 1 songs (" Sunshine on My Shoulders ", " Annie's Song ", " Thank God I'm a Country Boy ", and " I'm Sorry ") and three No. 1 albums ( John Denver's Greatest Hits , Back Home Again , and Windsong ). In

9639-472: The number 1 hit " Cat's in the Cradle ." The song is about a father who does not find time for his son during the boy's childhood; ultimately the son grows up to be just like his father, not making any time for his dad. The song earned Chapin another Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and Chapin was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . Verities and Balderdash peaked at number four on

9758-637: The organization originally co-founded by Harry Chapin and Bill Ayres as World Hunger Year . Four additional organizations once presented awards in the name of Harry Chapin in the past. They include the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award—now known as the Music Business Association or MusicBiz, the Harry Chapin Award for Contributions to Humanity by

9877-802: The passage of Amendment 2 , an anti-LGBT ballot measure that prevented Colorado municipalities from enacting anti-discrimination protections. Denver was also on the National Space Society 's board of governors for many years. Denver had a few more US Top 30 hits as the 1970s ended, but nothing to match his earlier success. Denver began to focus more on humanitarian and sustainability causes, focusing extensively on nature conservation projects. He made public expression of his acquaintances and friendships with ecological design researchers such as Richard Buckminster Fuller (about whom he wrote and composed "What One Man Can Do") and Amory Lovins , from whom he said he learned much. Denver also founded

9996-675: The permission of his widow. In 2001, Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" was ranked number 186 of 365 on the Recording Industry Association of America list of Songs of the Century . Chapin was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame on October 15, 2006. On September 27, 2011, former U.S. Representative Alan Grayson wrote an article on the internet publication The Huffington Post about Chapin's song "What Made America Famous". Singer and songwriter Guthrie Thomas has long publicly stated that Chapin's song "Cat's in

10115-419: The plane crash into the bay near Point Pinos. Four said the aircraft was originally heading west. Five said that they saw the plane in a steep bank, with four saying that the bank was to the right (north). Twelve described seeing the aircraft in a steep nose-down descent. Witnesses estimated the plane's altitude between 350 and 500 feet (110 and 150 m) when heading toward the shoreline. Eight said they heard

10234-442: The plane's designer to be between the pilot's legs. The builder instead put it behind the pilot's left shoulder. The fuel gauge was also placed behind the pilot's seat and was not visible to the person at the controls. An NTSB interview with the aircraft mechanic servicing Denver's plane revealed that he and Denver had discussed the inaccessibility of the cockpit fuel selector valve handle and its resistance to being turned. Before

10353-453: The point that their assets were being split in the divorce, he cut their marital bed in half with a chainsaw . Denver married Australian actress Cassandra Delaney in 1988 after a two-year courtship. Settling at Denver's home in Aspen, the couple had a daughter, Jesse Belle. Denver and Delaney separated in 1991 and divorced in 1993. Of his second marriage, Denver said that "before our short-lived marriage ended in divorce, she managed to make

10472-475: The price tag was rumored to be as high as $ 20 million. Denver testified before the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on the topic of censorship during a Parents Music Resource Center hearing in 1985. Contrary to his innocuous public image as a musician, Denver openly stood with more controversial witnesses like Dee Snider (of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister ) and Frank Zappa in opposing

10591-399: The release of his album Heads & Tales . It is an autobiographical ballad using first-person narrative to tell the story of a taxi cab driver meeting an old flame from his youth when he picks her up in his cab. Chapin debuted the song on NBC 's The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , which prompted calls and telegrams from viewers requesting that Chapin return to the show. It was

10710-524: The right tank and less than a quarter in the left tank". He then provided Denver with an inspection mirror so he could look over his shoulder at the fuel gauges. The mirror was later recovered from the wreckage. Denver said that he would use the autopilot in flight to hold the airplane level while he turned the fuel selector valve. He turned down an offer to refuel the aircraft, saying that he would only be flying for about an hour. The NTSB interviewed 20 witnesses about Denver's last flight. Six of them had seen

10829-412: The show," and thinks of his old lover. He decides to visit the upper-crust address of "16 Parkside Lane" where he last saw Sue a decade before. After considering options of "a limousine, or at least a fancy car," to impress Sue, he takes a taxi to the reunion, this time sitting in the back as the paying customer. The taxi turns into the driveway "past the gate and the fine-trimmed lawn." Harry is informed by

10948-511: The song when he happened upon an old lover, as the cabbie in the song does. Chapin was merely on his way to a taxi license examination in New York City , not San Francisco. Chapin also stated that "Taxi" is only "about sixty-percent true". However, according to Chapin's biography Taxi: The Harry Chapin Story , by Peter M. Coan, this song was based on a relationship that Chapin had with a Bennett Junior College student named Clare MacIntyre,

