Where do I begin? I have been a Carpenters fan since the late 70's and early 80's. I instantly fell in love with their music but especially Karen's voice. Furthermore, I, too, was one of the many young men who fell in love with Karen....She was beautiful both inside and out. I have read all the books and I use to own all their LP's and now have all of their CD's.
The two music "prodigies" and "legends" I go to first and play the most is the Beatles and the Carpenters. True geniuses. No "auto tune" crap, no ripping off clothes, screaming at the top of their lungs with high notes, over-the-top stage dramatics or pyrotechnics. These two musical groups were true artists.
We MUST keep the legacy of the Carpenters going. We need to get the word out to as many people, especially the newer generations, as we can. We must petition the national radio stations to start playing the Carpenter's music again. It is so sad that Karen and Richard have been forgotten by these stations and it's a shame. Karen was and is 'THE VOICE". She was a "diamond in the rough", a one-off, and we can keep going here. She was also known as "one-take Karen". Not only did she have the greatest female voice ever, and always will, but she was also the greatest female drummer ever. Imagine have that "voice" and those "drumming skills" at the same time and do both with perfection?
It is great that the word is getting out, especially on youtube, about this forgotten legend and that the Carpenters are seeing a resurgence in popularity. My goodness can you imagine all those Carpenter songs being replayed today? We need their music (and the Beatles) so much today in the society we live in. Yes, IMHO, the Beatles had it right -- Love and Peace - was the way and the Carpenters sang about love.
Richard was the brains and the genius behind Karen just like Sonny Bono was the brains behind Cher. Richard should also get his due credit for the brilliant arranger, composer, song writer and (not a bad back up vocal either) that he was and is. He, too, has been forgotten and never really got what he deserved.
Karen, though, was the main element, or became the main element and focal point of the Carpenters. OMG, that "voice", "her drumming", and how she later became skillful in other ways. If she had lived, she truly would have gone on to dominate the movies, musicals, TV shows, etc. Karen could sing the telephone book and make each song her own. If you listen to some of their songs like "ticket to ride" and "california dreamin", the Carpenter's version was so much better. Very unique and had their musical signature. Both of these songs were so much better than the original versions from the original artists.
When you have had a bad day, for whatever reason, there is no better therapy then so sit back and relax, dim the lights, maybe a bit of wine and crank up the sound and hear "THE VOICE". Many of their songs have that "chills up the spine" effect like: "Ordinary Fool", "Solitaire", "This Masquerade", "Little Girl Blue", "Sometimes", "Someday", "A Song for You", "Now"....and the list goes on and on.
One thing that I feel Karen and Richard missed out on was that they had the chance to create what could have been the "greatest American songbook" LP in history and, I am sure, would have been the greatest LP ever!!! Karen was a torch singer. Her low register "in the basement" contralto was her signature and Richard knew that. No one could have created songs for Karen except for Richard. They were two peas in a pod. If only they had created say a two-album greatest hits of the American Songbook, can you imagine?
Although I agree that Karen should have been allowed to go solo and make her own album, and she did, I disagree with the decision to shelf it. On the other hand, although I did like a few songs from the Ramone production, most of it was not good. Why? Because, it was not Karen's vocal signature. The songs were too fast, too disco and concentrated more on Karen's high notes than the low range. That album was more in line with a singer like the late ONJ and close friend to Karen. I feel that it is important for an artist to spread their wings and go solo. Karen needed to find out for herself what the fan reaction and music critics would have to her solo album and this feedback would have helped Karen to decide her future path. I am sure that was tough on Richard. Karen also needed that solo album venture for her own self esteem and confidence no matter what the outcome.
To this day and with everything I have read and learned about the Carpenters, their "legacy" was created by the entire group, but, mainly the sister and brother duo. Why? They were both musical prodigies that were destined to make legendary music. Since they both grew up together in the Carpenter "musical" household exposed to all that great music from the heyday of music and the fact that they were both just "diamonds in the rough" like the Beatles or say Brian Wilson.
When you hear a Carpenter's song with the first few vocal lyrics, you know exactly who it is - Karen - the voice. When you hear a Carpenter's song, you also hear Richard's brilliant, genius, prodigy arrangements, composing, and songwriting. Of course we don't want to forget John Bettis who co-wrote many of the Carpenters greatest hits and all the band members who were also true musical artists.
