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You might be wondering why I would have a tribute to Karen Anne Carpenter on a webpage which is devoted to the more
"rugged edge" of rock music. Granted the Carpenter's are best known for their warm love songs, Karen's soft alto
voice, & over all less than rough music. But the way that Richard Carpenter arranged & composed both the music &
vocals paved the way for a lot of bands today.
The art of blending Both Karen & Richard's vocals as background
vocals, was at that time, seldom done. Richard may not ever be known for his voice, but Karen had one of those unique voices
which could stand out above the masses of female singers. Her voice is immediately recognizable; very warm, soft & yet
somehow, very strong.
I think that perhaps the Carpenters love ballads, along with Karen's voice, paved the way for
what would become the "power balled," from acts such as Journey and others. Karen & Richard put a lot of thought
behind their music, and worked hard to accomplish the "Carpenter sound." They are the best selling duet of all
time, surpassing even Simon & Garfunkel.
Although known & loved for her voice, Karen also was the percussionist
for the Carpenters. When first introduced to music, she fell in love with performing on the drums, and in this little guys
opinion, ranks up there with the likes of Neal Peart, Carl Palmer, as well as the late Keith Moon & Cozy Powell. She
is one of the few percussionists I have ever seen on a video, who can do a one handed drum roll. Doing a solo is a fantastic
work of art of Karen's.
Sadly, Karen died of Anorexia. Some pictures I have seen of her, she was little more than
skin and bones. I imagine the touring, popularity & fame may have been too much for her. In a way, however, she is a
martyr. Because she was such a well known public figure, Anorexia came to the fore front in our society and for the first
time, thousands upon thousands of young women were able to "come out of the closet," and obtain help for themselves.
Karen's voice will not soon be forgotten. I believe that her voice will continue to inspire women singers for generations
to come.
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