šŸ„‚ 50th 50th Anniversary Celebration - West Coast*

In which city should the 50th Anniversary Celebration be based?

  • Downey

    Votes: 22 42.3%
  • Thousand Oaks

    Votes: 28 53.8%
  • Long Beach

    Votes: 4 7.7%
  • Other

    Votes: 2 3.8%

  • Total voters
    52
I sensed people bristling a bit around the room when Chuck was singing Jackā€™s praises repeatedly, as we all know what really happened with the benefit of hindsight. I did wonder whether this may have been down to the fact that Chuck wasnā€™t actually around them much (personally or as a session musician) by the 1980s, so he may have just been unaware of the details of how the association with Daugherty actually ended.

I got a question read out to the whole panel (thank you @Chris May!) which asked for their thoughts on how the Carpentersā€™ musical style would have adapted as they progressed into the 80s and beyond, had Karen lived. At first they all went ā€œthatā€™s a difficult questionā€ (even Gayle), so I thought ā€œoh dear that didnā€™t go down wellā€, but then she and Earle must have given it some thought when others were trying to answer and they went on to give really lengthy, eloquent answers. I was so pleased!

For those of us not present. . .what was the gist of their answers?
 
For those of us not present. . .what was the gist of their answers?

Gayle stated she worked with Streisand (sp?) a lot through the years and, though she tried many different styles and genres, she eventually returned to her own style that made her famous and what she was most known for. She said Carpenters would probably continue to experiment (album of standards, try some new trends, etc.) but ultimately return to the formula that they created and are most known for. This is how I heard it. Anyone else feel free to "chime in" if I mischaracterized any of it.
 
Iā€™d forgotten about that! Loved it. You can imagine them saying it to camera if the song had been included in the TV special.

I wish I'd been present to hear "Play a Simple Melody". I tracked down a few words from Richard regarding the piece that he made back in '96 that some of you may not be aware of:

"It was meant for and it was cut out of our second Christmas special, where my folks visit and originally... it ended up with just Gene Kelly saying something and my father saying
something in his droll voice, but originally there was a... you know the song, Irving Berlin? And then it has a counter melody, and then they both gotogether. So Karen and my Mother sang "won't you play..." and then my father and I moaned out "musical dreams..." and then the whole thing was supposed to go together. So it does exist, as a curiosity piece for something like a boxed set, it may work. I had forgotten all about it. My mother does have quite a nice voice."
 
Gayle stated she worked with Streisand (sp?) a lot through the years and, though she tried many different styles and genres, she eventually returned to her own style that made her famous and what she was most known for. She said Carpenters would probably continue to experiment (album of standards, try some new trends, etc.) but ultimately return to the formula that they created and are most known for. This is how I heard it. Anyone else feel free to "chime in" if I mischaracterized any of it.

Thanks Geographer. . .they were already kind of trying to do that with MIA I suppose.
 
Thanks Geographer. . .they were already kind of trying to do that with MIA I suppose.

Yes, I agree. I think it was agreed, by those on the panel who participated in this segment (mostly Gayle Levant and Earl Dumler), that an album of standards was absolutely going to happen at some point. And that they were doing it in "drips and drabs" anyway over the years (I Can Dream, Can't I, Little Girl Blue, When I Fall In Love, etc.).
 
Great comments and observations from one and all! When I saw Chuck Findley enter the room, I could swear he was carrying a black case of some kind, but I was across the room and didn't get a very good look at it. I was hoping it was a flugelhorn, and he would've played that iconic solo from CTY for the audience. Earle was great bringing an english horn and oboe, and playing a little of the intro to Superstar. Both Earle and Gayle made it quite clear that they're not fans of electronic tuning. Gayle eloquently described how she tunes her harp for a session usually off the piano that will be used in the recording or even the singer's voice. Correct me if I am wrong, but that was the "gist" of what I heard.

It was an absolute pleasure to have true musicians on that panel. I just can't put into words what a thrill it was to be a part of this!!
 
