Karen Carpeneter died 42 years ago.

seriously, and respectfully. when it’s a post for her, about her, would it be hard to spell her name correctly? Nine characters...

And yes, the most amazing voice, ever. Not my #1 but in the top 10, rated for emotional connection.

In the late 70s, fifty cents was probably equal to $2.00 today. Albums typically were around $6.98 each at that time, so I got a credit of $3.00 by trading in the six albums out of my collection. The others were probably real dogs because I don't recall any of their titles. As some have expressed in this thread, at the time I was not a huge fan of the Carpenters. Some of their songs sounded contrived, to put it charitably. If you do the math above, Peaches was actually given just a 25% discount on the dollar.

@discnik

Fifty cents???

You must have more albums than cents!!! 

Or should I say, you have more albums than sense...

...Either way seems right. 😜

Anyway, I've done much worse. Twenty-five years ago I put together a $20,000 high end audio system and sold it for a great loss just one year later!

You might ask why I would do that.... Well the answer is even more preposterous.  I quit a great job, sold most everything, and moved to a deserted island called Dry Tortugas. So I definitely have regrets too!!

One of the stupidest things I have ever done was to trade the only Carpenters album I owned in at the local Peaches store in Atlanta. They were giving a 50 cent credit for used records toward new albums, so I picked out a few from my collection that I had listened to a couple of times, but felt like I wouldn't be listening to them much in the future. The clerk who helped me tried to talk me out of trading it in (I think he knew it was a decision I would would later regret, which I did). There is no other female artist that would be mistaken for Karen Carpenter - her voice was that unique.

Legend has it that Frank Sinatra said Karen Carpenter "was the only singer that he would pay to see.".

WOW! I miss what could have been at what was. Karen had such a gorgeous voice and was my first female singer that really captivated me in my youth. I have to admit the arrangements by her brother played a part, but her voice, lush, clear, entrancing. I think tonight I'll be listening to them again. I too also enjoyed the fact that she could drum with the best of drummers too. Back then you didn't find many women playing any instrument maybe outside of guitars back then.

Her drumming abilities were world class.  Some people from her time speculate that moving her off her beloved kit to singing out front contributed to her sad downfall.  Naturally shy evidently.  There is an interview with Sheila E who is in awe of Karen's skills.  And yes that gorgeous voice...Part of my youth for sure.

Sonic Youth were big fans of Karen Carpenter; they even wrote a couple of songs for/about her....  

@carlso63
Exactly!
Here is a typical situation in 1970. Four, sixteen year old boys are cruising around in a car, and listening to the most popular radio station. "Close To You," which is number one on the charts is playing on the radio. All four boys look at each other and shake their heads, roll their eyes, and say "No." The button is switched to the second most popular station. (Remember when we had buttons?) The Carpenters are playing on both stations! And all the boys wonder what’s happening!

The boys go to their homes and turn on the radio as they go to sleep. Of course, the Carpenters are playing on the radio again. The words are interesting. The melody feels nice. There is harmony, and layers of beautiful voices. They listen.......

For some people, it took a while to appreciate the significance of the Carpenters.

I was never shy of admitting I enjoyed the Carpenters and Karen’s sultry voice, vast range, and accomplished drumming.  I listen often to their well recorded songs.  However, my memory of her relationship with her brother were that is was complex, with Richard’s controlling personality making musical decisions leading in part to her insecurity and emotional problems.  Combined with emotional issues from being overweight in childhood, and drug abuse, this compounded her anorexia nervosa, with habitual restricting and drug induced vomiting which, in turn, led to her tragic death from heart failure.  What a loss from a now better understood and treatable disorder.  Her life story can be a lesson for young adults now suffering from Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

I can admit that a a teenager back in the 1970s I would have scoffed at the music of Karen Carpenter. And I did (my parents had a few Carpenters albums, and I'm sure I rolled my eyes every time they played one).

I can also admit that I was VERY wrong on most of her stuff. She had a magnificent voice and tremendous talent. Hell of a drummer as well. 

