Karen Carpenter

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Rich

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Have you seen any female singer that even comes close to that great voice? After 50 years of finding my personal best, She was to me the one who I could count on when I as at my lowest in Viet Nam. She could sing into my soul and bring me back. Richard and Karen sold over 100 million records world wide. Not to many groups can even come close to that. When she died, it was almost like I lost my best friend. She was loved by millions over the world. What do yo think? :rolleyes:
 
Hi Rich!

Welcome to A&M Corner!! :wink:

We all feel blessed to have Karen's music within our hearts. I never did get to see the Carpenters on stage, but did have opportunity to meet Karen on two occasions. Once, when I worked at Disneyland as the face character, Peter Pan -- she posed for a photograph with all of the characters. A couple of years later, while touring the Lot with Diana Baron of A&M Artist Relations, we ran into Karen walking to her car. She stopped to chat for a minute or two. She was warm, kind and considerate (and thought it was really neat that I'd worked at Disneyland -- "I LOVE that place!" she laughed.) She passed away shortly thereafter.

On the bright side, we have recorded media, video and books to remember Karen by. Most important, we have the memories associated with a wonderful indivdual who was touched with the magical gift of song. Best of all, she chose to share this gift with the world. Like you, I'm eternally grateful.

Jon

...with goosebumps and happy memories of Karen, online...
 
Hi Jon

Welcome to the site.

Interesting story about meeting Karen on the lot. I just wanted to ask, seeing as you said she passed away shortly after that, how you thought she looked. Did she look well to your recollection? I've heard conflicting reports about how she looked before she died. Richard Carpenter says she looked tired and didnt look well, others say she looked great...what are your personal thoughts?

Stephen
 
newvillefan said:
Interesting story about meeting Karen on the lot. I just wanted to ask, seeing as you said she passed away shortly after that, how you thought she looked. Did she look well to your recollection? I've heard conflicting reports about how she looked before she died. Richard Carpenter says she looked tired and didnt look well, others say she looked great...what are your personal thoughts?

I thought Karen appeared to be tired and drawn, though she did have a tremendous amount of energy. I thoroughly enjoyed our brief conversation. "Aren't you the guy who met Lani on the escalator at the mall?" she asked. "Guilty," I replied. "Well put it there pal!" (a handshake), and she laughed with good nature.

With that, she and Dianna discussed internal business -- shop talk about album proofs, approval of credits, etc.

When they finished, Karen turned to me and said, "Where you from?" "Up North," I replied, "in the San Francisco Bay Area." "Wow!" she laughed. "That's just such a cool place to live!" That's when I mentioned that we'd had our photo taken at Disneyland with the Characters. "You were Peter Pan? Oh my God! I love Peter pan. Richard worked there for a while on Main Street, " she boasted. "It's so neat that you worked there...I LOVE THAT PLACE!!!" "Awfully nice to meet you, Jon," she said with a handshake, a wink and a wave at Diana. "If I don't see you," she called out to Dianna, "have a happy Gobble Gobble Day!" With that, she was gone.

She passed away about three or four weeks later. I was startled, surprised, taken off-guard and hurt. What a wonderful person Karen was. We lost her all too soon.

Jon
 
Hi Jon

Wow, thanks Jon, what a great story! Little episodes like that never cease to amaze me! Nice to hear just how down to earth a person Karen was.

Again, interesting to note that your comments back up what people like Richard and others were so worried about, that in the last few weeks of her life, she was as running round energetic as ever, when she should have been maybe kicking back after just coming out of hospital.

I have often pondered on whether the outcome would have been any different had she rested completely as people tried to persuade her. Wishful thinking, but all the evidence seems to suggest it was already too late...an awfully sad ending to a new beginning.

Stephen
 
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