Harry Chapin

Not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Eligible since: 1992

First Recording: 1966

Previously Considered? No  what's this?

Harry Chapin
HALL OF FAME INDICATORS
🔲Rolling Stone 500 Albums
🔲Rolling Stone 500 Songs
🔲Rolling Stone Cover
🔲Saturday Night Live
🔲Major Festival Headliner
🔲Songwriters Hall of Fame
🔲“Big Four” Grammys

Essential Songs (?)WikipediaYouTube
Taxi (1972)
Cat's In The Cradle (1974)

Harry Chapin @ Wikipedia

Will Harry Chapin be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
"Musical excellence is the essential qualification for induction."
Yes: 
No :


Comments

15 comments so far (post your own)

2nd best of the early 70s not in

why?

Posted by jim lively on Friday, 02/21/2014 @ 18:26pm


Chapin's "Story Song" style of long, expressive, narrative song writing was extremely unique, no one copied it as well as he did it, although other artists such as Bily Joel & Bruce Springsteen among others have done famous compositions in similar style (influenced others anyone ???). More over he consistently used his celebrity status to raise awareness for a variety of causes, mostly linked to poverty and hunger. He actively studied the socio-economic causes in various countries, even worked with Congress on The Presidential Commission On World Hunger, all the while performing 250 shows per year and releasing 11 full length albums (thee of them doubles) during an 9 year run, absolutely prolific. His ability to evoke emotions and sentiments, often about unusual or "taboo" subjects in popular music was superior to almost anyone else on the main stage of pop music. He took on subjects such as back alley abortions, convicts in Vietnam, depression and mental illness, and society's reluctance to involve itself in serious social ills just as easily as he crafted tunes about raising teen age girls, our outdated education system, absentee fathers, or ill fated truck drivers with cargo loads of bananas. The versatility of his sublect matter was as astounding as he carefully crafted lyrics.

Posted by Tom Leonard on Monday, 10/13/2014 @ 20:24pm


Cats in the cradle
And the silver spoon
I'm going to punch Harry Chapin
To the moon.

Posted by gfw on Sunday, 10/19/2014 @ 10:27am


The Cat's In The Cradle is not by Cat Stevens, it's by Harry Chapin.

Posted by Roy on Sunday, 11/15/2015 @ 08:37am


Was given a ticket to see him in concert in Green Bay, I was more interested that I got a free ticket than seeing him but, his show was amazing! I was blown away by his kindness and pesronable approach in his show. You couldn't help but feel you just sat down with him in his living room and you were one of his best friends. Very humble, genuine man.

Posted by Steve on Saturday, 02/6/2016 @ 14:59pm


Harry Chapin was the most amazing concert performer I have ever had the pleasure of observing. His story songs were emotionally evocative, beautifully composed, and wonderfully sung. We will never see his like again.

Posted by Felix Vincenz on Sunday, 01/1/2017 @ 23:03pm


One of the best of all time. There was not one bad song on any of his albums. He is so much more worthy of so many that have been elected, and did so much for world hunger. He would still be writing great songs and stories today, if it was not for his tragic death. No hall of fame is worth anything, without him and his band as inductees.

Posted by Leslie Brooks on Thursday, 11/26/2020 @ 09:45am


I've been listening to Harry Chapin for longer than I care to remember. He was my first concert. After I married I went to find out if I was pregnant and the radio was on and the announcement came that he was killed on the LI E . I burst into tears and sat there sobbing because I have lost a friend. I was active with his feeding the nation. How is it even humanly possible that he is not in the rock 'n' roll Hall of Fame? Is humanitarian actions not enough. His songs that are still played to this day not enough. I think it's time the people in charge of voting artists in need to re-look at Harry Chapin and all that he has done and his poetry his lyrics his music and how it is changed the world. Kids today still singing his songs or know his songs.

Posted by sheryl katzenstein on Monday, 01/4/2021 @ 18:48pm


My hero travesty this man should be in the hall of fame he was a genius

Posted by Paul McVeigh on Saturday, 05/8/2021 @ 16:08pm


I saw Harry many times both as a solo performer for a charity even and also he and the complete band. Always fully entertained and inspired after his concerts. Harry should be the poster boy for what being in the Music Hall of Fame stands for.

Posted by David Soss on Thursday, 06/3/2021 @ 18:19pm


I will never go to the rock and roll hall of fame in cleveland, till harry chapin is inducted

Posted by Leslie Brooks on Saturday, 01/15/2022 @ 10:30am


Harry Chapin was the greatest storytelling musician who ever lived. Without Harry Chapin, there would be no Bruce Springsteen and others who followed in Harry's footsteps. He needs to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was an incredibly talented musician and composer who gave 2000% to his performances. I was lucky to see him perform when I was in college. He had a nasty sore throat but did not cancel the performance. He apologized for being sick, but said the show must go on, and it did. He apologized again as he continually drank orange juice onstage to help him with his sore throat and to enable him to perform. His music still resonates today. The Rock Hall's board is shortsighted with so many performers--among them ELP, Jethro Tull, BS&T, Joe Crocker, and so on. This list also includes Harry Chapin. This is a terrible mistake and should be rectified immediately.

Posted by Ronna on Friday, 04/22/2022 @ 00:28am


I used Harrys songs in my Psychology classes. They are incredible and powerful stories. Students love them and many are exceptional psychological implications. Cats in a Cradle leaves student in tears, WOLD, The Rock, Shooting Star, The Sniper, Mr Tanner, Corey's Coming and Taxi to mention only a few. He has motivated and touched millions. I cant believe he is not already in the Hall of Fame, but he is in mine and many others,,, and I guess that's all that really matters.

Posted by Phil McCLung on Thursday, 11/10/2022 @ 20:17pm


Harry Chapin was a great concert the 2 times I saw him. Both had required a non perishable food donation and working a grocery store I brought a box of some to expire goods. The seat was up graded to 5th row. I felt like I was seeing and old friend. Harry was a die hard acoustic player and never went electric. His stories were of everyday people who rarely get noticed. He should be in the hall of fame because his style and dedication to music and people should matter.

Posted by James on Thursday, 06/29/2023 @ 19:08pm


Harry Chapin should definitely be in the Hall of Fame. Wonderful music with great stories. Saw him in concert in the late seventies. Will never forget.

Posted by Kevin Jay on Saturday, 12/30/2023 @ 09:01am


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Future Rock Legends is your home for Harry Chapin and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including year of eligibility, number of nominations, induction chances, essential songs and albums, and an open discussion of their career.


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