11067-525: The success of " Rocky Mountain High ", inspired by a camping trip with Annie and some friends, Denver bought a residence in Aspen, Colorado . He lived in Aspen until his death. The Denvers adopted a boy, Zachary John, and a girl, Anna Kate, who, Denver said, were "meant to be" theirs. Denver once said, "I'll tell you the best thing about me. I'm some guy's dad; I'm some little gal's dad. When I die, Zachary John and Anna Kate's father, boy, that's enough for me to be remembered by. That's more than enough." Zachary

11186-604: The television series Nature , centering on the natural wonders that inspired many of his best-loved songs. His last song, "Yellowstone, Coming Home", composed while rafting along the Colorado River with his son and young daughter, is included. In the summer of 1997, shortly before his death, Denver recorded a children's train album for Sony Pictures Kids Zone , All Aboard! , produced by longtime friend Roger Nichols . The album consisted of old-fashioned swing, big band , folk , bluegrass , and gospel music woven into

11305-790: The time he was in college. Denver decided to change his name when Randy Sparks , founder of the New Christy Minstrels , suggested that "Deutschendorf" would not fit comfortably on a marquee . Denver attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock and sang in a folk-music group, "The Alpine Trio", while studying architecture. He was also a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Denver dropped out of Texas Tech in 1963 and moved to Los Angeles, where he sang in folk clubs. In 1965, Denver joined The Chad Mitchell Trio , replacing founder Chad Mitchell. After more personnel changes,

11424-523: The time of the crash. In previous years, he had been arrested several times for drunk driving . In 1996, nearly a year before the crash, the FAA learned that Denver had failed to maintain sobriety by not refraining entirely from alcohol and revoked his medical certification. However, it was determined that the crash was not caused or influenced by alcohol use; an autopsy found no signs of alcohol or other drugs in Denver's body. The post-crash investigation by

11543-439: The town and usually showed up at the local radio station, guitar in hand, offering himself for an interview. As the writer of " Leaving on a Jet Plane ", Denver was often successful in gaining some promotional airtime, usually performing one or two songs live. Some venues let him play for the 'door'; others restricted him to selling copies of the album at intermission and after the show. After several months of this, Denver had built

11662-451: The trio later became known as "Denver, Boise, and Johnson" (John Denver, David Boise, and Michael Johnson ). In 1969, Denver abandoned band life to pursue a solo career and released his first album for RCA Records , Rhymes & Reasons . Two years earlier, he had made a self-produced demo recording of some of the songs he played at his concerts. It included a song Denver had written called "Babe, I Hate to Go", later renamed " Leaving on

11781-416: The valve. This created a natural tendency to extend one's right foot against the right rudder pedal to support oneself while turning in the seat, which caused the aircraft to yaw (nose right) and pitch up. The mechanic said that he told Denver that the fuel sight gauges were visible only to the rear cockpit occupant. Denver had asked how much fuel was shown. He told Denver that there was "less than half in

11900-753: The year on both stations. The single's early Boston success helped "Taxi" to hit big on Billboard 's Hot 100 , where in June 1972 it reached no. 24 during a then-lengthy 16-week chart run. Billboard ranked it 85 in its year-end singles list. In Canada the single reached no. 5. The narrator Harry is a cab driver in San Francisco whose last passenger on a rainy night is a woman in an expensive gown who asks to be taken to her home in an affluent section of town. Harry finds her familiar, but she seems not to recognize him until after she glances at his taxi license. She then greets him by name and he replies in kind: she

12019-399: Was a bidding war over Chapin between music business heavyweights Clive Davis at Columbia and Jac Holzman at Elektra. Chapin signed a multi-million dollar recording contract with Elektra Records . The contract was one of the biggest of its time. It granted him free recording time, along with many other perks. The same year, Chapin released his debut album, Heads & Tales . The album

12138-537: Was a supporter of the Democratic Party and of a number of charitable causes for the environmental movement, the homeless, the poor, the hungry, and the African AIDS crisis . He founded the charitable Windstar Foundation in 1976 to promote sustainable living . Denver's dismay at the Chernobyl disaster led to precedent-setting concerts in parts of communist Asia and Europe. During the 1980s, Denver

12257-406: Was an American singer and songwriter. He was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the 1970s and one of the best selling artists in that decade. AllMusic has called Denver "among the most beloved entertainers of his era". Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he wrote himself. He had 33 albums and singles that were certified Gold and Platinum in the U.S by

12376-407: Was an artist who illustrated Robert Frost 's first two books of poetry; his maternal grandfather was the philosopher and rhetorician Kenneth Burke . Chapin's brothers sometimes performed with Harry at various times throughout his career, particularly during live performances. They played with him before his solo career took off, and were credited on the albums Greatest Stories Live , Legends of

12495-437: Was an international success, selling over one million units. Its success was due to the top-25 Billboard Hot 100 hit single " Taxi ." The song also became a top-5 hit in Canada. The success of the song in America is credited to American radio personality Jim Connors, who helped promote the song on the radio despite its length, and helped it to stay on the charts for 16 weeks. It became the number-one requested song for 10 weeks in

