cam89
Well-Known Member
"I also wonder what it would be like if Karen Carpenter had lived. She and her brother, Richard, became friends of mine, and I remain friends with Richard. Collectively and individually, they are two of the most talented people I have own. When an artist or a producer decides to rerecord a song of yours, it is the highest compliment that can be given. When the newly recorded version has another sound, arrangement, and approach, making it that artist's own, it will get my nod.
Around 1970, I was invited into Herb Alpert's office at A&M Records to listen to the Carpenters' version of "Close To You," a song that I had recorded in the mid 1960's. I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the way Karen sounded. They also recorded a song I considered one of my biggest Bacharach challenges from the Broadway play PROMISES PROMISES titled "Knowing When To Leave." Karen nailed it.
It was such a pleasure to meet them, and I began going to some of their shows. Years later, in the latter part of 1982, I was staying New York at the Regency Hotel and ran into Karen. She was staying there, too. I hardly recognized her, though. She had gotten so very thin. I did not know at the time that she suffered from anorexia. It nearly broke my heart to see how frail she had gotten. I told her I would visit her in her suite the following afternoon, and I did. We had a lovely visit for about 4 hours. She shared with me that she was seeing a doctor in New York and was looking forward to beating the disease. I believed she would because of the conviction in her voice when she said it. In January 1983, I ran into her again in Los Angeles at a photo shoot for Grammy reciepients. She walked up behind me and tapped me on my shoulder. She started laughing when she saw the look on my face. She had gained a bit of weight, and even made the comment, "I have an ass again." We took the opportunity to catch up and laugh with each other. No one could have been happier for her than me. Her passing in February, a month later, shocked me and still weighs heavily on my heart. She was so young, only 32 years old, with so much to look forward to. I went to her funeral, which I am happy to say, reflected the fun side of her personality. Her friends were present, and made sure the occasion was not marked by sadness. I do miss her, but her legacy is her music, and that will live on long after we are all gone.
From Dionne's book MY LIFE, AS I SEE IT, page 100-101.
Around 1970, I was invited into Herb Alpert's office at A&M Records to listen to the Carpenters' version of "Close To You," a song that I had recorded in the mid 1960's. I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the way Karen sounded. They also recorded a song I considered one of my biggest Bacharach challenges from the Broadway play PROMISES PROMISES titled "Knowing When To Leave." Karen nailed it.
It was such a pleasure to meet them, and I began going to some of their shows. Years later, in the latter part of 1982, I was staying New York at the Regency Hotel and ran into Karen. She was staying there, too. I hardly recognized her, though. She had gotten so very thin. I did not know at the time that she suffered from anorexia. It nearly broke my heart to see how frail she had gotten. I told her I would visit her in her suite the following afternoon, and I did. We had a lovely visit for about 4 hours. She shared with me that she was seeing a doctor in New York and was looking forward to beating the disease. I believed she would because of the conviction in her voice when she said it. In January 1983, I ran into her again in Los Angeles at a photo shoot for Grammy reciepients. She walked up behind me and tapped me on my shoulder. She started laughing when she saw the look on my face. She had gained a bit of weight, and even made the comment, "I have an ass again." We took the opportunity to catch up and laugh with each other. No one could have been happier for her than me. Her passing in February, a month later, shocked me and still weighs heavily on my heart. She was so young, only 32 years old, with so much to look forward to. I went to her funeral, which I am happy to say, reflected the fun side of her personality. Her friends were present, and made sure the occasion was not marked by sadness. I do miss her, but her legacy is her music, and that will live on long after we are all gone.
From Dionne's book MY LIFE, AS I SEE IT, page 100-101.
