NORWICH – The Chenango County Council of the Arts, Norwich, announces the final performance in the 2009/10 Peoples’ Choice Series – Tom Chapin and Friends – on Friday, May 7 at 7 p.m. in the Martin W. Kappel Theater.

Adult albums and kids’ albums, contemporary folk and pop, Tom Chapin’s music spans styles and generations.

For more than 30 years and through twenty compact discs, Chapin has entertained, amused and enlightened audiences of all ages with life-affirming original songs told in a sophisticated array of musical styles. Tom’s remarkable musicianship, great songwriting and personal warmth shine through whether he’s performing in a concert hall, an outdoor festival, a school, in front of a symphony orchestra or in an intimate coffeehouse.

Tom’s adult concerts and recordings are sparked by strong, intelligent songwriting with clear, engaging vocals andthe intricate, melodic guitar work that has become his trademark. He has recorded nine albums of adult-oriented material. The newest, Let The Bad Times Roll, was released in July 2009. The New York Times calls Tom Chapin “one of the great personalities in contemporary folk music.” He says: “Mine is not a traditional music, but it comes from a tradition. My musical heroes are people like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie who wrote and sang real songs for real people; for everyone, old, young, and in between.”

Tom has gained widespread critical and popular acclaim for his recordings aimed at 4 to 11 year-olds and their families. Tom and his collaborators John Forster, Michael Mark and Jon Cobert have created a body of songs which are quickly becoming children’s classics. His family albums have been recognized with awards from the American Library Association, Parents’ Choice, the New York Music Awards, the National Association of Parenting Publications and Parents Magazine. Five of his family recordings have received Grammy nominations for Best Musical Album For Children, including Some Assembly Required, Tom’s newest family recording. Billboard magazine calls Chapin “the best family artist around.” A new family CD is in the works, due for release this Summer.

Chapin’s live performances engage the hearts, minds and imaginations of children and adults alike. Parents Magazine says, “Nobody today is writing and performing better kids’ songs than Tom Chapin . . . the Pied Piper of children’s music.” Elementary school teachers across North America have incorporated Chapin’s songs into their curriculum, finding them accessible and adaptable to classroom study and interaction.

With the debut of the song Not On The Test on NPR's Morning Edition on January 1, 2007, Tom Chapin's work with educators and children has been brought into the spotlight. The song, written by Chapin and his collaborator John Forster, takes a satiric stab at the “No Child Left Behind” initiative. The song has spread exponentially throughout the community of educators. The National Music Council recognized Tom with the prestigious American Eagle Award in 2008 to honor him for his “great contribution to music and music education in our nation.”