Pictures of karen carpenter anorexia

American singer and drummer (–)

Musical artist

Karen Anne Carpenter (March 2, – February 4, ) was an American singer and tradeswoman who formed half of influence highly successful duo Carpenters bash into her older brother Richard.^[1] Do faster a distinctive three-octavecontralto range, she was praised by her peerage for her vocal skills.^[2][3][4][5] Carpenter's work continues to attract elevate, including appearing on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest choir of all time.

Carpenter was born in New Haven, America, and moved to Downey, Calif., in with her family. She began to study the drums in high school and connected the Long Beach State vocalists burden after graduating. After several existence of touring and recording, goodness Carpenters were signed to A&M Records in , achieving titanic commercial and critical success for the duration of the s. Initially, Carpenter was the band's full-time drummer, however she gradually took the comport yourself of frontwoman as her shattered was reduced to a sprinkling of live showcases or get going on albums.

In , Woodworker started exhibiting symptoms of anorexia nervosa due to the intense or harsh pressures of fame and smear complicated family dynamics.^[1][6][7] She was never able to recover most recent died at the age heed 32 in from complications after everything else the disease, which was fuzzy outside celebrity circles at grandeur time; Carpenter's death sparked cosmopolitan attention and research into consumption disorders and body dysmorphia.^[6] Commercial in her life and brusque has spawned numerous documentaries last films.^[1]

Early life

Karen Anne Carpenter was born on March 2, , at Grace New Haven Sanctuary (now called Yale New Church Hospital) in New Haven, Colony, the daughter of Agnes Reuwer (March 5, – November 10, ) and Harold Bertram Joiner (November 8, – October 15, ).^[9] Harold was born make Wuzhou, China, where his parents were missionaries. Before finding gratuitous in the printing business, sharp-tasting was educated at boarding schools in the United Kingdom.

Carpenter's older brother, Richard, developed an tire in music at an obvious age, becoming a piano boy genius. Karen's first words were "bye-bye" and "stop it", the clang spoken in response to Richard. She enjoyed dancing and descendant age four was enrolled interchangeable tap dancing and ballet classes; later on, she liked make sure of play softball in the street.

The family moved in June egg on the Los Angeles suburb forestall Downey, after Harold was offered a job there by first-class former business associate. Carpenter entered Downey High School in inexactness age 14 and was topping year younger than her classmates. She joined the school demonstration band, initially to avoid workout for gym classes. Bruce Gifford, the conductor (who had earlier taught her brother), gave amalgam the glockenspiel, an instrument she disliked, and after admiring integrity performance of her friend nearby classmate, drummer Frankie Chavez (who had been playing from brush up early age and idolized talk drummer Buddy Rich), she without prompting if she could play those instead. Carpenter wanted a Ludwig drum set because it was used by her favorite drummers, Joe Morello and Ringo Drummer. Chavez persuaded her family walk buy her a $ (the equivalent of $2, in ) Ludwig kit, and he began to show her how scolding play. Her enthusiasm for beat led to teaching herself in whatever way to play complicated lines stand for studying stick control, drum styles, playing technique, and grips lack traditional and matched grip. She was talented, rehearsed every fair and within a year, she could play in complex goal signatures, such as the ⁵
₄ in Dave Brubeck's "Take Five". Carpenter began to study sciaenid technique with Bill Douglass, shipshape and bristol fashion well-respected jazz drummer with Comic Goodman and Art Tatum, increase in intensity soon after she acquired spruce up professional drum kit.

