Posted on 02/04/2023 1:21:55 PM PST by RckyRaCoCo
This (day) marks the 40th anniversary of the untimely passing of Karen Carpenter. The singer, whose worldwide popularity has not waned for 53 years, was a month shy of her 33rd birthday when her heart stopped beating the morning of Feb. 4, 1983. Her death was attributed to the effects of anorexia nervosa, from which she had suffered for several years.
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“There’s actually less money in the music business today that back in the 70’s.”
In 2021 dollars Carpenter’s net worth (1981) was between 15 and 30 million. Taylor Swift’s net worth in 2021 was over 400 million.
There’s plenty of money in music these days - and it leads to other fields and more money.
For no reason whatsoever I listened to the Carpenters Essentials Thursday.
Took me back to my youth. Very cool.
If she would just have ate a slice of pizza sometimes, we would still have her voice with us. very selfish.
For some reason I always link The Carpenters and Bread together, because they both came out around the same time, and were the fore-runners of soft rock, it was kind of that time when all the tumult from the 60s was finally coming to an end.
I think that all changed when the album “Live Bullet” — recorded over two live shows in Detroit — was released. It effectively made his stage performance a national act, and suddenly everyone wanted to see him in concert.
Richard Carpenter’s current net worth is listed as $14-18M. To me that seems shockingly low.
Add Joan Osborne
Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star in the world and has been for about a decade. Before that, she was the biggest country star in the world. Taylor Swift sells out NFL stadiums and often, multiple nights at NFL stadiums.
I have heard that before. I missed them by just couple of years. That would have been fun.
The big money is in ownership of the songs... most of the Carpenter’s hits were covers... for instance ‘Superstar’ was written by Leon Russell. Most of Richard’s money would be from arrangements and residuals from album sales.
I am streaming Seranade Radio these days and listening to all the greats
The group got criticized by many of the “tut tut tsk tsk “ set for her song “Goofus” but it was a FUN SONG!!! Tight harmonies, and breezy easy swing and a killer sax riff solo with some lovely steel guitar playing as well as a tinkly saloon rag time piano style affected by her brother! What’s not to love??!! Just have fun with it and don’t look for secrets of the Karen Carpenter universe in the song. It was meant for fun!
Karen Carpenter on the drums. Slow beginning but gets really good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9TmMfnZyY4
Hard to beat her voice as well as Richard’s talents.
I use to sing her songs when I went to Keroki because my voice teacher said I sounded like her. Her range was very comfortable as were her songs. Had a lot of fun doing that as the Host had a fabulous system....rew a good crowd who appreciated good singers.
The impression I got from reading various sources along the way was that Richard was supposed to be the “star” of the family, and when Karen’s voice suddenly outshone Richard’s piano and arranging talents, both Richard and their mother couldn’t handle that, and tried to keep her in her “place” creatively.
If she had been able to break free, not just from her parents, but from Richard as well, I think she could have achieved more.
If Cass Elliot had given her ham sandwich to Karen Carpenter, they might both be alive today.
/eyeroll
Don’t care.
She was a vanilla singer.
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