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, musician, entertainer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, banjo, autoharp, didgeridoo, mandolin
Years active	1973–present

Tom Chapin (born March 13, 1945) is a talented American musician, singer-songwriter, and storyteller. He is well-known for his fun songs and engaging performances. Tom Chapin often sings songs that teach important lessons or tell interesting stories.

One of his most famous songs is "Happy Birthday". He released this song in 1989 on his album Moonboat. The melody for "Happy Birthday" comes from an older song called "Love Unspoken". This song was part of an opera called The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar.

About Tom Chapin: His Life and Career

Tom Chapin grew up in a musical family. His father was Jim Chapin, a famous jazz drummer. His brother was the well-known singer-songwriter Harry Chapin.

Early Life and Education

Tom Chapin went to Brooklyn Technical High School. After high school, he attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. While in college, he was a great athlete. He played both basketball and baseball. Tom was so good at basketball that he joined the school's 1000 Point Club. This means he scored over 1000 points in his college basketball career! In 1986, he was added to the Plattsburgh State Athletic Hall of Fame. He graduated from college in 1966.

Becoming a TV Host

From 1971 to 1976, Tom Chapin had a special job. He hosted a children's TV show called Make a Wish. This show was on ABC every Sunday morning. It won important awards like an Emmy and a Peabody Award. Hosting this show helped him connect with young audiences.

Music and Storytelling

Tom Chapin often performs in concerts that honor his brother, Harry Chapin. Sometimes, his other brother, Steve Chapin, joins him. Tom has also performed in big shows on Broadway, like Pump Boys and Dinettes.

Besides singing, Tom Chapin is also a wonderful storyteller. He often shares stories at storytelling festivals. In 2007, he was a special new storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

Tom Chapin is married to Bonnie Chapin. His daughters and stepdaughter are also musicians. They perform together as a group called the Chapin Sisters.

Tom Chapin's Activism: Making a Difference

Tom Chapin uses his music to support important causes. He believes in helping others and making the world a better place.

Supporting Arts Education

In 2008, Tom Chapin sang his song "Not on the Test" at a teachers' convention. This song talks about how important arts and music education are for students. He believes that these subjects are just as important as math and science. His song first played on NPR's Morning Edition in 2007.

Fighting Hunger

Tom Chapin strongly supports WhyHunger. This is a non-profit organization that helps fight hunger and poverty. His brother, Harry Chapin, helped start this group. Tom is now on their board of directors. He continues to work hard to help people get enough food.

Awards and Recognition

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

• 1990: NACA Campus Entertainment Award
• 1991: Best Children's Album for Mother Earth (New York Music Awards)
• 1992: Best Children's Album for Billy The Squid (New York Music Awards)
• 1997: Kate Wolf Memorial Award
• 2001: Grammy Award: Best Spoken Word Album For Children, Mama Don't Allow
• 2002: Grammy Award: Best Spoken Word Album For Children, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
• 2004: Grammy Award: 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

Tom Chapin's Music: Discography

Tom Chapin has released many albums throughout his career.

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)

Singles

Songs from Family Tree (1988)

• "The Nick of Time"
• "Shovelling"
• "The Big Rock Candy Mountain"
• "Someone's Gonna Use It"
• "Family Tree"
• "This Pretty Planet"
• "Uh-Oh, Accident"
• "Together Tomorrow"

Songs from Moonboat (1989)

• "Library Song"
• "Sing a Whale Song"
• "State Laughs"
• "Happy Birthday"
• "Don't Play With Bruno"
• "Alphabet Soup"

Songs from Mother Earth (1990)

• "A Song of One"
• "Two Kinds of Seagulls"
• "The Wheel of the Water"
• "Good Garbage"
• "Mother Earth's Routine"
• "Cousins"

Songs from Billy the Squid (1992)

• "Great Big Words"
• "All of My Friends"
• "You'll Be Sorry"
• "Camelling"
• "Happy Earth Day"
• "Billy the Squid"

Songs from Zag Zig (1994)

• "The Backwards Birthday Party"
• "Mikey Won't"
• "R-E-C-Y-C-L-E"
• "Hi, Hi, I Love Ya"
• "Loose Tooth"
• "Clean Machine"
• "Johnny Glockenspiel"

Songs from Around the World and Back Again (1996)

• "What Is a Didgeridoo?"
• "Song of the Earth"

Tom Chapin on Screen: Film and Television

Tom Chapin has also appeared in movies and on TV shows.

Film Appearances

Television Appearances