Tom Chapin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tom Chapin
Tom Chapin
Background information
Born	(1945-03-13) March 13, 1945 (age 80) New York City
Genres	Folk music, children's music
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, storyteller, actor, children's entertainer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, banjo, autoharp, didgeridoo, mandolin
Years active	1973–present

Tom Chapin (born March 13, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and storyteller. He has won Grammy Awards for his children's music. He also hosted the ABC children's TV show Make-A-Wish, which won a Peabody Award.

Tom Chapin is the brother of famous folk singer and humanitarian Harry Chapin. He often performs with other well-known musicians like Pete Seeger and Judy Collins. Tom also performs with his musical family, including his brother Steve Chapin, his niece Jen Chapin, and his daughters, Abigail and Lily, who are known as The Chapin Sisters. They often perform together as The Chapin Family. Tom is also on the board of WhyHunger, an organization started by his late brother Harry to fight hunger.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Tom Chapin grew up in a very creative family in New York City. His father, Jim Chapin, was a famous jazz drummer. His mother, Elspeth Burke, was a textile artist. Tom's grandfather, James Ormsbee Chapin, was an artist whose work appeared on Time magazine covers.

Tom and his brothers, Steve Chapin and Harry Chapin, were inspired by folk musicians like Pete Seeger. In the 1960s, they started performing together as teenagers. They called themselves The Chapin Brothers. They played at famous folk clubs in Greenwich Village. In 1966, they released their album called "Chapin Music!"

Tom Chapin also played college basketball. He was a great player at Plattsburgh State. He is even in their Athletic Hall of Fame.

Tom's Solo Career and TV Shows

In 1969, Tom Chapin worked on a shark documentary called Blue Water, White Death. He was the soundman and sang folk songs in the film. This movie is thought to have inspired the famous movie Jaws.

From 1971 to 1976, Tom hosted Make a Wish, a children's TV show on ABC. This show won both a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award.

In 1976, Tom released his first solo album, Life Is Like That. He also appeared on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert with his brothers. Later, he worked as the music director for his brother Harry's show, Cotton Patch Gospel. In 1983, Tom performed on Broadway in the show Pump Boys and Dinettes.

Tom and his brother Steve also produced a very popular album for the Cabbage Patch Kids in 1984. It sold millions of copies!

In 1988, Tom released his first children's album, Family Tree. This album included the song This Pretty Planet, which he co-wrote. This song is often sung by children's choirs. It was even played to wake up astronauts on the Space Shuttle Discovery 9. In 2020, a children's picture book was made based on the song.

Tom Chapin has released 13 children's music albums. He has won three Grammy Awards for his children's albums: Mamma Don't Allow (2001), There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly (2002), and The Train They Call The City of New Orleans (2004). He has been nominated for a Grammy eight times!

He also has many albums for adults. Tom often performs with his family as The Chapin Family. They honor his brother Harry and support WhyHunger.

Three books have been made based on Tom's song lyrics, including The Library Book. Tom also tells stories at storytelling festivals. In 2020, during the Covid lockdown, Tom and his daughters performed daily online concerts. They called them Mornings With Papa Tom and The Chapin Sisters. They sang songs for families with young children.

Activism and Family Life

Tom Chapin cares a lot about arts education. He believes that music and art are very important in schools. He sang his song "Not on the Test" at a teachers' convention. This song talks about how important arts and music are, especially when students are stressed about tests.

Tom is on the board of directors for WhyHunger. This group works to end hunger around the world. His brother Harry Chapin helped start this organization in 1975.

Tom also supports the environmental work of Pete Seeger. He has performed many times at the Clearwater Festival, which helps protect the Hudson River.

Tom is married to Bonnie Chapin. His daughters, Abigail and Lily Chapin, are also musicians. They perform as The Chapin Sisters. His stepdaughter Jessica Craven is also a musician.

Awards and Recognitions

Tom Chapin has received many awards for his music and his work.

• 1990: NACA Campus Entertainment Award
• 1991: Best Children's Album for Mother Earth
• 1992: Best Children's Album for Billy The Squid
• 1997: Kate Wolf Memorial Award
• 2001: Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album For Children, Mama Don't Allow
• 2002: Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album For Children, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
• 2004: Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album For Children, The Train They Call the City of New Orleans
• 2008: American Eagle Award
• Magic Penny Award
• MENC Fame Award
• 2020: Spirit of The Hudson Award

Discography

Albums

• Life Is Like That (1976)
• In The City of Mercy (1982)
• Let Me Back into Your Life (1986)
• Family Tree (1988)
• Moonboat (1989)
• Mother Earth (1990)
• Billy the Squid (1992)
• Zag Zig (1994)
• Around the World and Back Again (1996)
• This Pretty Planet (1996)
• Join The Jubilee (1996)
• Doing Our Job with John McCutcheon (1997)
• In My Hometown (1998)
• Common Ground (2001)
• Great Big Fun for the Very Little One (2001)
• Making Good Noise (2003)
• Bring Back the Joy!, compilation (2004)
• Some Assembly Required (2005)
• The Turning Of The Tide (2006)
• So Nice To Come Home (2008)
• Let The Bad Times Roll (2009)
• Broadsides with John Forster (2010)
• Give Peas a Chance (2011)
• The Incredible Flexible You (2013)
• 70 (2015)
• Threads (2017)
• At the Turning Point (2019)
• Hold Our Ground (2022)

Film and TV Appearances

Tom Chapin has appeared in several films and television shows.

Film

Television