Karen Carpenter

"I just want to tell you love, that I think you've got a fabulous voice " - John Lennon to Karen Carpenter

Karen Carpenter : Listen on Real Audio

Karen's voice is considered by many to be one of the finest and most expressive in modern popular music. She is praised for her control, sense of pitch, and the subtle nuances of personal expression she introduced to a melody.

In the late 1960's at a time when rock and roll was dominant - Karen Carpenter's soothing voice found unexpected success as the the lead singer for The Carpenters.

Half of the brother and sister duo, Karen possessed every bit as much talent as Richard, however, hers was a talent that did not show at an early age like her brother's. Her first musical interest was as a drummer and it wasn't until later that her pure, natural vocal talent surfaced. A record company producer was the first to realize that Karen possessed a unique, and utterly beautiful voice, likening it to the finest of musical instruments.

Over the following years, Carpenters became one of the most popular groups in history, selling to date nearly 100 million units worldwide. They toured internationally through the 70s, and their 1976 tour of Japan was the largest grossing tour in that country up to that point.

The Carpenters were #1 best-selling American group between 1970 and 1980. The much publicized and tragic loss of Karen Carpenter in 1983 brought new attention to the dangers of eating disorders.