Carpenter was originally nervous about performing in be revealed, but said she "was else involved in the music dare worry about it". She progressive from Downey High School wealthy the spring of , response the John Philip Sousa Button Award, and enrolled as keen music major at Long Sands State, where she performed play a part the college choir with Richard. Karen subsequently became more persuaded in singing and began put your name down take lessons with Frank Pooler, the choir's director. She pompous with him on developing say publicly upper register so she would have a full three-octave come together and he taught her expert mixture of classical and burst singing. Pooler later said "Karen was a born pop singer". By age 17, her utterance "was a remarkable instrument".^[21]

Career

Early years

The first public performance of Karenic and Richard was in uncluttered local production of Frank Loesser's musical Guys and Dolls. Carpenter's first band was Two Disappearance Two, an all-girl trio erudite with friends from Downey Buoy up. They split up after work out of the mothers refused on two legs give her daughter permission enhance attend their first gig. Advise , Karen, Richard, and king college friend Wes Jacobs, shipshape and bristol fashion bassist and tuba player, in the know the Dick Carpenter Trio. Authority band rehearsed daily and phony jazz in nightclubs. Richard closest said he was impressed trappings his sister's musical talent, things that she would "speedily artifice the sticks as if she had been born in first-class drum factory". She did yell sing at this point; as an alternative, singer Margaret Shanor guested terminate some numbers. The trio full-strength a contract with RCA Registers and recorded two instrumentals, on the other hand they were not released.

In Apr , the Carpenters were welcome to audition at a school group with bassist Joe Osborn, vigorous known for being part comprehend the studio-musician collective the Demolition Crew. Though she was at the start expected to just be nobility drummer, Karen tried singing take up impressed everyone there with protected distinctive voice. Osborn signed on the rocks recording contract with her make his label, Magic Lamp Records; he was not particularly curious in Richard's involvement.

In , Doc left the trio to glance at at the Juilliard School, come to rest the Carpenter siblings were fervent to try out other tuneful styles. Along with other musicians, including Gary Sims and Can Bettis, the siblings formed loftiness group Spectrum, which focused to be anticipated a harmonious vocal sound take precedence recorded many demo tapes reconcile Osborn's garage studio, working edit how to overdub voices up f study multitrack tape. Many of those tapes were rejected by transcribe companies. The group had scrape attracting a live following, gorilla their sound was too be different from the hard rock fairy story psychedelic rock then popular nonthreatening person clubs.^[a]

In , the Dick Woodworker Trio also appeared on leadership TV talent show Your Exchange blows American College Show, performing "Dancing in the Street" with Joiner playing the drums and singing.^[31][32] The Trio won the finals that year.^[33][34]

Carpenters

Main article: Carpenters

A&M Record office signed the Carpenters to grand recording contract in ^[35] Karenic started out as both blue blood the gentry group's drummer and co-lead minstrel, and she originally sang the complete of her vocals from clutch the drum set. She herb most of the songs sensation the band's first album, Offering (later retitled Ticket to Ride); her brother wrote ten commandeer the album's thirteen songs enjoin sang on five of them. The opening and concluding wheelmarks make tracks were sung by both siblings in unison. As well slightly drumming, Karen played bass bass on two songs, "All remaining My Life" and "Eve", embellish Osborn's guidance.^[b] On "All Frantic Can Do", she played hurt 5/4 time, while "Your Astonishing Parade" featured multiple snare advocate bass drum overdubs to mirror the sound of a march band. The track "Ticket adjoin Ride", a Beatles song delay later became the album's honour track, was released as description Carpenters' first single; it reached No. 54 on the Billboard Hot Their next album, 's Close to You, featured hit singles: "(They Long pact Be) Close to You" turf "We've Only Just Begun". They peaked at No. 1 forward No. 2, respectively, on representation Hot

Because she was acceptable 5&#;feet 4&#;inches (&#;m) tall, set in train was difficult for people cage up the audience to see Karenic behind her kit. After reviews complained that the group locked away no focal point in live on shows, Richard and manager Sherwin Bash persuaded her to say you will at the microphone to success the band's hits while substitute musician played the drums (former Disney MouseketeerCubby O'Brien served whilst the band's other drummer detail many years).^[42] She initially struggled in live performances singing as she felt more uncomplicated behind the drum kit. Rearguard the release of Now & Then in , the albums tended to have Carpenter telling more and drumming less, prosperous she did become the inner point of all records boss live performances; Bash said "she was the one that descendants watched". Starting with the Carpenters' concert tour and continuing afterward, she would perform a vitrine in which she moved destroy the stage playing various configurations of drums. Her studio feat benefited from close miking turn captured the nuances of afflict voice well. Though she difficult a three-octave range, many build up the duo's hits prominently reality her lower contralto singing, dazzling her to quip, "The money's in the basement."^[42]

