Karen Carpenter was rated at #123 on Rolling Stone’s updated ‘200 Best Singers Of All Time’ list. “Birds may or may not literally suddenly appear every time she is near. But if they don’t, that’s on them, because Karen Carpenter is the ultimate easy-listening thrush-queen. She had one of the most Seventies voices of the Seventies — lilting, supple, vacant, and calming, with just the right air of emotional malaise to bring out the two-car, sunken-den, suburban-dream underbelly in classics like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You.” Just as her brother Richard’s sheer orchestral-pop arrangements became an influence on Nineties indie-pop bands like St. Etienne and Stereolab, so did the glowing, imperious distance in everything Karen sang.” - J.D. #thecarpenters#carpenters#karencarpenter#richardcarpenter#rollingstone#rollingstonemagazine#vocalist#bestsinger#bestsingers#singer#1970s#70s#70smusic#classic#vintage#oldhollywood https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm-e9iYO-rX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Serious Richard, Karen being her humorous self 1971 

Richard and Karen Carpenter photographed at the Inn On The Park Hotel in London on February 8, 1974. #thecarpenters #carpenters #70s #karencarpenter #richardcarpenter #1970s #vintage #musichistory #music #history #oldhollywood #1960s #60s #legend #drummer #hippie https://www.instagram.com/p/CX7QxuQFGvF/?utm_medium=tumblr

On April 22, 1969, Carpenters signed their first contract with A&M Records. After hearing their demo tape, the ‘A’ of ‘A&M,’ Herb Alpert, was so impressed, that he wanted them to be signed immediately. Richard Carpenter was 22, and Karen Carpenter had only just turned 19 that March. Because of this, their father, Harold, had to co-sign for Karen. Carpenters would go on to make their debut with their first album, ‘Offering,’ but wouldn’t land in the way that Alpert had predicted until their smash hit, ‘Close to You’ and the album of the same title came out over a year later in 1970. #thecarpenters #carpenters #70s #karencarpenter #richardcarpenter #1970s #vintage #musichistory #music #history #oldhollywood #1960s #60s #legend #drummer #hippie #70smusic #70sstyle #70sfashion https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccs0LjJOh0m/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Merry Christmas everyone! Here are a few photos of the Carpenters at Christmastime throughout the years! #thecarpenters #carpenters #70s #karencarpenter #richardcarpenter #1970s #vintage #musichistory #music #history #oldhollywood #1960s #60s #legend #drummer #hippie https://www.instagram.com/karencarpenterfans/p/CX7RdjqFQ8J/?utm_medium=tumblr

Karen Carpenter photographed during a promotional video shoot for ‘Superstar,’ which most likely first aired in 1971. #thecarpenters #carpenters #70s #karencarpenter #richardcarpenter #1970s #vintage #musichistory #music #history #oldhollywood #1960s #60s #legend #drummer #hippie https://www.instagram.com/p/CYxxDywM3qg/?utm_medium=tumblr