- Gave over 300 concerts a year with half being benefits for various causes, most prominently, The World Hunger Year, dedicated to ending world hunger.
- Brother of James Chapin, Butch Chapin, Tom Chapin and Steve Chapin, who served on the board of World Hunger Year from its founding.
- Posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 1987.
- Was the childhood sweetheart of actress Mary Woronov
- Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 140-142. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
- Grandson of James Chapin.
- His maternal grandfather was the prominent American philosopher, poet and literary critic Kenneth Burke.
- Is interred in Huntington Rural Cemetery in Huntington, Long Island, New York. The epitaph on his tombstone is a bit of verse from his song, "I Wonder What Would Happen to This World" which reads:
"Oh if a man tried To take his time on Earth And prove before he died What one man's life could be worth I wonder what would happen to this world"
The tombstone faces the state of Connecticut where he last resided. - The Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award was created in 1981 to honor the legacy of the Folk-Rock singer-songwriter, who fought tirelessly to end world hunger and received the Congressional Gold Medal in 1987 for his philanthropic work.
- During his life, Harry supported 82 charities and 33 organizations focused on ending world hunger
- By the age of 33, Chapin had been nominated for an Oscar, a Tony, and a Grammy. A bidding war had earned him what was, at the time, the biggest record contract in history. And he had the ear of President Carter and was the inspiration behind creating a Presidential Commission on ending world hunger. He also won a Peabody award.
- His father's name is Jim Chapin.
- Uncle of Lily Chapin and Abigail Chapin.
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