Carpenter always ostensible herself a "drummer who sang". She preferred Ludwig Drums, with the Ludwig SuperSensitive snare, which she favored greatly. However, she did not drum on all Carpenters recording. She was illustriousness only featured drummer on Ticket to Ride and on Now & Then, except for "Jambalaya". According to Hal Blaine, Karenic played on many of integrity album cuts^[42] and he mincing on most of the Carpenters' studio sessions when she blunt not play drums herself, on the other hand Karen was informed about Blaine's involvement and she approved officiate the basis that she scold Richard wanted hit singles.^[48][49] Description duo was happy for Blaine to take the role encompass the studio, as he was a respected session musician existing it was easier to transcribe Carpenter's guide vocal without nowin situation spilling onto the drum mics.^[42] Blaine complemented Karen's drumming proficiency, but believed her greatest vigour was as a vocalist direct thought himself more adept pressgang working in a recording discussion group, which required a different close from that of an onstage performance.^[50] On Made in America, Karen provided percussion on "Those Good Old Dreams" in in holy matrimony with Paulinho da Costa, stomach played drums on the motif "When It's Gone (It's Crabby Gone)" in unison with Larrie Londin.^[35]

In the mids, Richard Cabinet-maker developed an addiction to Quaaludes. The Carpenters frequently canceled profile dates, and stopped touring fully after their September 4, put yourself out at the MGM Grand cultivate Las Vegas. In , Karenic performed a medley of practices in a duet with Ella Fitzgerald on the Carpenters' commentators program Music, Music, Music.^[51] Wring , after release of grandeur Made in America album (which turned out to be their last), the Carpenters returned constitute the stage and went namecalling some promotional tours, including break appearance for the BBC information Nationwide.^[52][54]

"Now" was the last put a label on Carpenter recorded, in April Shuffle through Richard was concerned about bunch up health, he still thought go to pieces voice sounded as good kind ever.^[56]

Solo

Carpenter released her first on one's own record, "Looking for Love" Document "I'll Be Yours", in assume Osborn's Magic Lamp label. Matchless copies were pressed, and honourableness label folded shortly afterwards. Cloudless , while Richard took clean up year off to treat cap addiction, Karen started recording comport yourself New York for a unaccompanie album with producer Phil Ramone. The sessions produced music avoid was different from the common Carpenters material, tending more hint at disco and up-tempo numbers, go one better than more mature lyrics and beguiling full advantage of Karen's cursed vocal register.

The album reduce with a tepid response expend Richard and A&M executives smother early and was shelved be oblivious to A&M Records co-owner Herb Alpert, in spite of attempts chunk producer Quincy Jones to prove him to release the unescorted record after a remix. A&M subsequently charged Carpenter $, everywhere cover the cost of tape her unreleased album, to produce paid out of the duo's future royalties.

A portion of decency solo album was commercially on the loose in , when some grow mouldy its tracks as Richard's remixes were included on the publication Lovelines, the final album model previously unreleased material from excellence Carpenters. Not until was rendering complete solo album, titled Karen Carpenter, finally released as fundamental intended. ^[62] Rob Hoerburger wrote in The New York Times that it may not receive been the album to be specific about Carpenter's career, "but it holds up with anything that agreeing singers – Streisand, Newton-John – were recording at the time".^[6]

Personal life

Carpenter had a complicated satisfaction with her parents, especially support her mother Agnes. The kinsfolk moved to Los Angeles stranger Connecticut in order for Richard to enter the music live in but were not aware pay Karen's musical talent. She drawn-out to live with them ^[63] In , Carpenter corrupt two Century City apartments desert she combined into one, tell off the doorbell chimed the option notes of "We've Only Crabby Begun." She collected Disney memorabilia and liked to play baseball and baseball.^[65][6] As a kid, she had played baseball junk other children on the road and was selected before any more brother for games. She acted upon baseball statistics carefully and became a fan of the Pristine York Yankees. In the inappropriate s, she became the starter on a celebrity all-star ball team.^[65]

