JAZZ4JEFF
Active Member
Dear Richard:
Thank you for almost 40 years of incredible music. The music you created with Karen has been the soundtrack to our lives. We can never thank you for bringing so much music into our lives.
However, it is with appreciation and admiration that I question the future of the Carpenters legacy. You have graciously gone into the vaults to release many unreleased tunes over the years. You cooperated with Ray Coleman’s biography of the Carpenters, and also created a PBS Special. You teamed up with alternative artists to create a cover disc of your tunes. However, this was all years ago.
For an artist to be relevant, you have to continue to reinvent yourself to a new generation. The Carpenters legacy has been stagnate for most of this decade. Just look at the ways the estates of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Elvis Presley continue to market their music in new forms and directions. Just this year, Sinatra released a book of home photos and a five CD box set of live performances from Las Vegas. Dean Martin’s family took his original recordings and created new duets with popular artists like Chris Botti, Kevin Spacey, and Martina McBride. The Elvis estate released a film box set, new live recordings, and an ABC special featuring artists singing his tunes. The Carpenters deserve the same treatment.
With each passing year, the Carpenters legacy dwindles. While I understand your desire to stay home and raise your very talented family, there is no need for your music to fade away. There are live concerts you could release as a CD box set. All of your ABC specials should be released on DVD. The Captain & Tennille are having great success and media attention with their ABC network specials just released on DVD. In fact, a Carpenters live DVD has never been released in the United States. Maybe even a short summer tour of “The greatest love songs of the 70’s” headlining you with a full orchestra. Or, maybe just symphony concerts with local orchestras. If you don’t have plans to finish your solo Christmas CD, maybe add the finished tracks to a new edition of “Christmas portrait”? There are so many ways to market your legacy.
The music of the Carpenters needs to be seen & heard. You have control to expose this incredible music to an entire new generation. Please don’t continue to let your legacy lie dormant. You have a gift and the world needs to re-discover the Carpenters.
Thank you for everything,
Thank you for almost 40 years of incredible music. The music you created with Karen has been the soundtrack to our lives. We can never thank you for bringing so much music into our lives.
However, it is with appreciation and admiration that I question the future of the Carpenters legacy. You have graciously gone into the vaults to release many unreleased tunes over the years. You cooperated with Ray Coleman’s biography of the Carpenters, and also created a PBS Special. You teamed up with alternative artists to create a cover disc of your tunes. However, this was all years ago.
For an artist to be relevant, you have to continue to reinvent yourself to a new generation. The Carpenters legacy has been stagnate for most of this decade. Just look at the ways the estates of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Elvis Presley continue to market their music in new forms and directions. Just this year, Sinatra released a book of home photos and a five CD box set of live performances from Las Vegas. Dean Martin’s family took his original recordings and created new duets with popular artists like Chris Botti, Kevin Spacey, and Martina McBride. The Elvis estate released a film box set, new live recordings, and an ABC special featuring artists singing his tunes. The Carpenters deserve the same treatment.
With each passing year, the Carpenters legacy dwindles. While I understand your desire to stay home and raise your very talented family, there is no need for your music to fade away. There are live concerts you could release as a CD box set. All of your ABC specials should be released on DVD. The Captain & Tennille are having great success and media attention with their ABC network specials just released on DVD. In fact, a Carpenters live DVD has never been released in the United States. Maybe even a short summer tour of “The greatest love songs of the 70’s” headlining you with a full orchestra. Or, maybe just symphony concerts with local orchestras. If you don’t have plans to finish your solo Christmas CD, maybe add the finished tracks to a new edition of “Christmas portrait”? There are so many ways to market your legacy.
The music of the Carpenters needs to be seen & heard. You have control to expose this incredible music to an entire new generation. Please don’t continue to let your legacy lie dormant. You have a gift and the world needs to re-discover the Carpenters.
Thank you for everything,