Karen left two legacies: the Carpenter's music, especially her "voice", and, unfortunately for her, she unwillingly made the ultimate sacrifice, in her passing, to help put the spotlight on "anorexia nervosa" which helped to save many women from ending up like Karen. Her passing also helped advance learning and education on the horrible mental disease. We must continue the legacy of the Carpenters and especially the legacy of Karen going forward. Karen had forgotten more than what so-called singers (divas) know today. Listen and watch Karen as she sings "Superstar" -- chills up the spine. What a great song written by the late, great Leon Russell who also wrote their "A Song for You" and "This Masquerade".
Listen and watch Karen at age 16 and then in her early 20's and see how great her voice already was and her great drumming skills! IMHO, part of the magic here was that both Karen and Richard were "perfectionist" and, unfortunately, IMHO, played a part in Karen's demise and for some of Richard's early issues. When you have that gift and then you add the "perfectionist" piece to it, well no wonder they created a legacy. What are the odds of a brother and sister both having talent "off the charts" like that? Have you ever seen Karen's drum solo routine that she use to do on TV specials where she would go from one percussion instrument to another with perfection? No one does that today. How about their over-dubbing technique? I highly recommend getting and listening to the Carpenters "Essentials" CD's which includes all their works and much of the early material.
The Carpenters could have easily become country music stars and legends. Several of their hits like "Top of the World", "Sweet, Sweet, Smile" and "Jambalya" would easily had become country hits today. Of course, IMHO, the Carpenters were in their groove with soft pop and torch songs. Karen's voice was at the same level or even beyond Ella Fitzgerald, Barbara Streisand, Rosemary Clooney and many more of the greats. But, Karen, "the voice", is the one I would pick and rather listen to. Her voice was pure honey and angelic. Pure raw talent yet refined. Karen sang to you (the audience) and not at you and having that low "in the basement' register and the melancholy layer was and will always be unmatched.
Let's keep the legacy of the Carpenters going. Let's keep the legacy of "the voice", KC, going and lets get it out there to the new generations and the older generations who may have forgotten. In today's society, we need to hear and feel the Carpenters sound more than ever. Karen's voice is therapuetic in so many ways. I highly recommend that you watch on youtube the Carpenters 1980 "Music, Music, Music" TV special. Wow, talk about perfection and artistic masterpiece and really showcases Karen's voice at its best. As I have noted on youtube: THE VOICE, THE DRUMMER, THE LEGACY!!!
The two music "prodigies" and "legends" I go to first and play the most is the Beatles and the Carpenters. True geniuses. No "auto tune" crap, no ripping off clothes, screaming at the top of their lungs with high notes, over-the-top stage dramatics or pyrotechnics. These two musical groups were true artists.
We MUST keep the legacy of the Carpenters going. We need to get the word out to as many people, especially the newer generations, as we can. We must petition the national radio stations to start playing the Carpenter's music again. It is so sad that Karen and Richard have been forgotten by these stations and it's a shame. Karen was and is 'THE VOICE". She was a "diamond in the rough", a one-off, and we can keep going here. She was also known as "one-take Karen". Not only did she have the greatest female voice ever, and always will, but she was also the greatest female drummer ever. Imagine have that "voice" and those "drumming skills" at the same time and do both with perfection?
It is great that the word is getting out, especially on youtube, about this forgotten legend and that the Carpenters are seeing a resurgence in popularity. My goodness can you imagine all those Carpenter songs being replayed today? We need their music (and the Beatles) so much today in the society we live in. Yes, IMHO, the Beatles had it right -- Love and Peace - was the way and the Carpenters sang about love.
Richard was the brains and the genius behind Karen just like Sonny Bono was the brains behind Cher. Richard should also get his due credit for the brilliant arranger, composer, song writer and (not a bad back up vocal either) that he was and is. He, too, has been forgotten and never really got what he deserved.
Karen, though, was the main element, or became the main element and focal point of the Carpenters. OMG, that "voice", "her drumming", and how she later became skillful in other ways. If she had lived, she truly would have gone on to dominate the movies, musicals, TV shows, etc. Karen could sing the telephone book and make each song her own. If you listen to some of their songs like "ticket to ride" and "california dreamin", the Carpenter's version was so much better. Very unique and had their musical signature. Both of these songs were so much better than the original versions from the original artists.
