The Carpenters

The Carpenters were an American music and vocal duo active in the 1970s. The duo consisted of brother and sister Richard (born October 15, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut) and Karen Carpenter (born March 2, 1950, in New Haven – died February 4, 1983, in Downey, California). They had numerous hits in both the U.S. and Europe with their melodic pop songs.

In the mid-1960s, Richard and Karen Carpenter tried to launch a music career, but were unable to find a record label willing to sign them. In May 1966, things began to look up when Karen accompanied Richard to an audition with bassist Joe Osborn. Karen was asked to sing a little and was immediately offered a contract as a solo vocalist. She released two singles, I’ll Be Yours and Looking for Love, but the record label went bankrupt, so the promising start came to nothing. During this period, Karen and Richard teamed up with their friend Wes Jacobs to form the Richard Carpenter Trio, an instrumental jazz band. They won the 1966 talent show Battle of the Bands and caught the attention of RCA Records. However, the label ultimately decided not to release their music, and since there were doubts about the trio’s commercial potential, the contract was soon terminated. Karen and Richard then formed a new band called Spectrum with four students from California State University. The band quickly gained local popularity and performed to sold-out venues in the area. Although the group didn’t land a record deal, Karen and Richard gained valuable experience and made a lasting connection with future lyricist John Bettis.

After Spectrum disbanded, the Carpenter siblings decided to continue as a duo: Karen on drums, Richard on keyboards, and both on vocals. They sent demo tapes to various record labels and caught the attention of Jack Daugherty at A&M Records, signing a contract in 1969. Their first album, Offering, featured many songs Richard had written during the Spectrum years. However, the most notable track was a cover of the Beatles’ Ticket to Ride, which became a minor hit. The album was re-released under the name Ticket to Ride and sold reasonably well. The label arranged a performance for the duo at the premieres of the films Goodbye Mr. Chips and Hello Dolly in December 1969.

Richard and Karen truly broke through in 1970 with their rendition of Burt Bacharach’s (They Long to Be) Close to You. The single stayed at number one on the U.S. charts for four weeks. Their next single, We’ve Only Just Begun, reached number two and became their second major hit. Both songs appeared on the album Close to You, which became a bestseller. The Carpenters ended the year with a Christmas single, Merry Christmas Darling, which was re-released in subsequent years during the holiday season. A string of hits followed throughout the 1970s, including Sing, Yesterday Once More, and Top of the World. A greatest hits album, The Singles 1969–1973, topped the charts in both the U.S. and the UK and became one of the best-selling albums of the decade, with over seven million copies sold in the U.S. alone.

To promote their albums, the Carpenters performed extensively—both on tour and in television appearances. In 1973, they were invited to perform at the White House by U.S. President Richard Nixon, during a visit from West German Chancellor Willy Brandt.

The intense touring schedule left the duo with no time to record new material in 1973–1974. Instead, they re-released a track from their album A Song For You—I Won’t Last a Day Without You, which reached number 11 on the U.S. charts. That same year (1974), they released a cover of Hank Williams’ Jambalaya (On the Bayou) in an upbeat version. It was not released as a single in the U.S., but became one of their biggest hits in Europe and Japan. Their version of the Marvelettes’ Please Mr. Postman became the duo’s last number-one hit in 1975. Subsequent singles like Only Yesterday and Solitaire (written by Neil Sedaka) still made it into the U.S. and UK charts but were not major hits. The albums released during this time followed a similar pattern: they still sold reasonably well, but no longer broke records. The disco era had begun in the U.S., and easy listening music was falling out of fashion.

Although their major hits faded, the duo remained popular with the public. In 1978, they scored a minor hit with the country-inspired Sweet, Sweet Smile. That same year, they released another greatest hits album in Europe, featuring singles from 1974–1978. In the U.S., they released a Christmas album, A Christmas Portrait, which became a seasonal bestseller and a rare success during their decline in popularity. They continued to appear in U.S. television specials, which still drew good ratings. In 1980, the Carpenters had their final charting hit in the U.S. and UK with Touch Me When We’re Dancing, from what would later be their last studio album, Made in America.

By the mid-1970s, the intense schedule and lack of personal time had begun to take a toll. Karen developed an obsession with her weight and suffered from anorexia nervosa. This became apparent in 1975, when shows had to be canceled due to signs of exhaustion, especially after Karen collapsed during a performance of Top of the World in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Richard had developed a dependency on Methaqualone, a barbiturate. These personal struggles led to the end of the duo’s live performances in 1978.

The song that you can hear this week is :
Sweet Sweet Smile