Duet with Karen

[Actorman]

If Richard would ever authorize it, what contemporary singer would you like to see paired with Karen for a duet? (Via studio magic, of course!)

Josh Groban? Clay Aiken? Michael Buble? Robbie Williams?

Maybe a Christmas song or something in the vein of "You're Just In Love?"

Just a random thought that popped into my mind this afternoon instead of work!

"I can dream, can't I?"
Scott

 

[Chris May]

Well, Groban is the only one whose voice I am familiar enough with to tell, so I can't really answer that one.

However, if the genre was a little broader, I wouldn't mind hearing Karen Carpenter with Andrea Bocelli. That would be a sound that would bring you to your knees. -Chris

 

[Bruno]

Barry Manilow, ofcourse.

I think, the only reason why Karen never recorded a duet with Manilow in her lifetime, was Richard's envy of Manilow's voice.

Karen and Barry must have met several times. Strange, that there never did come out an recording.

Bruno

 

[andywithaz]

I think the best vocalist and most ideal choice for the duet would be...me. After all, Karen is the one who inspired me to start singing. I have been for a while now, and I think I am pretty darn good.

But if I had to choose an "actual" singer, I would choose Josh Groban. I have been in the same with Clay Aiken, and between you and me...well, he just can't sing.

 

[Dave]

I do remember a proposed-recording which paired Karen with ART GARFUNKEL... Not sure what the song was, that the two would have been singing (or HAD sung, if it got recorded, but just not yet released) or which album of the two it was to have gone on...

...Wondering, Online...


Dave

 

[Harry]

Agreeing with Dave, I would think that the blending of Karen Carpenter and Art Garfunkel would be amazing.

Josh Groban or Andrea Bocelli might be a bit overpowering.

But really - for me, it just has to be: Karen Carpenter and Andrea Corr!

Harry
...dreaming, online///

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

Karen Carpenter and...Anne Murray. That would have been something to witness. And when I talk about Anne Murray, I don't mean Anne Murray now. I mean the Anne Murray of the late '70's.

Ed

 

[Chris May]

Karen Carpenter and...Anne Murray. That would have been something to witness. And when I talk about Anne Murray, I don't mean Anne Murray now. I mean the Anne Murray of the late '70's.
Ed

It's funny you say that, Ed-- I always thought that Anne Murray was literally the only female vocalist with a lower register that resembled Karen's, and a voice that gives you the chills like Karen's did. -Chris

 

[aaflyer98]

I would love to hear Karen duet with Donna Summer! Two amazing and very DIFFERENT sounding voices, both unique and both awesome. Could be a dance song or a ballad....it would be fantastic!
And NO ONE would confuse the two at all!

 

[Mark-T]

Sting- on a 40s pop ballad!

 

[Chris May]

I would love to hear Karen duet with Donna Summer! Two amazing and very DIFFERENT sounding voices, both unique and both awesome. Could be a dance song or a ballad....it would be fantastic!
And NO ONE would confuse the two at all!

I think a duet with Donna Summer would have probably fit nicely on Karen's solo album
myself. -Chris

 

[kennyv]

I'd love to hear Karen & Shania Twain recording a duet. Knowing just how much Shania adores and idolizes Karen, there would be so much warmth and love generated from this recording.

 

[Murray]

Barry Manilow, without a doubt. I think that their voices would blend together beautifully. I'd love to hear a duet of Trying To Get The Feeling Again, or Where Do I Go From Here, which were both songs that Manilow recorded himself.

Murray
...imagining how incredible Karen's solo album could have been if Barry had produced it...

 

[Rudy]

IMHO it would have to be an older or more experienced singer: a lot of today's so-called bare midriffed singers are actually pitch-corrected in the studio via Pro Tools. There are relatively few pop singers today who are so note-perfect like KC is. Heck, some well-known country/pop singers actually have a crew of one or two persons out on the road on tour whose sole job is to correct their pitch while singing!

Duet-wise, how about Peter Cetera?

I can't think of anyone offhand right now, but there might be some good soul/R&B singers that might work well with her voice. Luther Vandross is one that comes to mind...in fact, they both recorded "Superstar".

 

[Bruno]

I'm really sorry, Harry. I tried hard to get to like the CORRS. I bought a Greatest Hits CD, I was given a Greatest Hits DVD as a present, but I just don't get hooked.

I think the main reason for this is, that to me Andrea Corr just has not a voice like Karen Carpenter or Barbra Streisand or Ella Fitzgerald. If you hear one note from Karen, Barbra or Ella, you know who it is. If I hear Andrea Corr, I don't recognize her, except ofcourse if I know the song.

