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Mostly Cloudy Long Island musicians pay tribute to Harry Chapin
Seventh annual food drive and concert at Eisenhower Park
Long Island troubadour and anti-hunger activist Harry Chapin died in a crash on the Long Island Expressway 30 years ago. On Monday evening, Long Island musical artists gathered at East Meadow’s Eisenhower Park to perform a concert and food drive in tribute to the late singer-songwriter, playing his songs for the cause to which he was dedicated.
Over the years the concerts have raised about 3.5 tons of food and several thousand dollars for Long Island Cares, with the help of singer-songwriter and concert organizer Stuart Markus, who was a fan of Chapin himself.
Chapin, who resided in Huntington Bay, was killed in a car accident on his way to perform a free concert at that same stage. “It’s always as if the Long Island original music community comes together to give the concert he had meant to,” Markus said.
“Just Wild About Harry” included 18 of Chapin’s story songs, such as “Cat’s In the Cradle” performed by Gathering Time, Doc Butler & JC Cob, Josh Joffen, Debra Lynne & Chris Tursi, Russ Seeger, MediaCrime, Christine Solimeno, Frank Walker, Rough Folk, Judith Zweiman, Martha Trachtenberg, Doug Kwartler, Cecilia Kirtland & Robin Greenstein, Kendall & Korb and Ed Ryan; newcomers to the show are Grand Folk Railroad and noted children’s performer Patricia Shih.