12614-591: Was attracted to NASA and became dedicated to America's work in outer space. He conscientiously worked to help bring into being the "Citizens in Space" program. In 1985, Denver received the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal for "helping to increase awareness of space exploration by the peoples of the world", an award usually restricted to spaceflight engineers and designers. That same year, he passed NASA's rigorous physical exam and

12733-520: Was created using the lyrics of "Mr. Tanner" and the illustrations of Bryan Langdo; it was published by Ripple Grove Press in May 2017. Greenwich Entertainment released a documentary film titled Harry Chapin: When in Doubt, Do Something . It was directed by Rick Korn and produced by Jason Chapin. It was released theatrically and through virtual cinema on October 16, 2020 ( World Food Day ). Chapin's widow

12852-526: Was critical of Ronald Reagan’s administration and remained active in his campaign against hunger, for which Reagan awarded Denver the Presidential World Without Hunger Award in 1987. Denver's criticism of the conservative politics of the 1980s was expressed in his autobiographical folk-rock ballad "Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For?)". In an open letter to the media, Denver wrote that he opposed oil drilling in

12971-484: Was distressed with life in Fort Worth, and in his third year of high school, he drove his father's car to California to visit family friends and begin his music career. His father flew to California in a friend's jet to retrieve him, and Denver reluctantly returned to complete his schooling. At age 11, Denver received an acoustic guitar from his grandmother. He learned to play well enough to perform at local clubs by

13090-613: Was in line for a space flight, a finalist for the first citizen's trip on the Space Shuttle in 1986. After the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster with teacher Christa McAuliffe aboard, Denver dedicated his song "Flying for Me" to all astronauts, and continued to support NASA. He entered discussions with the Soviet space program about purchasing a flight aboard one of their rockets. The talks fell through after

13209-648: Was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado state legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its two state songs in 2007, and West Virginia did the same for "Take Me Home, Country Roads" in 2014. An avid pilot, Denver was killed at age 53 in a single-fatality crash while piloting a recently purchased light plane in 1997. Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was born on December 31, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico , to Erma Louise (née Swope; 1922–2010) and Captain Henry John "Dutch" Deutschendorf Sr. (1920–1982),

13328-444: Was not harmed in the incident. Denver died on the afternoon of October 12, 1997, when his light homebuilt aircraft , a Rutan Long-EZ with registration number N555JD, crashed into Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California , while making a series of touch-and-go landings at the nearby Monterey Peninsula Airport . He was the plane's only occupant. The official cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma resulting from

13447-624: Was performed at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Mich. The performance -- which lasted nearly three hours -- was played live on CKLW AM 800, and raised money to combat world hunger. Chapin's social causes at times caused friction among his band members. Chapin donated an estimated third of his paid concerts to charitable causes, often performing alone with his guitar to reduce costs. One report quotes Chapin's widow saying soon after his death – "only with slight exaggeration" – that "Harry

13566-556: Was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his campaigning on social issues, particularly his highlighting of hunger around the world and in the United States. In 1994, admirers of the late singer's passionate fight against hunger renamed the then 11-year-old Southwest Florida Food Bank ( Fort Myers , FL) the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, in tribute to Chapin, and with

13685-408: Was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work. Harry Forster Chapin was born on December 7, 1942, in New York City, the second of four children of percussionist Jim Chapin and Jeanne Elspeth, daughter of the literary critic Kenneth Burke . His brothers, Tom and Steve , would also become musicians. The earliest Chapin to come to America was Samuel Chapin , who

13804-440: Was protesting the selection of a non-traditional country artist for the award, but Rich's son disputes that, saying his father was drunk, taking pain medication for a broken foot, and just trying to be funny. Denver's music was defended by country singer Kathy Mattea , who told Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly : "A lot of people write him off as lightweight, but he articulated a kind of optimism, and he brought acoustic music to

13923-467: Was supporting 17 relatives, 14 associations, seven foundations, and 82 charities. Harry wasn't interested in saving money. He always said, 'Money is for people,' so he gave it away." Despite his success as a musician, he left little money and it was difficult to maintain the causes for which he raised more than $ 3 million in the last six years of his life. The Harry Chapin Foundation was the result. On

14042-471: Was the first deacon of Springfield, Massachusetts , in 1636. His other great-grandparents on his mother's side had immigrated in the late 19th century. Chapin's parents divorced in 1950, with his mother retaining custody of their four sons, as Jim spent much of his time on the road as a drummer for Big Band -era acts such as Woody Herman . Chapin's mother married Films in Review magazine editor Henry Hart

14161-407: Was the subject of "A Baby Just Like You", a song that included the line "Merry Christmas, little Zachary" which he wrote for Frank Sinatra . Denver and Martell divorced in 1982. In a 1983 interview shown in the documentary John Denver: Country Boy (2013), Denver said that career demands drove them apart; Martell said they were too young and immature to deal with Denver's sudden success. To drive home

#347652