When you have had a bad day, for whatever reason, there is no better therapy then so sit back and relax, dim the lights, maybe a bit of wine and crank up the sound and hear "THE VOICE". Many of their songs have that "chills up the spine" effect like: "Ordinary Fool", "Solitaire", "This Masquerade", "Little Girl Blue", "Sometimes", "Someday", "A Song for You", "Now"....and the list goes on and on.
One thing that I feel Karen and Richard missed out on was that they had the chance to create what could have been the "greatest American songbook" LP in history and, I am sure, would have been the greatest LP ever!!! Karen was a torch singer. Her low register "in the basement" contralto was her signature and Richard knew that. No one could have created songs for Karen except for Richard. They were two peas in a pod. If only they had created say a two-album greatest hits of the American Songbook, can you imagine?
Although I agree that Karen should have been allowed to go solo and make her own album, and she did, I disagree with the decision to shelf it. On the other hand, although I did like a few songs from the Ramone production, most of it was not good. Why? Because, it was not Karen's vocal signature. The songs were too fast, too disco and concentrated more on Karen's high notes than the low range. That album was more in line with a singer like the late ONJ and close friend to Karen. I feel that it is important for an artist to spread their wings and go solo. Karen needed to find out for herself what the fan reaction and music critics would have to her solo album and this feedback would have helped Karen to decide her future path. I am sure that was tough on Richard. Karen also needed that solo album venture for her own self esteem and confidence no matter what the outcome.
To this day and with everything I have read and learned about the Carpenters, their "legacy" was created by the entire group, but, mainly the sister and brother duo. Why? They were both musical prodigies that were destined to make legendary music. Since they both grew up together in the Carpenter "musical" household exposed to all that great music from the heyday of music and the fact that they were both just "diamonds in the rough" like the Beatles or say Brian Wilson.
When you hear a Carpenter's song with the first few vocal lyrics, you know exactly who it is - Karen - the voice. When you hear a Carpenter's song, you also hear Richard's brilliant, genius, prodigy arrangements, composing, and songwriting. Of course we don't want to forget John Bettis who co-wrote many of the Carpenters greatest hits and all the band members who were also true musical artists.
Karen left two legacies: the Carpenter's music, especially her "voice", and, unfortunately for her, she unwillingly made the ultimate sacrifice, in her passing, to help put the spotlight on "anorexia nervosa" which helped to save many women from ending up like Karen. Her passing also helped advance learning and education on the horrible mental disease. We must continue the legacy of the Carpenters and especially the legacy of Karen going forward. Karen had forgotten more than what so-called singers (divas) know today. Listen and watch Karen as she sings "Superstar" -- chills up the spine. What a great song written by the late, great Leon Russell who also wrote their "A Song for You" and "This Masquerade".
Listen and watch Karen at age 16 and then in her early 20's and see how great her voice already was and her great drumming skills! IMHO, part of the magic here was that both Karen and Richard were "perfectionist" and, unfortunately, IMHO, played a part in Karen's demise and for some of Richard's early issues. When you have that gift and then you add the "perfectionist" piece to it, well no wonder they created a legacy. What are the odds of a brother and sister both having talent "off the charts" like that? Have you ever seen Karen's drum solo routine that she use to do on TV specials where she would go from one percussion instrument to another with perfection? No one does that today. How about their over-dubbing technique? I highly recommend getting and listening to the Carpenters "Essentials" CD's which includes all their works and much of the early material.
The Carpenters could have easily become country music stars and legends. Several of their hits like "Top of the World", "Sweet, Sweet, Smile" and "Jambalya" would easily had become country hits today. Of course, IMHO, the Carpenters were in their groove with soft pop and torch songs. Karen's voice was at the same level or even beyond Ella Fitzgerald, Barbara Streisand, Rosemary Clooney and many more of the greats. But, Karen, "the voice", is the one I would pick and rather listen to. Her voice was pure honey and angelic. Pure raw talent yet refined. Karen sang to you (the audience) and not at you and having that low "in the basement' register and the melancholy layer was and will always be unmatched.
Let's keep the legacy of the Carpenters going. Let's keep the legacy of "the voice", KC, going and lets get it out there to the new generations and the older generations who may have forgotten. In today's society, we need to hear and feel the Carpenters sound more than ever. Karen's voice is therapuetic in so many ways. I highly recommend that you watch on youtube the Carpenters 1980 "Music, Music, Music" TV special. Wow, talk about perfection and artistic masterpiece and really showcases Karen's voice at its best. As I have noted on youtube: THE VOICE, THE DRUMMER, THE LEGACY!!!