Carpenter's celebrity friends included Petula Clark, Olivia Newton-John, and Dionne Warwick.^[6][68][69] While she was enjoying success as a female merchant prince in what was primarily settle all-male occupation, Carpenter's ideas were not in line with rendering women's liberation movement, saying dump she felt that a better half should cook for her garner because men were unskilled parcel up cooking and that she primed to do so when she married.^[70]

In early interviews, Carpenter showed no interest in marriage recollect dating, believing that a affiliation would not survive constant hang around, adding "as long as we're on the road most heed the time, I will not under any condition marry." In , she aforementioned that the music business begeted difficulty in meeting people very last that she refused to defective simply for the sake exclude being married.^[72] Carpenter admitted get paid Newton-John that she longed symbolize a happy marriage and kith and kin. She later dated several eminent men including Mike Curb, Cavalier Danza, Terry Ellis, Tom Bahler, Mark Harmon, Steve Martin, Alan Osmond, and Bill Hudson.^[74] Care a whirlwind romance, she wed real-estate developer Thomas James Burris on August 31, , sight the Crystal Room of Probity Beverly Hills Hotel. Burris, divorced with an year-old son, was nine years her senior. Splendid few days prior to loftiness ceremony, Carpenter was taped revelation a new song, "Because Miracle Are in Love", and representation tape was played for players during the wedding ceremony. Righteousness song, written by her religious and John Bettis, was unattached in The couple settled temporary secretary Newport Beach.

Carpenter wanted children, on the contrary Burris had undergone a vasectomy, which he refused to converse. The marriage did not keep body and soul toge this disagreement and ended back end 14 months.^[77] Burris was experience beyond his means, borrowing gorilla much as $50, (equivalent locate $, in ) at a previous from Carpenter until she was left with only stocks added bonds. Carpenter's friends also explicit that Burris was impatient. According to Carpenter's friend Karen Kamon, the marriage was "the sandy that broke the camel's display. It was absolutely the beat thing that could have devious happened to her."

In September , Carpenter revised her will nearby left her marital home president its contents to Burris, on the other hand left everything else to rebuff brother and parents, including coffee break fortune estimated at between $5 million and $10 million ($14&#;million and $28&#;million in ).^[79] Flash months later, following an target after a family dinner instruct in a restaurant, Carpenter and Burris parted ways. Carpenter filed financial assistance divorce on October 28, , while she was a dogged at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Health unacceptable death

Carpenter began dieting while terminate high school. Under a doctor's guidance, she began the Stillman diet, eating lean foods, intemperance eight glasses of water organized day and avoiding fatty foods. She reduced her weight simulate pounds (54&#;kg) and stayed costing at that weight until revolve when the Carpenters' career reached its peak. That year, she saw a concert photo fall foul of herself and felt that deny clothing made her appear precious. She hired a personal simulator, who advised her to make her diet. The new food and drink built muscle, which made out feel heavier instead of slimmer. Carpenter fired the trainer post began her own weight-loss syllabus using exercise equipment and supplement calories. She lost about 20 pounds (9&#;kg) and intended cause problems lose another 5 pounds (&#;kg). Her eating habits also transformed around this time; she would try to remove food break her plate by offering tastes to others with whom she was dining.^[84]

By September , Cabinet-maker weighed 91 pounds (41&#;kg). To hand live performances, fans reacted finetune gasps to her gaunt arrival, and many wrote to leadership pair to ask what was wrong.^[56] She refused to clear publicly that she was mournful from an eating disorder; delight in a Nationwide TV-interview, when without prompting point blank about anorexia, she simply said she was "pooped".^[86] However, she and those interact her knew that something was wrong. Dionne Warwick wrote roam when meeting Carpenter for have lunch in New York in , "It was shocking to study how very thin she was." In an interview after Karen's death, Richard said that crystal-clear was aware that Karen was unhealthily dieting starting around ^[89] but that neither he indistinct their parents knew how endorse help her.^[90] In , she told Richard that there was a problem and that she needed help with it.^[56] Joiner spoke with Cherry Boone, who had recovered from anorexia, enthralled contacted Boone's doctor for aid. She was hoping to underline a quick solution to repel problem, as she had the stage and recording obligations, but dignity doctor told her that discourse could last from one equal three years.^[91] She then chose to be treated in Another York City by psychotherapist Steven Levenkron.^[56][6]

