Richard's Christmas Album

I thought I had read YEARS ago that he had been working with some rather famous people on the christmas album project...people like Marilyn McCoo, Roberta Flack, and Petula Clark???
 
I thought I read YEARS ago that Richard had been working with some notable people on this project like Marilyn McCoo, Roberta Flack, and Petula Clark???
 
The song "Won't You Play A Simple Melody" was recorded by Karen, Agnes, Richard and Harold.

Richard said that Karen and Agnes sing first then he and his father sing. It was recorded for the Christmas Portrait Tv Special but was cut for time limits.

He said in the mook that it is an outtake that maybe could be released as a curiosity piece for something like a box set.... Maybe it would make a nice little bonus track for this album. It would be very touching, having his late parents and sister all singing together again at Christmas.
He said

I would be cool if somehow he could take that recording, extend it and add Mary and the kids to it. A song with three generations of Carpenters.
 
Wonderful news!

Only his kids would spill the beans on it with social media and all now. ahah
If it weren't for that Idk how fans would know this was going on for sure. Lol
 
I know that in From The Top & The Essential Collection Richard mentioned that Karen and him would play Merry Christmas Darling prior to their signing with A&M. Do we know if they made any recordings or other Christmas tracks at Magic Lamp or the Orange County Studio or RCA sessions?
 
Just to clarify, I didn't say that, it was a rumor or speculation that was mentioned a few times. I would think any label would be glad to put it out.

Maybe Richard looked at Herb Alpert's new Christmas album (which he appeared on, too) and said "hey, I need to quit waiting and get mine out." Or maybe Herb encouraged him.

Richard Carpenter is commercially completely dead. There's no reason any label would want to release anything he did. He's never been able to move product on his own and that would be more true now than ever before.

I'm certainly no major label would get near him at this point - not in the U.S.. He'd have to put it out on his own. Perhaps that's what he's decided to do. Maybe Japan is interested in it? Carpenters always had a strong fanbase out there so maybe that's what's going on. I know we're fans of Carpenters but we do need to be realistic here. His claim that "no label would touch it" - at least in the U.S. - would have to be right on the money.

Ed
 
I disagree.

If he can play off their legacy, like "A Carpenter's family Christmas with Richard Carpenter" he would sell. Throw in an unreleased KC track from their TV special. Even "Silent night" would work. I also believe RC would have to sell the project. TV appearances, Carpenters Christmas concert, etc.

The holidays have a nostalgic feel and legacy artists form Johnny Mathis to Paul Anka sell very well at Christmas. No reason to think RC would not do well in the marketplace.
 
I disagree.

If he can play off their legacy, like "A Carpenter's family Christmas with Richard Carpenter" he would sell. Throw in an unreleased KC track from their TV special. Even "Silent night" would work. I also believe RC would have to sell the project. TV appearances, Carpenters Christmas concert, etc.

The holidays have a nostalgic feel and legacy artists form Johnny Mathis to Paul Anka sell very well at Christmas. No reason to think RC would not do well in the marketplace.
I'm as big a Carpenters fan as any, but with each release that "throws on another unreleased KC track", along with a lot of "filler", their catalog and legacy gets diluted. I think Richard has done a commendable job compiling posthumus Carpenters albums (under the "Carpenters" banner or his own name), but he can't keep doing it forever, nor should he.
 
Richard Carpenter is commercially completely dead. There's no reason any label would want to release anything he did. He's never been able to move product on his own and that would be more true now than ever before.
That's true, but that's always been true of him under his own name.

However, a Christmas album is a different animal than a mainstream one. He would definitely have to get out there and work it - if he wants to. He could easily do a self-release. He just needs to hire somebody to make the wheels turn. That's what Herb Alpert did and he's doing very well, both with catalog releases and new stuff. AND a Christmas album.
 
Richard Carpenter did an incredible amount of promotional touring and press interviews for
Voice of the Heart. While the album eventually sold Gold, the LP did not burn up the charts in 1983.

It is hard for me to see how any amount of promotion by him--in today's climate, market--
could make a dent musically (or, even, financially).
I would love to hear his material--being a longtime, "super"-Carpenter-fan,
but, for the average public-consumer, I can not imagine any interest.
.....As Time Goes By....

As for "Public Television"....if PBS were truly behind such a thing (Richard), they would not
have piggy-backed their "new" offering on the original, already made, 1997-Close To You Documentary.
Not to mention, I do not believe that that PBS Package included the duo's
An Old- Fashioned Christmas, which could have highlighted Richard's musical performances.


Sad to say, I agree with Ed.
 
I'd buy it. I'd buy it 10 years ago when it should have come out. I rather enjoy Richard's work with and without Karen. I'd love to hear something new from him; especially new material since TIME (PACC wasn't "new" material).

But I agree with Mr. Blakesley. If he wants it to sell, he needs to get out there and "work it." His name still has gravitas, but he can't rely on that alone.
 
The key, the one thing that could differentiate THIS project is....well two things actually.

1. It's a Christmas album. If he could get on TV with it and play samples from it (and we all know it's going to be good) then there is a huge market of people out there who love Christmas music and would buy a good new Christmas album, no matter whose name is on it. Think of Mannheim Steamroller...they were basically nowhere, until they put out that first Christmas album. Then they went through the roof, and they are STILL selling out concerts today, despite the fact that their Christmas music is seriously dated to the '80s.

2. It's supposedly got some more modern talent singing on some of the songs. That could sell it, too. If he has multiple other people involved, that'd be a big selling point.

