... Influenced by Karen Carpenter

Simon KC1950

Well-Known Member
On the Queen of Pop's, Madonna, 60th Birthday lets take a look at the way Karen Carpenter has impacted the world of music and the vast amount of people influenced and who appreciate Karen Carpenter.

Madonna is no doubt the biggest of all the stars inspired by Karen, having sold over 300 million copies, being the most certified artist in the UK, the second most successful artist on Billboard and the most successful Female artist of all time. And our Karen influenced that!

Here are some others influenced:

-Sheryl Crow
-Shania Twain
-Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth)
-K.D Lang
-Claire Richards (Steps)
-Natalie Imbruglia
-Pat Metheny

We know Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Elton John, Dionne Warwick, Petula Clark and ABBA have praised Karen.

Any others?
 
A slightly more obscure act who once said Karen had been a big influence on her was Tasmin Archer, who had a #1 hit in the UK in 1992 with the song “Sleeping Satellite”.
 
Don't forget The Corrs.

Not only the sibling harmonies, but a female drummer too!
 
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We know Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Elton John, Dionne Warwick, Petula Clark and ABBA have praised Karen.

When did ABBA praise Karen? I can't recall seeing or reading that on any occasion. I know Richard has praised ABBA on a few occasions before, but not sure about the other way round.
 
When did ABBA praise Karen? I can't recall seeing or reading that on any occasion. I know Richard has praised ABBA on a few occasions before, but not sure about the other way round.

I think I read it on this forum on an old thread, If I remember correctly Agnetha praised Karen's voice
 
Toni Tenille, Neil Sedaka, Elton John, Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, Cherry Boone O'Neill, Debby Boone, Carnie Wilson, David Pomerantz (I think that's how his name is spelled), Gloria Estefan....
 
Happy 60th birthday to Madonna! This song, "Rain", from 1993, was Madonna's tribute to Karen...

 
Jann Arden

Time for Mercy-"I'd especially like to thank Karen Carpenter wherever you are...."

Free-"I would like to thank my inspirations, of which there have been many. These artists are huge pieces of my musical puzzle. Olivia Newton-John, Karen Carpenter, Janis Ian, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, and ABBA. I would be remiss if I didn't include Roger Whittaker and Zamfir for reasons only my parents will understand."

Uncover Me-
Solitaire-"This is the hardest song I have ever attempted to sing, it still makes me nervous to wonder what Karen would think of me doing what turned out to be one of her signature songs. The range was so difficult for me. Just trying to find the right key was arduous. This is a wonderful, quirky, complicated song. The lyrics are so strange and so ominous. The irony of this particular song is that it deals with the utter and complete devastation of a lost relationship. Karen never really found love in her life and it is as though she were singing about herself. This song is what got me singing in the first place so it holds a giant piece of my heart in it's stardust tail."
Thanks-"I want to thank Karen Carpenter whom I still, to this day, think is the best contemporary pop singer of all time."
 
Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips.

Carnie Wilson discusses her life, weight, work

The ostensible reason for her appearance was the release of the album, which includes a dozen songs. Her favorite, she said, is one made famous by Karen Carpenter, “Merry Christmas Darling,” and when her hosts told her that her rendition of the song sounds like Carpenter, she glowed."

“She’s probably my favorite singer,” Wilson said. “People have said, ‘Carnie, sometimes you sound like Karen Carpenter.’ I couldn’t get a better compliment than that.” While laying down the “Merry Christmas Darling” track, she said, “I tried to channel her.”
 
Mandy Moore and Babyface have both expressed their admiration for Karen. And, Michael Jackson himself said his 3 biggest influences were the Beatles, Motown and Carpenters.
 
Perhaps not influenced by Karen Carpenter, Linda Perry was in admiration of Karen and the sound Richard created for Karen and himself as Carpenters.
 
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