Tom Chapin - 70 (Sundance)

Folk singer, Tom Chapin, celebrates his 70th birthday on his 24th album, further cementing his well-deserved legendary status.

Far from a bland trip through nostalgia, 70 shows a songwriter full of vitality and brimming with excitement. Songs of social activism address fracking, the importance of art classes in school and ecological issues, resting perfectly beside heartfelt appreciations for family and friends, from his first granddaughter’s birth, to dearly departed dogs, even bringing his daughters, Abigail and Lily, aka The Chapin Sisters, in to sing on Pete Seeger’s “Quite Early Morning.” Throughout, Chapin remains true to the folk dynamic, keeping his instrumentation mostly acoustic with electric guitar cropping up now and then. It’s a solid statement from an artist who has lived life to its capacity and will continue to do so for as long as he is able.

Where many older folk singers resort to overproduction in a desperate attempt to remain relevant, Tom Chapin confidently resides within folk’s organic simplicity. Join him for his birthday and stay for many more.