Heck, if he could get somebody like Lady Gaga (who is a dreaded "modern" artist but who does have a great voice) on just one song, it could be a home run.

He just needs to go about it the right way.... meaning, offer it in download form along with physically, AND get the promotional wheels turning.
 
I disagree.

If he can play off their legacy, like "A Carpenter's family Christmas with Richard Carpenter" he would sell. Throw in an unreleased KC track from their TV special. Even "Silent night" would work. I also believe RC would have to sell the project. TV appearances, Carpenters Christmas concert, etc.

The holidays have a nostalgic feel and legacy artists form Johnny Mathis to Paul Anka sell very well at Christmas. No reason to think RC would not do well in the marketplace.

Richard is unknown as a solo entity. He would never get s TV special. He’s commercially cold and has been since 1985. Even then, he was cold as his solo album did nothing.

I don’t mean to slam his talent in any way. I’d have to be deaf not to acknowledge it. Still, talented and commercially viable aren’t the same thing. If Karen were attached to it, I’d be with you. I’m just being real and I think maybe we’re being a little too “fan” here.

Ed
 
That's true, but that's always been true of him under his own name.

However, a Christmas album is a different animal than a mainstream one. He would definitely have to get out there and work it - if he wants to. He could easily do a self-release. He just needs to hire somebody to make the wheels turn. That's what Herb Alpert did and he's doing very well, both with catalog releases and new stuff. AND a Christmas album.

Herb wasn’t commercially dead. He was relevant as a solo act for some years. Richard never was. That’s the difference.

Ed
 
All they would need to do is play some Carpenters tracks and do a "from the man who brought you classics like these" angle, and boom, instant name recognition.

Nobody said it would be a cakewalk. Far from it. It'd be an uphill road.... which could be a reason why he's not showing great eagerness to go for it.

It's still a crying shame that there isn't a decent Carpenters website though. They must be the biggest-selling musical act in history not to have an official web presence.
 
Is there any inkling of who runs the official Carpenters Facebook page?

Yes, the lack of an update on their website is a shame.
Even the upkeep on their official YouTube. They have millions of views on the ones left there...
Makes those DVD purchases worth it!
If there were other promo videos and performances put up there it would at least give a more accurate representation of the amount of people around the world whom love their music.
 
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My head spins on this issue for Karen is not here to sell it, and it was her voice that propelled the buying public to purchase. The PBS specials can focus on both their talents in renaissance fashion and update people on what was actually heard and celebrate memories. As I said before, if Richard enters a classical field of composing as a 21st Century modern composer, I believe his accomplishments will follow him and open credibility. In any other music identity Karen will be the one people want to celebrate since it is her voice that tugs the heartstrings and it is her voice that brought each song a unique setting and experience for the fans. We can’t think of Richard without thinking of Karen.
 
All they would need to do is play some Carpenters tracks and do a "from the man who brought you classics like these" angle, and boom, instant name recognition.

Nobody said it would be a cakewalk. Far from it. It'd be an uphill road.... which could be a reason why he's not showing great eagerness to go for it.

It's still a crying shame that there isn't a decent Carpenters website though. They must be the biggest-selling musical act in history not to have an official web presence.

And tie it in to the 50th Anniversary angle which will ensure exposure.
 
If history is any judge, we have this to fall back on...
Ten Year Anniversary...1979...no new material, The Fan Club Decade Book, Japan 3-LP "First Ten Years"
Twenty-Years...1989...Lovelines....very little promotion ( hype-sticker tie-in to CBS-TV movie), new material !
Thirty-Years.....1999....Japanese CD Box set.
Forty-Years......2009....Japanese CD Box Set, Worldwide 40/40 Compilation...no new material.

I'm not holding my breath for any "new" (Karen, unreleased) material.
I'm still behind Ed 's viewpoint on this matter.
 
Richard is unknown as a solo entity. He would never get s TV special. He’s commercially cold and has been since 1985. Even then, he was cold as his solo album did nothing.

I think you're forgetting that Something In Your Eyes hit #12 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart in 1987. Sure it was Dusty Springfield singing it, but it was released as a Richard Carpenter single, backed with Time, so he has appeared on the charts as a solo artist.

And last I checked, both his albums are still available from different digital stores like iTunes. Sure the physical copies are out of print, but they're out there selling.

Maybe one road that he could take is MOD. Release it through Amazon's Create-A-Space or some other program. That would lower the manufacturing costs significantly, since the album would be sold on CD-R, rather than pressed CD.
 
I think you're forgetting that Something In Your Eyes hit #12 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart in 1987. Sure it was Dusty Springfield singing it, but it was released as a Richard Carpenter single, backed with Time, so he has appeared on the charts as a solo artist.

I remember it. It just doesn't mean much. The solo album was just about the worst seller in A&M history. "Something in Your Eyes" got there based on Dusty. We also can't forget that that solo record is 31 years-old. Even if it had attracted a lot of attention, it would long since have dissipated. I'm actually pretty surprised either of his solo records are on the streamers but they're cheap enough to add so I guess UMG thought, "Why not"?

He'd pretty much have to put it out himself at this point. Unless he can tie it in with Carpenters' product somehow, that's really the only way. For a talent as large as Richard's clearly is, that's a real shame but it is what it is.

There's a reason why this newest undertaking hasn't seen release after having gestated as long as it has. This isn't a Stevie Wonder situation where Stevie just takes forever to make a record. We just don't want to be too "fan" about this and remain realistic so that when our expectations aren't met, we don't get too disappointed.

Ed
 
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