@unclewilbur 

"But it seems to me that Carpenters is excellent audiophile material."

Have you picked up the 2018 release: "Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra?"

If not, you need to because both the sound quality and the subtly enhanced orchestration will probably stun you with how much better that it sounds; and, the original recordings were quite good to begin with!

I never liked them then and I would be damned to listen to them now. 

RIP to one of the most beautiful voices in music.  And a good drummer.  

I vaguely remember watching a documentary about the group, and I kind of remember getting the impression that her relationship with her brother could have been healthier.  But who knows.

Watched the video.  Her total raging bitch of a mom seemed to have effed her up good.  So sad. 

she had sad eyes.

Indeed she did.

she had sad eyes. her voice had a transient sadness in it as well. I hope she experienced happiness. 

She had a beautiful voice.  

I believe even the toughest/macho guys had a secret  favorite Carpenters song during their heyday in the 70's.

All the girls in school loved her version of this, and it's one I'll  never admit I like. 

Interestingly, a Leon Russell composition. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ5KKoDmtPo

Sounds very- 70's and maybe cheesy to some, but great music has no expiration date.

If you haven't  watched this already, a must see.

https://www.ksps.org/programs/specials/the-carpenters-close-to-you/

BTW, her brother was an innovative musician/mixing engineer.

It's good to know that people still appreciate the Carpenters!

I just turned off my TV, and I'm going to turn on some Carpenters. 😁

The Carpenters were a very early influence on me because my older sisters had their albums. I fell in love with Karen's voice way back then and knew pretty much all their songs (still do). To me she has perhaps the "clearest" singing voice of any female artist that's ever lived (at least in the recording age). I don't think she's ever sung a single word that wasn't easy to understand. She's definitely in my top 3 female vocalists of all time, and is probably number 1 on that list.

An all-time favorite! I had my first "close dance" at a young age ( middle school) with a female while "Close to You" was playing 💘

It’s quite wonderful how after all these years KC is still remembered so fondly. Such a talented person gone too soon.

❤️

Karen was a beautiful person and talent.  Words can't express her level of talent as she was accomplished in so many areas.  In my book, Karen is #1 and I have all her music.  

When I'm reading comments on audiogon about the music people listen to, I pay attention because I'm open to new music and I wonder if anyone will mention the Carpenters.

I'm aware of the bias against the Carpenters because some people think they're too square, not rocky enough, etc. But it seems to me that Carpenters is excellent audiophile material, at least for audiophiles who are into music, (as opposed to audiophiles who are into analyzing their gear). But I have never seen anyone here mention the Carpenters despite Karen's voice (which is considered the greatest of all time by many, including me), great layered harmonies, lush arrangements with hundreds of orchestral, rock, and pop instruments, great songwriting, excellent recording, etc. 

Maybe some people don't want to be known for liking music that others consider to be square. Nevertheless, some of the most admired musicians gave high praise to them, including Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, etc. And in a 1975 Playboy magazine readers' poll, Karen Carpenter was voted the best rock drummer of the year – edging out Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, The Who's Keith Moon and The Beatles' Ringo Starr. 

So, what's not to love about the Carpenters? 

Karen  was the glue That  kept things together,her brother had a drug problem 

that was a big problem. 

The Carpenters were that kind of group that many of my friends wanted to shun because they were a bit kitschy, but many of them finally caved pleading, in effect, that even tough guys need a puppy; and it didn't hurt that the puppy could croon like an angel. The best of the songs were classic but classics from an earlier time.

She was also a very accomplished drummer. 

She had a fantastic voice. Her brother was a wizard at production and the recording quality was always exceptional.

Her voice was iconic and was an indelible part of my childhood, and many may not realize that she was a very competent drummer as well.  I’ll definitely be giving her a listen today. 

https://youtu.be/kkhoXUN7Jhw?si=tcd4-M0hP6PgfSFI

Not her but nice to know young people are appreciative of her great music.

I will be listening to her tonight. BTW there is a young woman on YouTube who has practiced singing the Carpenters songs and is truly amazing as she sounds almost identical with her intonation and range.