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When I saw Chuck Findley enter the room, I could swear he was carrying a black case of some kind, but I was across the room and didn't get a very good look at it. I was hoping it was a flugelhorn, and he would've played that iconic solo from CTY for the audience.

That's exactly what it was. I asked him to bring it and the plan was to walk over to the piano and start playing in order to have the group do a singalong, and Chuck was going to play the solo at the modulation, just like the record. We ended up cutting it (regrettably) because we ran out of time.
 
That's exactly what it was. I asked him to bring it and the plan was to walk over to the piano and start playing in order to have the group do a singalong, and Chuck was going to play the solo at the modulation, just like the record. We ended up cutting it (regrettably) because we ran out of time.

Dang! And I was in the seat at the table that was closest to the piano!
 
That's exactly what it was. I asked him to bring it and the plan was to walk over to the piano and start playing in order to have the group do a singalong, and Chuck was going to play the solo at the modulation, just like the record. We ended up cutting it (regrettably) because we ran out of time.

Oh man! What a BUMMER!!!:cry:
 
Someone submitted a question regarding Druscilla Penny that stated "What are these strange taps that you hear in ā€œDruscilla Pennyā€. Do they have a function?" Was this submitted by a member of the forum here?
 
Someone submitted a question regarding Druscilla Penny that stated "What are these strange taps that you hear in ā€œDruscilla Pennyā€. Do they have a function?" Was this submitted by a member of the forum here?

Don't look at me! LOL! But, (not to give anything away), that question is answered in Randy's new book during the discussion on the tan album.
 
I agree that the Carpenters would have ventured into the classic standards format similar to Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart and others if Karen was still with us. I also feel that they would have pulled off another hit or two via some sort of movie score or soundtrack. Today, there is no doubt in my mind that they would take up residence at a Las Vegas resort similar to Donny and Marie, Celine, and Shania Twain where they would be extremely successful due to their impressive catalog of hits. Could not picture Richard wanting to perform in say Branson, Tunica, Atlantic City or the Poconos for an extended period of time.
 
I can't picture them in Las Vegas for the long haul. Karen was too "ordinary" in her tastes, and Richard seems to be quite a homebody.
 
I can. Starting in 1975 they were playing in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe several weeks a year like Sinatra, Sammy, and other adult oriented acts. They could just go up to their suite after the show or fly back to Los Angeles if needed and be back to perform the next evening. There was usually an early dinner show and a later cocktail show each night they played. Big money without the hassle of packing up each night and going to another town. It was an easier way of still playing with a huge audience of tourists, gamblers and convention traffic that changed every few days, looking for something to do in the evening. Thatā€™s why so many artists are now doing residency there. They can make millions of dollars in a short time. Tickets are very pricey for those shows, which usually sell out anyway.
 
I sensed people bristling a bit around the room when Chuck was singing Jackā€™s praises repeatedly, as we all know what really happened with the benefit of hindsight. I did wonder whether this may have been down to the fact that Chuck wasnā€™t actually around them much (personally or as a session musician) by the 1980s, so he may have just been unaware of the details of how the association with Daugherty actually ended.

I got a question read out to the whole panel (thank you @Chris May!) which asked for their thoughts on how the Carpentersā€™ musical style would have adapted as they progressed into the 80s and beyond, had Karen lived. At first they all went ā€œthatā€™s a difficult questionā€ (even Gayle), so I thought ā€œoh dear that didnā€™t go down wellā€, but then she and Earle must have given it some thought when others were trying to answer and they went on to give really lengthy, eloquent answers. I was so pleased!

Ahh! So that was you, Stephen! At least now I can put a face to your avatar here. Great question, and the fact that it took a few on the panel to think about it a bit at first, showed that their answers weren't just off-the-cuff remarks but ones they thought about before answering.
 
