Karen Carpenter is a well-known singer and drummer who, along with her brother Richard, formed the successful pop duo The Carpenters in the 1970s.
Her voice spans three octaves and has been hailed by critics and peers as one of the most unique and expressive voices in music.
She also demonstrated her talents as a drummer, playing for the Carpenters before becoming their lead singer.
contour
- Full name: Karen Anne Carpenter
- Date of Birth: March 2, 1950
- Age: 32 (at the time of death)
- Gender: Female
- Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Country: United States
- Occupation: singer, drummer
- Height: 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm)
- Parents: Harold Carpenter (father), Agnes Carpenter (mother)
- Siblings: Richard Carpenter (brother)
- Spouse: Thomas James Burris (ex-husband)
- Children: None
- Marital status: Divorced
- Net worth: $6 million
Early life and education
Karen Carpenter was born on March 2, 1950, in New Haven, Connecticut, and will be 73 years old in 2023.
She was the younger of two children of Harold Carpenter, a printer, and Agnes Carpenter, a housewife. She had a close relationship with her brother Richard, who was three years older than her. They shared a love of music and often sang and played together.
When Karen was 13, her family moved to Downey, California, where she attended Downey High School.
She was an active member of the school band, orchestra, choir, and drama club. She also excelled academically, earning top grades and was elected class president her senior year.
She developed a passion for drumming and took lessons from a local teacher named Frank Pooler. She soon became proficient at playing a variety of percussion instruments, such as the marimba, vibraphone, and glockenspiel.
After graduating from high school in 1967, Karen attended Long Beach State College and joined the college choir. She also continued to play drums and sing with Richard, who was studying music at the same college.
They formed a trio with bassist Wes Jacobs and performed at local clubs and events. They also recorded some demo tracks and auditioned with several record companies in hopes of launching their music career.
Personal life
Karen Carpenter had several relationships in her life, but none of them lasted long. She dated musicians such as Mike Cobb, Steve Martin, and Mark Harmon, but none of them proposed to her.
She also had a brief romance with married manager Sherwin Bash in the late 1970s.
In 1980, she met Thomas James Burris, a real estate developer nine years older than her, with whom she had a son from her previous marriage. On August 31, 1980, they were married in a grand ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
However, the marriage was unhappy and short-lived: Burris was reportedly abusive and controlling towards Karen, and he refused to support her desire to have children.
He also squandered her money and forced her to sign a prenuptial agreement that would leave her with nothing in the event of a divorce. Karen filed for divorce in 1981, but it was not finalized before her death.
Karen Carpenter has no children of her own, but she loves children and is a loving mother to her brother’s children, Kristi Lynn and Tracy Tatum. She also has many friends in the music industry, such as Olivia Newton-John, Dionne Warwick, Herb Alpert and John Denver.
Profession
Karen Carpenter’s career as a singer and drummer began in the late 1960s when she and Richard signed with A&M Records under Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss.
They originally called themselves the Richard Carpenter Trio, but later changed their name to The Carpenter Band.
They released their debut album, Offering, in 1969, which included a cover of The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride.”
The album was not a commercial success, but it caught the attention of radio personality Burt Bacharach, who invited them to perform at a charity event.
The Carpenters’ breakthrough came in 1970 when they released their second album, Close to You, which included two hit singles: “(They Long to Be) Close to You” and “We’ve Only Just Begun.”
Both songs peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won them their first Grammy Award.
The album also showcases Karen’s range and versatility as well as Richard’s skills as a songwriter, arranger and producer.
In the 1970s, the Carpenters continued to release successful albums and singles, such as The Carpenters (1971), A Song for You (1972), Now and Then (1973), Horizon (1975) and A Kind of Quietness (1976).
Their most popular songs include “Rainy Days and Mondays”, “Superstar”, “Top of the World”, “Please Take Care of Mr. Postman”, “Yesterday Again” and “Fairy Tale of Years”.
They have also performed several television specials and concerts, and have collaborated with artists such as the cast of Sesame Street, Ella Fitzgerald and Perry Como. Their records have sold over 100 million copies worldwide, making them one of the best-selling musical acts of all time.
Karen Carpenter also began to work as a solo artist in the late 1970s, and recorded an album with producer Phil Ramone in 1979. Karen Carpenter’s album was a departure from the style of the Carpenters’ Band, featuring more upbeat, modern songs.
But due to Richard’s objections and A&M’s disinterest, the album was later released. It was not until after Richard’s death that the album was released in 1996 and received positive reviews from critics and fans.
die
Karen Carpenter died of heart failure due to complications from anorexia nervosa, a condition that causes extreme weight loss and starvation.
She had suffered from anorexia since the early 1970s, but it was not widely known or understood at the time.
She was often criticized by the media and the public for her appearance and weight, which affected her self-esteem and confidence. She also faced pressure from her professional and personal life, which exacerbated her condition.
She sought help and recovered from her illness through therapy and medication, gained weight, and resumed her musical activities in the early 1980s.
However, her recovery was short-lived and fragile, and she relapsed, lost weight again, and developed heart problems and irregular heartbeats, which were made worse by taking laxatives and thyroid medication.
On February 4, 1983, she collapsed at her parents’ home in Downey, California, where she had been living following her divorce.
She was taken to hospital and pronounced dead at 9:51 a.m. at the age of 32. Her death shocked and saddened the world and raised awareness and research on eating disorders and body image issues.
dispute
Karen Carpenter’s life and death have been subject to controversy and speculation, both during her lifetime and after her death. Some of these controversies include:
Cullen’s marriage to Thomas James Burris was widely viewed as a mistake and a disaster. Many blamed Burris for Cullen’s misfortune and downfall, accusing him of abuse, greed, and infidelity.
Burris denied the allegations and claimed that he loved Karen and was trying to help her. He sued Karen’s estate for $1.5 million but later withdrew the lawsuit.
Her solo album was shelved by A&M Records and Richard Carpenter because they did not approve of the album’s style and content. Some believe that Karen was dissatisfied with the image of the Carpenter band and wanted to express herself more freely and creatively.
Others felt that she was loyal to the Carpenters and respected Richard’s opinions and decisions. After Richard remixed some tracks and added some overdubs, the album was finally released in 1996.
Her autopsy report showed traces of ipecac, a substance that causes vomiting, in her system.
Some speculated that she had been using ipecac to cleanse her mind, which may have contributed to her death.
Others have doubted this theory and believe she took ipecac by mistake or for some other reason.
The truth of the matter remains unclear and controversial.
Social Media
- Instagram account: N/A
- Twitter account: N/A
Discography
- Close to you
- Relive yesterday
- Top of the World
- I can’t survive a day.
- I need love
net worth
Karen Carpenter’s net worth at the time of her death was estimated to be around $6 million.
Most of her income comes from her music career as a member of the Carpenters and as a solo artist.
