Tom Chapin with Special Guest Joel Rafael

In a career that spans six decades, 28 albums and three Grammy awards, Tom Chapin has covered an incredible amount of creative ground. In addition to his work as a recording artist, concert performer, storyteller, and activist, he’s performed on Broadway and worked extensively in television, radio, and film.

Tom maintains two long and productive parallel careers, both as a respected contemporary folk artist and as a pioneer in the field of children’s music. With hundreds of songs in his repertoire, Tom serves up a tasty mix of story songs, ballads, comedic and political songs, family music, sing-alongs, old-time folk classics, and a favorite song or two of his late brother Harry’s. Tom accompanies himself on guitar, banjo, and autoharp.

In addition to his musical and media endeavors, Tom has long been an advocate for issues of hunger and social justice, environmental causes, and a supporter of music and the arts in public schools.

The best writing comes from writing what you know, and based on Joel Rafael’s life experiences and over fifty years of making music, he has a deep well from which to draw. He has chronicled his life and the world around him with passionate songwriting rooted in the folk tradition. Joel began performing in showcases and small clubs around Southern California in the early 1970s. In 1981, he toured with Jesse Colin Young, and released his debut album, "Dharma Bums." Joel won Kerrville’s new folk award in 1995 and gained national airplay with the seminal Joel Rafael Band. He composed and performed all original music for the LA Theatre Works production of "The Grapes of Wrath" in 2002 and toured the southwest with Joan Baez in 2003. No influence is more obvious in his work than that of Woody Guthrie, with whom he shares five co-writes, and Joel has been a featured performer at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival for all twenty-seven years.

Tom Chapin on Facebook / YouTube

Joel Rafael on YouTube