I was introduced to the music of Harry Chapin at the age of about thirteen. I found and played the grooves right out of my older brothers copy of Short Stories live.
It was a few short years later, when music became a part of my life as an artist that I happened upon the B-side of Cat’s In The Cradle, Vacancy , through the guitar magic of a friend of mine who’d learned the song. Shawn Santalucia was sixteen at the time and within a few weeks, he’d mastered, and I do mean Mastered, more. Much more. Taxi, Better Place to Be etc.
It took most of our savings and we gladly used them all to produce a concert in May of 1986 at our town hall in Durham, Ontario. Twenty people showed up. The reviews were wonderful. We were hooked.
At various times since, we’ve worked together and presented Harry’s songs anytime we were at all able. Shawn has been working in the bars and coffee houses for nearly fifteen years now, strumming his guitar, playing out on the corner and, you bet, there’s been times he’s been shivering- if that’s a word – in his dungarees.
We’ve recently teamed up again and plans are to put together a Cabaret style show in Toronto soon as a tribute to the man that his song might be sung.
Our goal is to present the shows as fundraisers for charity where possible and any musicians out there will immediately recognize the challenges of putting such a gig together. So, any musicians or others who may be able to help, please contact me at the email address listed with this story. Thanx. We’ll keep you all posted.
catharsisproductions
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