A critic once wrote: Andrea Corr has the thin voice of a little school girl. That's too harsh for me, but thin it is.

Just my feelings.

Bruno

 

[JohnnyAngel]

Karen and Carly Simon could be a great duet


Regards

Jorge

 

[andywithaz]

Barbra Streisand would be a good choice. She -did- record We've Only Just Begun and Close to You. I have those on my computer, and they are both lovely versions.

 

[Harry]

I'm really sorry, Harry. I tried hard to get to like the CORRS. I bought a Greatest Hits CD, I was given a Greatest Hits DVD as a present, but I just don't get hooked.

Well, at least you tried. You can't be faulted for not liking someone. We all have our personal tastes.

Harry
...Who finds Andrea Corr's voice quite distinctive and expressive, online...

 

[Chris]

I love Mark's idea of pairing Karen with Sting. That would have been amazing. He's got the male voice to nicely compliment Karen's. Sting's voice is very smooth and on the same "crooner" level as Karen. I recently heard his performance of "In the Wee Small Hours" and thought it would be the perfect song for Karen.

Hearing Karen with singers like Barry Manilow, Michael Buble, or Don McLean would have been great as well. Michael Franks would have been a nice match too.

It is quite a shame that Karen did not record something with Barry Manilow.

Here is a nice quote from Barry talking about recording the album "Even Now" in which he mentions Karen:

And I remember beautiful Karen Carpenter stopping by the A&M control room to say hello. We played her "Can't Smile Without You" and she nodded and said, "That's going to be a number one record, I wish it were mine!"

Chris

 

[jfiedler17]

Good picks on this thread! I agree that Karen teaming with Garfunkel or Manilow might have made for a dynamite record. Re: newer singers, I agree that a Karen-Shania Twain duet would probably work. Karen and Robbie Williams? That could sound awesome! [Why Williams still has yet to score a single Top 40 hit in the U.S. is beyond me; his song "Singing for the Lonely" from Sing When You're Winning is easily one of my top favorite "filler tracks" of the last five years. But I digress ...]
Karen and Andrea Corr would sound great together. I agree with Bruno that Andrea Corr that doesn't have nearly as distinctive of a voice as Karen did, but I am still a Corrs fan, and Andrea's singing can remind me of Karen's at times. (I can't listen to that first line in the chorus of "Long Night" without hearing Karen in my head, for one.)

Jeff F.

 

[musicguru]

I believe Karen actually did record with Peter Cetera on her Phil Ramone produced solo album. The name of the track escapes me (I have a huge CD collection, and I can't locate my copy of Karen's album, sorry!)
I believe that for a duet to have an impact, there has to be some contrast between the two voices. Listen to Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville, you'll see what I mean. Some of the suggestions have been inspired (Donna Summer would be sensational, and Sting records for A&M, so why not?), however I think the similarity between Karen's voice and Anne Murray's voice would make a duet seem redundant. Likewise, while I think kd Lang is a marvellous singer, a duet with Karen would simply waste both talents, in my opinion.
My suggestions - Neil Diamond, Donny Osmond (a very underrated singer, in my opinion), Harry Connick Jr., or maybe somebody totally left of centre, like Rufus Wainwright!

 

[Chris May]

I believe Karen actually did record with Peter Cetera on her Phil Ramone produced solo album. The name of the track escapes me (I have a huge CD collection, and I can't locate my copy of Karen's album, sorry!)

"MAKING LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON". One of my favorite tracks from the album. -Chris

 

[Bruno]

Well, in my opinion MAKING LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON isn't quite a duet. I feel, it is Karen on lead vocals, and Peter Cetera doing the backing vocals. But it's a great combination! It's one of my favorite tracks from the solo album.

Bruno

 

[enigma]

Lots of good choices but I would take a voice from the past Nat King Cole the two dueting would be pure magic.

 

[jfiedler17]

My suggestions - Neil Diamond, Donny Osmond (a very underrated singer, in my opinion), Harry Connick Jr., or maybe somebody totally left of centre, like Rufus Wainwright!

Agreed about Donny Osmond! I'm not much of a fan of his '70s recordings, but I got more into him when "Soldier of Love" came out (that's still one of my favorite pop-music comeback stories!), and have enjoyed listening to him ever since - he grew up to have a heck of a nice singing voice! Loved his last covers album!
Agreed that Rufus Wainwright would be an interesting pairing, too! I'm not really into his albums (although "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" is a pretty addictive song), but I love his voice and really like his remake of The Beatles' "Across the Universe".
Welcome to the site, incidentally!

Jeff F.