Karen's Last Performance...and other questions...

[cam89]

Hi All,
Does anyone have any information on Karen's last performance at Buckley School, I think the school her godchildren attended? What songs did she sing? Was her band there or did she sing acapella? Any photos taken?
Also, on the Grammy ALumni Photo Shoot, does anyone have a photo of Karen and Richard in January 1983?
I think Karen looked great in Christmas 1982, when she is photgraphed with Dennis Heath and her brother RC. SHe looks happy, and beautiful and more healthier. Also the photo of Ev and Karen is nice. I love her hairstyle. Does anyone have Ev Wallace's address or correspond with her, and if so, how old is she nowadays?

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I've always been curious about that singing she did at the school too.

Wasn't it a Christmas song she did? Because it was the holidays. I always wondered it someone snuck in a cassette recorder & recorded Karen singing. Wouldn't that be a gem.

 

[newvillefan]

I read somewhere it was a Christmas song (I THINK it was Merry Christmas Darling) and no, Richard was not present at this, her last performance. I don't think it was with the band either, so I assume maybe she was accompanied by piano or something like that.

Anyone also remember that the song In Love Alone was intended for Karen (written by Richard and John), but that he never saw her at a piano to play it for her. She was due at a Christmas party Richard was hosting in December 1982, but the weather was bad and Karen decided to just stay at home instead. Had she gone, he had intended on playing it for her in front of the assembled guests.

Dionne Warwick is on record as saying it's one of the hardest things she has ever done, singing that for Richard's album after Karen was gone. She still finds it difficult listening to it even now.

 

[newvillefan]

On another similar note, has anyone seen this photo of Karen with Herb and Richard, it's got to be the most disturbing picture of Karen that I've ever seen..she looks SO ill.

The site states that it's from 1981, but I think it looks more like Karen in 82/early 83...the hairstyle and her general look just makes me think this. Maybe this is a photo from the January Grammy Alumini meet??

http://www.leadsister.com/images/rckcha.jpg

 

[Harry]

That is one awful photo, for sure. By the way, one can't link directly to that picture. The site owner doesn't allow that, so to see the picture copy and paste the URL into your browser.

Harry

 

[Murray]

That picture is definitely NOT from the January 1983 Grammy reunion. Karen wasn't nearly that thin in the last month of her life. There's a picture in the Coleman book of Karen with Ev Wallace, taken in January 1983, and she doesn't look emaciated, like she does on the picture with Herb and RC.

Murray

 

[PJ]

Karen 's School Performance -Was This only One Song .....?

Heard MCD was Performed Along with Possibly Some Christmas Carols ?

Peter

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

That photo is hard to look at indeed. I remember that Rans site had a video, I think called Karens Last Days & this photo was on it & it transitioned between this photo & one of her earlier photos.

It could also be that Karen didn't really look that bad, sometimes photos can be deceiving to the eye.

 

[close2u]

I heard somewhere that the "concert" she gave at this school was very informal and was basically her singing along with songs on the "CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT" LP. Anyone else hear this?

Randy

 

[mr J.]

I haven't seen that leadsister website,but I think I know which picture your talking about.That photo,with Karen's arms around Herb Alpert and Richard,was taken at an A&M awards ceremony in mid-1981,around the time MADE IN AMERICA was released.I actually think Karen looks pretty good in that picture,with that black evening gown and a great tan.She definitely looks thin,though-no question.