AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! LA County is Honoring The Legendary Sound of…read morethe 70's with The Carpenters Collection - a series of Free things for people to do spread out all over LA.
The Female Voice of the 70's was Karen Carpenter of The Carpenters. She had a melodic, airy & angelic crystal clear distinctive voice like no one else. The Carpenters ruled the airwaves especially in the early 70's. They were one of the most successful & Biggest American Pop groups of all time selling more than 100 million records. Their easy listening Adult Contemporary Soft Rock sound blasted out of transistor radios all over the world in the 70's. Karen not only sang but played the drums as well which was really unheard of from women at the time. She paved the way for women singers & many groups of today. Her brother Richard created the arrangements sang & played Keyboards. Rolling Stone ranked them #175 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. They even met President Nixon & Miss Piggy. Much of their music has been long forgotten & no longer played on the radio. Now there is a new Hardcover Book about the duo. The city of Downey CA. is also honoring The Carpenters with a Free exhibition & Free Parking at The Downey Library which takes you on a musical journey. Karen & Richard Carpenter were born & grew up in New England in New Haven Connecticut. They moved with their family to SoCal in 1963 & attended school in Downey CA. They formed a band & won The Hollywood Bowl Talent Show. Then they signed a recording contract. They hit big with "Close to You" which catapulted to #1 in 1970 & stayed there for 4 weeks & ended up being the #2 Song of the entire Year. They followed it up with a #2 Smash "We've Only Just Begun" a California Crocker Bank Commercial turned into a hit song. Then came their Holiday Smash Merry Christmas Darling which has become a Holiday Classic. They won Best New Artist beating out Elton John, The Partridge Family, Melba Moore & Anne Murray. They scored a second Grammy that night for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with their song Close to You beating out The Beatles Let it Be, Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water, ABC by The Jackson Five, & Chicago by Chicago. Then it was Hit after Hit after Hit for several years including 3 #1's & 5 #2's on Billboard. They had TV Specials, including a Christmas Special. Paul McCartney was a Fan & said she was "the best female voice in the world: melodic, tuneful and distinctive".Michael Jackson was also a Fan & stated that they were an early influence on the Jackson Five while growing up. They have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Karen sang Duets with the Great Ella Fitzgerald & John Denver. Karen passed away of Anorexia an eating disorder that was just beginning to be recognized back then. They had no great treatments at that time & passed away much too soon. Their Epic Songs include Close To You, We've Only Just Begun, Ticket to Ride, Merry Christmas Darling, Superstar, Rainy Days & Monday's, For All We Know, Top of the World, Please Mr. Postman video filmed at Disneyland, Only Yesterday video filmed at Huntington Gardens. Goodbye to Love, It's Gonna Take Some Time, I Won't Last a day Without You, Bless the Beast & The Children, A Song for you, Yesterday Once More, This Masquerade, There's a Kind of Hush, I Need to Be in Love, The Sesame Street Song Sing, All You Get from Love Is a Love Song, Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft, Rainbow Connection & others. Check out their music before you come & visit the Library. The Downey Library has a great Collection of Gold Carpenter Records, 45's, Albums, Cassettes, 8 Tracks, Foreign Merchandise & other Memorabilia & pictures on display. Then take a ride past Downey High School where they attended classes. Drive by the 2 apartment buildings they owned. One is named Close to You & the other one is directly across the street called We've Just Begun. Those are the name of their first 2 huge hits. Then you can drive by the Newville Ave. address their former home that is still standing but the next door recording studio is gone. Then head on over to Long Beach to see the Carpenters Performing Arts Center. We've Only Just Begun was originally a commercial written by Paul Williams for Crocker Bank. The Last Bookstore is a very Cool place in Downtown LA & is a former Crocker Bank. Then take a ride to The Hollywood Walk of Fame @ 6931 Hollywood Blvd. You'll see their Star right near songwriter Paul Williams. Karen's final resting place is @ Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, You'll have a whole day of Carpenters Fun & the price tag - IT'S ALL FREE!
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