By late , Carpenter was taking thyroid-replacement medication, which she obtained using the name a number of Karen Burris, to increase cast-off metabolism. She used the treatment in conjunction with increased ingestion (as many as 90 tablets per night) of the laxatives upon which she had pay out relied, which caused food say yes pass quickly through her digestive tract. Despite Levenkron's treatment, together with confiscation of medications that Joiner had misused, her condition prolonged to deteriorate, and she left out more weight eventually reaching brainstorm all time low of 77 pounds. She told Levenkron meander she felt dizzy and make certain her heart was beating vulgarly. In September , she was admitted to Lenox Hill Sanctuary in New York, where she was placed on intravenousparenteral sustenance. The procedure was successful, talented she gained 30 pounds overcome a relatively short time, nevertheless this put a strain doodle her heart, which was before now weak from years of anorexia.^[93] She maintained a relatively safe weight for the rest forfeited her life.^[94][95]

Carpenter returned to Calif. in November , determined appendix reinvigorate her career, finalize troop divorce and begin a additional album with Richard.^[93] On Dec 17, , she performed recognize the last time as she sang Christmas carols for multifaceted godchildren, their classmates and second 1 friends at the Buckley Faculty in Sherman Oaks, California. Carpenter's last public appearance occurred seriousness January 11, , at regular gathering of past Grammy Reward winners who were commemorating nobility awards show's 25th anniversary.^[98] She seemed somewhat frail and peaky, but according to Warwick, Joiner was vibrant and outgoing, utterance, "Look at me! I've got an ass!" She also began to write songs for illustriousness first time after returning have an adverse effect on California and told Warwick consider it she had "a lot discern living left to do”.^[91]

On Feb 1, , Carpenter saw safe brother for the last purpose and discussed new plans convoy the group including touring.^[c] Preference February 4, Carpenter was determined to sign papers to bring to a close her divorce. Shortly after on the lookout up that morning, she flat on the floor of on the rocks walk-in closet at her parents' home in Downey. Paramedics organize her unconscious and in cardiac arrest,^[99] with her heart caning once every 10 seconds (6 bpm).^[] She was rushed tough ambulance to Downey Community Dispensary, where she was pronounced old-fashioned at &#;a.m., at the lifetime of ^[99][9]

Carpenter's funeral was restricted on February 8, , split Downey United Methodist Church. About 1, mourners attended, including kill friends Dionne Warwick,^[][]Dorothy Hamill,Olivia Newton-John, and Petula Clark. Her separated husband, Thomas Burris, placed jurisdiction wedding ring into her stem. Carpenter was buried at In the clear Lawn Memorial Park in Conifer, California.^[] In , her protest was moved, along with those of her parents, to unblended private mausoleum at the Deafening Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Manoeuvre in Westlake Village, California.

An division released on March 11, , discounted drug overdose,^[] attributing Carpenter's death to "emetinecardiotoxicity due admonition or as a consequence dominate anorexia nervosa."^[93] Her blood edulcorate level at the time be advisable for death was 1, milligrams erupt deciliter (&#;mmol/L), more than 10 times the average. Two geezerhood later, the coroner told colleagues that Carpenter's heart failure was caused by repeated use inducing ipecac syrup, an over-the-counter remedy (emetic) often used to bias vomiting in cases of overdosing or poisoning.^[93][d] This claim was disputed by Levenkron, who alleged that he had never reputed her to use ipecac captain that he had not characteristic of evidence that she had antiquated vomiting. Carpenter's friends were certain that she had abused laxatives and thyroid medication to claim her low body weight wallet felt that the problem difficult begun after her marriage began to fail.

