Blogging from A to Z — the letter T

 T is for “Taxi”

Harry Chapin’s first big hit.

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know I was a fan.  Chapin made his home in Huntington, NY, on Long Island’s north shore.  He loved to visit public schools in the area.  And one of those schools was my high school.  Chapin did a concert there in 1975, and the price of admission was … a donation to fight world hunger.  That was his cause, he did so many benefit concerts.  

It was the very first concert I attended, and it gave me an appreciation of live music.

I saw Chapin perform twice when I was in college.  I went to school in Albany, NY.  Chapin did a concert in nearby Schenectady, and of course a group of us had to go.

And then there was the arts festival in  Heckscher Park in  Huntington.  Chapin sang at the festival, and also signed autographs.  He signed my frisbee and kissed my cheek!  I was in Heaven.

They’ve named the Heckscher Park stage for Chapin.

Yes, it’s a very small stage, but he filled it up.

And then there was July 16, 1981.  Chapin was supposed to do a free concert at the Lakeside Theater in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow.  Eisenhower Park is one of my favorite Long Island parks.   

We got to the park early, intent on getting a good spot near the stage.  We spread our blankets, turned on the boom box … the radio station played a Chapin song.  And then they played a second Chapin song.  

And then the DJ announced that Harry Chapin was dead.

He’d been killed in an accident on the Long Island Expressway.  (To this day I get shivers as I drive past exit 40, Jericho Turnpike.)

Gone way too soon.

Before I play the song, let me make a request.  Please donate to Long Island Cares (the food bank founded by Chapin in 1980) or to your local food bank.