Karen Carpenter

Hi All,
As it is a part of my life, and I adore her music. I will tell you how I came to know about the singer Karen Carpenter, who remains my Number One Secular Singer of all time.

I was in Grade Nine, at Calvin Christian School, and I had just finished eating lunch. While all my other classmates went outside to play sports, I opted to stay inside, which was not unusual. I would rather stay inside, then have to go outside. What would I do outside? Standing around, while everyone else played sports, or talked in groups, while I felt all alone. I guess I was a bit of a loner, as I felt, and knew that I didn't fit in. Not like everyone else, of course. Anyhow, I was looking thru this new Health textbook, with colorful pictures, and contemporary articles. I was paging thru looking and reading at the tid bits. I came across this section on eating disorders, and I was fascinated. What was an eating disorder? So I read about it.

Then, I came across a picture of an old lady, with 2 guys sitting beside her. She looked old and so thin. Beside that photo, it said, "Singer Karen Carpenter died of Anorexia Nervosa in 1983." I tried to guess her age. Maybe 40...45...(you have to remember, that at my age...15...I thought anyone in their 40's was OLD!!). So I thought I would take the book home, and see if she knew who this Karen Carpenter was.

Later on that night, while Mom was in the kitchen peeling potatoes and carrots for supper, I brought the book in and showed her the picture. "Mom, this is Karen Carpenter. Who is she?" I asked.

Mom gasped, and said, "Cameron. Take the book away!" She was gasping at how horribly thin Karen Carpenter was. A virtual skeleton in the throes of Anorexia Nervosa. So I took it to my bedroom, and raced back upstairs to continue my conversation with Mom.

"So, who is she? What does she sing?" I asked again. "We have her album, by the 8-Tracks!" Mom said, as she resumed her supper preparations. I went over there, thumbing for a Karen Carpenter album, but couldn't find anything. I felt disappointed. So I brought the 8-Track basket to Mom, who thumbed thru it and found it, "Here it is!" she exclaimed as she picked it out. I practically ripped it out of her hands.

The Carpenters. The Singles 1969-1973. That was all it said. It was a purplish color...almost burgandy, with Gold lettering on the Carpenters logo. On the back was a little black and white photo of 2 men. Or so I thought. I put two and two together and realized it was a guy and girl, who both wore bell bottoms, and hippyish clothing, with long hair(you have to realize it was a tiny picture measure 2 inches by an 2 inches). Was that her husband?(Later I found out, that the blond haired man standing beside her, with his arms folded, was her brother Richard Carpenter).

I put the music in the player, and out popped out sweet, lovely sounds. That voice! She had the voice of an angel. She sang in her own lovely style. Songs came out that I remembered from my childhood, even before my adoption in 1978. Close To You. Sing. Yesterday Once More. Superstar. We've Only Just Begun.

And that was the day. I actually don't remember the actual date, but know it was in May of 1988. That was when I became a fan. Since then, I have collected about 26 of her albums, posters, memorabelia, articles, clippings, videos, 8x10's etc. I even wrote to the Carpenters International Fan Club, and corresponded with their secretary Ev Wallace, who answered many, many questions I had of the Carpenters musical career. I am also involved with Carpenters Online, a forum on the career of Richard and Karen Carpenter...run by the talented Rick Henry. Here is the website www.carponline.bravepages.com

My thoughts,
Cameron Longo