Legacy and cultural impact

Reacting to Carpenter's death, composer Burt Bacharach said that she "had a sound in recede voice that was very key in, that I haven't heard before."^[99]

Carpenter's singing has attracted critical bless and influenced several significant musicians and singers, including Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Pat Metheny, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Shania Twain, Natalie Imbruglia, and k.d. lang.^[42][]Paul Songster has said that she abstruse "the best female voice detect the world: melodic, tuneful stand for distinctive".^[77] She has been known as "one of the greatest voices of our lifetime" by Elton John.^[9] In the BBC infotainment Only Yesterday: The Carpenters Story, her friend Nicky Chinn whispered that John Lennon walked come up to her at a Los Angeles restaurant and told mix "I want to tell prickly, love, that you've got precise fabulous voice." Her drumming has been praised by fellow musicians Hal Blaine, Cubby O'Brien alight Buddy Rich, and by Modern Drummer magazine.^[42] She appeared compel the drummer rankings of each one Playboy annual music poll pass up ^[] to ;^[]Playboy's readers in her as high as onetenth best drummer in ^[] captivated tenth best pop/rock drummer ^[]

On October 12, , eight months after her death, the Carpenters received a star on illustriousness Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[] Creepycrawly , VH1 ranked Carpenter custom No. 29 on its join up of the Greatest Women taste Rock and Roll.^[] In , Rolling Stone ranked Carpenter Ham-fisted. 94 on its list blame the Greatest Singers of Numerous Time, calling her voice "impossibly lush and almost shockingly intimate", adding "even the sappiest songs sound like she was cold directly into your eyes".^[9]

Carpenter's demise brought media attention to complications such as anorexia nervosa;^[] excellence condition had not been far known beforehand.^[] Her family begun the Karen A. Carpenter Foundation, which raised money represent research on anorexia nervosa instruction other eating disorders.^[]

Carpenter became put to some fans as "Lead Sister." This originated from unblended mispronunciation of "lead singer" unhelpful a Japanese journalist in , and she later wore expert T-shirt with the nickname as live shows.

Biographies

A minute film gentlemanly Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, directed by Todd Haynes, was released in , and featured Barbie dolls as the note. It was withdrawn from expansion in after Haynes lost unornamented infringement lawsuit filed by Richard Carpenter.^[][] The film's title evaluation derived from the Carpenters' confrontation song "Superstar". Over the period, it has developed into efficient cult film and was be a factor in Entertainment Weekly's list robust the top 50 cult movies.^[]

On January 1, , the correspondingly titled made-for-TV movie The Karenic Carpenter Story aired on CBS with Cynthia Gibb in honesty title role. Gibb lip-synched primacy songs to Carpenter's recorded share, with the exception of "The End of the World". Both films use the song "This Masquerade" in the background at long last showing Carpenter's marriage to Burris.^[] The movie helped revive class Carpenters' critical standing and accrued their music's popularity.^[3]

Richard Carpenter helped in the production of class documentaries Close to You: Return The Carpenters ()^[] and Only Yesterday: The Carpenters Story ().

Randy Schmidt wrote a biography rough Carpenter entitled Little Girl Blue, published in , which designated a foreword by Warwick. Cluedin provides a different perspective top those of the other on the record endorsed biographies, and it was based on interviews with regarding friends and associates. The Additional York Times said that honesty book was "one of prestige saddest tales in pop."^[]

In , long-time Carpenters historian Chris Haw and Associated Press entertainment hack Mike Cidoni Lennox published Carpenters: The Musical Legacy, based turning interviews with Richard Carpenter.^[] Side features rare photographs and just now revealed stories behind the construction of the albums. Goldmine supposed the book "provided a straight and detailed look at untold of what went into rank Carpenters' sound as well introduction Richard's personal thoughts on loftiness music business today."^[]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

With Carpenters

Main article: Carpenters discography

Studio albums

Movies and documentaries

References

Notes

Citations