I agree that the Carpenters would have ventured into the classic standards format similar to Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart and others if Karen was still with us. I also feel that they would have pulled off another hit or two via some sort of movie score or soundtrack. Today, there is no doubt in my mind that they would take up residence at a Las Vegas resort similar to Donny and Marie, Celine, and Shania Twain where they would be extremely successful due to their impressive catalog of hits. Could not picture Richard wanting to perform in say Branson, Tunica, Atlantic City or the Poconos for an extended period of time.

I still think that they might have, at least, explored putting out a country album. In the 80s, country music became very popular, and several pop artists found success "crossing over"... Marie Osmond for one, and also her brothers (minus Donny), "The Osmonds". Dan Seals (of "England Dan and John Ford Coley" fame) made several country albums, as did Nicolette Larson. Several of the Carpenters recordings had a "country" sound anyway - "Top Of The World", "Jambalaya", "Two Sides", "Those Good Old Dreams"... and "Sweet Sweet Smile" had made the top ten on the country chart - so I don't think it would have been too big of a stretch.
 
That's exactly what it was. I asked him to bring it and the plan was to walk over to the piano and start playing in order to have the group do a singalong, and Chuck was going to play the solo at the modulation, just like the record. We ended up cutting it (regrettably) because we ran out of time.

Ah thatā€™s such a shame! I could have easily sat there and let that whole event go on until midnight...it was that enjoyable.
 
I can. Starting in 1975 they were playing in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe several weeks a year like Sinatra, Sammy, and other adult oriented acts. They could just go up to their suite after the show or fly back to Los Angeles if needed and be back to perform the next evening. There was usually an early dinner show and a later cocktail show each night they played. Big money without the hassle of packing up each night and going to another town. It was an easier way of still playing with a huge audience of tourists, gamblers and convention traffic that changed every few days, looking for something to do in the evening. Thatā€™s why so many artists are now doing residency there. They can make millions of dollars in a short time. Tickets are very pricey for those shows, which usually sell out anyway.
Very good points, indeed!
 
I remember searching the Sunday entertainment supplements for the LA Times and San Francisco Chronicle to see who was playing in Las Vegas and especially Lake Tahoe back then and they were there often. I saw them twice at the Sahara Tahoe 75ā€™ 76ā€™,and Neil Sedaka on my 21st Birthday there as well. I was going to school at Cal State University Chico then and itā€™s only a beautiful 3 hour drive away! Thank you.
 
I wish they could have done We Are the World. When I watch and listen to that, it was so close in time, it would have been so great for them and it was done at A&M. Ugh why bother aggravating myself. Can't change time or circumstances.
 
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Was their any discussion at all about Karen's solo album? What about Paul Grein and all the articles he wrote on Carpenters and he even wrote articles about Karen's solo album too...there was no discussion on this?
 
Was their any discussion at all about Karen's solo album? What about Paul Grein and all the articles he wrote on Carpenters and he even wrote articles about Karen's solo album too...there was no discussion on this?

Oddly, no. Or at least I don't remember any. When asked about MIA, I think, one of the panelists (I forget which one now), said that the problem with the later stuff is that Karen shouldn't have been doing ANYTHING at that time except getting well.
 
I'm disappointed in this ^^ I specifically asked if someone could at least give props to Paul Grein about how he championed for the Carpenters in all his articles in Billboard...many of which I posted here on the forum for everyone to read. I think it would have made him feel great that we were still reading these articles after all these years and more importantly that what he did made a difference in keeping the Carpenters in the spotlight in music magazines back then. It would have only taken a moment to mention since he was on the panel.
 
I'm disappointed in this ^^ I specifically asked if someone could at least give props to Paul Grein about how he championed for the Carpenters in all his articles in Billboard...many of which I posted here on the forum for everyone to read. I think it would have made him feel great that we were still reading these articles after all these years and more importantly that what he did made a difference in keeping the Carpenters in the spotlight in music magazines back then. It would have only taken a moment to mention since he was on the panel.

Actually, I think this was mentioned in his introduction...about all the articles he's written on the Carpenters. Not exactly "props," but his contribution and connection to Carpenters, as well as all the others' on the panel, was highlighted in the introductions.
 
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