Remembering Harry Chapin at Axelrod Performing Arts Center

January 21, 2024

A concert to benefit THE LIGHT OF DAY FOUNDATION and WHYHUNGER - John McMenamin and friends including original Chapin band members Big John Wallace and Howard Fields perform Harry's songs faithfully and share many of Harry's stories in this entertaining and heartwarming show!

​John McMenamin, a dedicated performer of Harry Chapin's music since the late 1970s, began his tribute journey at The Cabaret Theatre near Pittsburgh, where he worked as a performer and director. Following Harry Chapin's tragic death in 1981, McMenamin, with the support of the theater director John Carosella, organized a full evening of Chapin's songs, donating the profits to World Hunger Year (now WHYHunger). This marked the inception of "Remembering Harry Chapin," a series of tribute performances.

Over the years, McMenamin continued these tributes, with producer John Horanic contributing talents and profits to charitable causes. After a ten-year hiatus, McMenamin resumed the concerts in 1995, expanding to different locations and involving fellow musicians like Rob DeVitis. These events drew substantial audiences, with proceeds benefiting organizations such as The Harry Chapin Foundation and WHYHunger.

Since the early 2000s, original members of Harry's band, including Yvonne Cable, Howard Fields, and Big John Wallace, often joined the shows. In 2020, the band performed at Asbury Park's Paramount Theater in a co-benefit for WHYHunger and the Light Of Day Foundation, marking the final show before the pandemic-induced shutdown.

Now, in 2023, with the pandemic behind us, the band is ready to resume performances. The upcoming shows will once again feature members of the Harry Chapin Band, alongside John McMenamin and friends, continuing their tradition of heartfelt tributes with the goal of supporting charitable causes.

For more information, please visit the website provided.

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SOURCE(S)
https://www.axelrodartscenter.com/harry-chapin