Songbird Salutes the 70's: the Four Together Concert
My dream concert, one I really wish I could have gone to see. Funny, though, I didn't know about this concert when it happened, I stumbled upon some videos on YouTube...
10/15/1977 in Olympia Stadium, Detroit. A crowd of 17,000. And four incredible performers. It was a charity concert, the proceeds benefited World Hunger Year.
I mention "world hunger" and you probably already know at least one of the artists.
Harry Chapin.
I've written before about 7/16/1981. How I was in Eisenhower Park, waiting for the Harry Chapin concert to begin, when we learned he'd been killed in a car accident on the Long Island Expressway. I'd seen several of Harry's concerts, I had several albums. I was a fan for many years, even before he did a concert in my high school auditorium. I knew he devoted much of his time to world hunger organizations, as well as a local organization, Long Island Cares. Harry's activism was as much a part of him as his music.
The second artist was John Denver. One of my favorites. I had every song on An Evening With John Denver memorized. I knew he donated all the proceeds of "Calypso" to Jacques Costeau's organization. I was not aware, however, of his involvement with world hunger, until I saw a BBC documentary on his life on PBS a couple of weeks ago. He was appointed to serve on President Carter's Presidential Commission on World Hunger.
The third artist was James Taylor. Sweet Baby James. Who doesn't have at least one song by James Taylor on their playlist? Also known as an environmental activist, and one who espouses liberal causes.
The final artist was Gordon Lightfoot. I didn't know much about him except for his big hits.
The set list included such songs as Denver's "Back Home Again", "Take Me Home , Country Roads" and "Rocky Mountain High"; Lightfoot's "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", and"If You Could Read My Mind"; Taylor's "Fire and Rain", "You've Got a Friend" and "Sweet Baby James": and Chapin's "Cat's In The Cradle", "W.O.L.D." , "30,000 Pounds of Bananas" and "Taxi".
The concert was only part of their activism. They also founded what would become The Harry Chapin Foundation.
Some highlights of the concert --sound quality isn't great, but still --
10/15/1977 in Olympia Stadium, Detroit. A crowd of 17,000. And four incredible performers. It was a charity concert, the proceeds benefited World Hunger Year.
I mention "world hunger" and you probably already know at least one of the artists.
Harry Chapin.
I've written before about 7/16/1981. How I was in Eisenhower Park, waiting for the Harry Chapin concert to begin, when we learned he'd been killed in a car accident on the Long Island Expressway. I'd seen several of Harry's concerts, I had several albums. I was a fan for many years, even before he did a concert in my high school auditorium. I knew he devoted much of his time to world hunger organizations, as well as a local organization, Long Island Cares. Harry's activism was as much a part of him as his music.
The second artist was John Denver. One of my favorites. I had every song on An Evening With John Denver memorized. I knew he donated all the proceeds of "Calypso" to Jacques Costeau's organization. I was not aware, however, of his involvement with world hunger, until I saw a BBC documentary on his life on PBS a couple of weeks ago. He was appointed to serve on President Carter's Presidential Commission on World Hunger.
The third artist was James Taylor. Sweet Baby James. Who doesn't have at least one song by James Taylor on their playlist? Also known as an environmental activist, and one who espouses liberal causes.
The final artist was Gordon Lightfoot. I didn't know much about him except for his big hits.
The set list included such songs as Denver's "Back Home Again", "Take Me Home , Country Roads" and "Rocky Mountain High"; Lightfoot's "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", and"If You Could Read My Mind"; Taylor's "Fire and Rain", "You've Got a Friend" and "Sweet Baby James": and Chapin's "Cat's In The Cradle", "W.O.L.D." , "30,000 Pounds of Bananas" and "Taxi".
The concert was only part of their activism. They also founded what would become The Harry Chapin Foundation.
Some highlights of the concert --sound quality isn't great, but still --
I was there. Incredible seeing all four of these artists together. It's one ticket stub I can't find.
ReplyDeleteThe videos are unavailable here...are they anywhere? Never knew about this concert and I've been a fan for 50 years...anybody know how I can see the video of this???
ReplyDeleteNo longer available here either
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