Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE Featuring the Chapin Family
At a Glance
What: A live concert celebrating Harry Chapin’s music, performed by two generations of the Chapin family
When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 8 p.m.
Location: Garde Arts Center, 325 State Street, New London, CT 06320
Tickets: $39–$79, plus applicable fees
Featured Performers: Tom Chapin, Steve Chapin, Jen Chapin, Abigail Chapin, and Lily Chapin
Backing Musicians: The Harry Chapin Band, including Big John Wallace and Howard Fields
Music: Cat’s in the Cradle, Taxi, W•O•L•D, Mr. Tanner, Mail Order Annie, and Circle
Special Feature: Food drive benefiting the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center
Donations: Canned and packaged nonperishable foods, preferably low in sodium and sugar
Parking: Downtown New London street parking and nearby parking garages
Box Office: (860) 444-7373, extension 1
Event Description
Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories LIVE Featuring the Chapin Family brings two generations of one of America’s most celebrated musical families to the Garde Arts Center in New London on Saturday, October 17. The concert honors the music and legacy of Harry Chapin, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter whose deeply human stories became some of the most memorable songs of the 1970s.
His brother Tom Chapin, fellow family member Steve Chapin, daughter Jen Chapin, and nieces Abigail and Lily Chapin will share the stage, accompanied by members of Harry’s original band, including longtime collaborators Big John Wallace and Howard Fields.
The evening promises more than a collection of familiar songs. It brings together the musicians and family members who knew Harry, grew up surrounded by his music, and continue to carry his storytelling tradition forward.
The Songs That Made Harry Chapin a Legend
Harry Chapin had a remarkable ability to build entire lives into songs.
His characters were ordinary people facing missed opportunities, complicated relationships, difficult choices, and dreams that did not always come true. Rather than relying on conventional pop lyrics, Chapin often wrote songs that unfolded like short stories, complete with dialogue, changing perspectives, and endings that lingered long after the music stopped.
His breakthrough hit, Taxi, released in 1972, tells the story of a cab driver who unexpectedly encounters a woman he once loved. The song’s conversational narrative and bittersweet conclusion introduced audiences to a songwriter willing to take risks with both subject matter and song structure.
Two years later, Cat’s in the Cradle became his only No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Its portrait of a father too busy to spend time with his son, and a son who eventually repeats the pattern, remains one of popular music’s most recognizable reflections on family and regret.
Other favorites include W•O•L•D, the story of an aging radio disc jockey confronting the choices that shaped his life; Mr. Tanner, about a talented singer whose confidence is shaken by criticism; and Mail Order Annie, a portrait of companionship and loneliness.
Then there is Circle, a song that became closely associated with Chapin’s concerts and his belief in the enduring connections between people.
These songs form the heart of the Garde performance.
Two Generations of the Chapin Family
The Chapin family has a musical history that extends well beyond Harry’s own recordings.
Tom Chapin, Harry’s younger brother, has built a distinguished career as a folk singer, songwriter, and children’s entertainer. A three-time Grammy Award winner, Tom has released numerous recordings for adults and families and remains an active performer.
Steve Chapin, another member of the family’s musical circle, has spent decades working as a singer, songwriter, and musician.
Harry’s daughter Jen Chapin has established her own career as a singer-songwriter, combining jazz, soul, and folk influences with socially conscious lyrics and personal storytelling.
Abigail and Lily Chapin perform together as The Chapin Sisters, known for their close vocal harmonies and contemporary interpretations of American folk and roots music.
Each artist brings an individual musical identity to the stage. Together, they offer something particularly meaningful: a family performance that connects Harry’s original songs with the musicians who inherited and expanded upon his creative legacy.
Reuniting With Harry’s Original Band
The concert also features members of The Harry Chapin Band, including Big John Wallace and Howard Fields.
Wallace was an essential part of Harry’s live sound, known for his powerful bass voice and distinctive vocal contributions. His soaring performances were especially memorable during songs such as Taxi, where his voice provided a dramatic contrast to Chapin’s storytelling.
Fields, a drummer and longtime musical collaborator, helped shape the arrangements and rhythmic character of Chapin’s live performances.
Their presence gives the concert an important connection to the original recordings and concerts that audiences remember.
For longtime fans, hearing these musicians alongside the Chapin family offers a rare opportunity to revisit the music with performers who were directly involved in bringing it to life.
Harry Chapin’s Other Legacy: Fighting Hunger
Harry Chapin was as passionate about ending hunger as he was about writing and performing music.
During the 1970s, he became one of the entertainment industry’s most visible advocates for hunger relief, using concerts, public appearances, and political engagement to raise awareness and financial support.
In 1975, he co-founded World Hunger Year with radio broadcaster Bill Ayres. The organization, now known as WhyHunger, continues working to address hunger and its underlying causes.
Chapin also helped organize benefit concerts and devoted considerable time to charitable work.
His commitment continued until his death in a traffic accident in 1981 at age 38.
The Chapin family has maintained that commitment, making hunger relief an important part of concerts honoring his memory.
Bring a Food Donation to the Garde
In recognition of Harry Chapin’s humanitarian work, the Garde Arts Center is partnering with the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center for a special food drive accompanying the concert.
Audience members are encouraged to bring canned and packaged foods, particularly low-sodium and low-sugar items.
Suggested donations include canned meats, vegetables, fruits, stews, dry beans, macaroni and cheese, cereal, rice, pasta, and granola bars.
The Food Center serves as New London County’s local food bank and is a signature program of United Way of Southeastern Connecticut.
Its network includes 72 member programs, among them food pantries, shelters, senior programs, community meal sites, childcare centers, and after-school programs.
According to the Garde, the Food Center and its Mobile Food Pantry distributed the equivalent of more than 1.8 million meals during the previous year, at no cost to recipients.
Food donations can be dropped off at the Garde box office from Tuesday, October 13, through Friday, October 16, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Donations will also be accepted on Saturday, October 17, beginning at noon and continuing through the performance.
For concertgoers, bringing a donation is a way to participate in a cause that Harry Chapin considered inseparable from his life’s work.
A Special Evening at the Garde
The concert takes place during the Garde Arts Center’s centennial year, adding another connection between musical history and one of southeastern Connecticut’s most treasured performance venues.
Opened in 1926, the Garde Theatre has welcomed generations of audiences for films, concerts, theatrical productions, and community events.
Its historic interior provides a fitting setting for a concert devoted to songs that have been passed from one generation to another.
For longtime Harry Chapin fans, the evening offers a chance to hear beloved songs performed by members of his family and original band. For younger listeners, it is an introduction to a songwriter whose observations about family, ambition, compassion, and human relationships remain relevant decades after his death.
Details
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 8 p.m.
Venue: Garde Arts Center
Address: 325 State Street, New London, CT 06320
Admission: $39–$79, plus fees
Performers: Tom Chapin, Steve Chapin, Jen Chapin, The Chapin Sisters, and The Harry Chapin Band
Food Drive: Nonperishable food donations accepted before and during the concert
Advance Donation Drop-Off: October 13–16, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; October 17 from noon through the performance
Beneficiary: Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center
Parking: Downtown street parking and nearby garages
Accessibility: Contact the Garde box office for accessible seating and accommodations
Box Office: (860) 444-7373, extension 1
To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.