The Carpenters

]

Richard would often state in interviews, that many critics usually judged them to "drink milk, eat apple pie and take showers."

"I don't even like milk. Not that we're totally opposite from that, we're not. But there is an in-between - I don't drink ... a lot. I do have wine with dinner. I voted to make marijuana legal...."] "Superstar" has been covered by numerous artists, with popular recordings from Luther Vandross and Ruben Studdard to Bette Midler and Sonic Youth. Clay Aiken performed "Solitaire" on "American Idol" and introduced the song to a new generation. [http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/clay-aiken-solitaire-opens-at-%234-in-billboard-hot-100-chart-2413.php realitytvworld.com] ]

Nicolas Cage is an enthusiast for Carpenters music. He received permission to use some of their music in the Ghost Rider (film).

Both "We've Only Just Begun" and "(They Long to Be) Close to You" have been honored with Grammy Hall of Fame awards for recordings of lasting quality or historical significance. [http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Awards/Hall_Of_Fame/ grammy.com] ]

Modern contemporaries like Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Anastacia, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Leann Rimes, Kelly Jones of Stereophonics, Johnny Borrell of Razorlight, Jo O'Meara from S Club and Madonna have stated Karen Carpenter as a huge influence on their careers. [VH1's Greatest Women of Rock and Roll] [ [http://www.famousinterview.ca/interviews/shania_twain.htm Shania Twain Interview] ]

Albums and singles

The Carpenters released 30 singles during their career. Of the thirty, thirteen were RIAA certified Gold, and twenty-two peaked in the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary Charts. In addition, the Carpenters also had ten albums from 1969-1983. Six of the albums contained two or more top 20 hits on the "Billboard Hot 100" ("Close to You", "Carpenters", "A Song for You", "Now & Then", and "Horizon").

Grammy Awards and nominations

Throughout the 1970s, Richard and Karen were nominated numerous times for Grammy Awards. Richard Carpenter was also nominated for a Grammy Award for their instrumental song, "Flat Baroque".Wallace, Evelyn (1973). The Carpenters' Official Fan Club Newsletters, Issue #26. June, 1973.] They won three Grammy Awards, and had two songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. [http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Awards/Hall_Of_Fame/ Grammy Hall of Fame] ]

Notes and references

Bibliography

* Carpenter, Richard (1986). Carpenters: Ticket to Ride (1969) Album Notes. A&M 4205
* cite web
url = http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/biography.htm
title = Carpenters Biography 2005
accessdate = 2007-11-30
author = Carpenter, Richard
year = 2005
work = The Carpenters official website
pages = 1-10
*
* Citation
last = Costin
first = Carolyn
publication-date = 1999
title = The Eating Disorder Sourcebook
publication-place = New York, New York
publisher = McGraw-Hill Professional
isbn = 1565658531
* cite video
people = Edwards, Ralph (Executive Producer)
date2 = 1971-02-14
title = This Is Your Life
url = http://www.ralphedwards.com/
medium = Television production, DVD
publisher = Ralph Edwards Productions
location = Los Angeles, California
* cite web
url = http://ccrma.stanford.edu/CCRMA/Courses/192d:1997/rc_arranging.htm
title = Arranging Master Class: Richard Carpenter
accessdate = 2007-12-27
author = Levitin, Daniel
year = 1995
month = May
work = Electronic Musician
* cite video
people = Surratt, Paul and JoAnn Young (Executive Producers)
date2 = 1998-03-31
title = Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters
url = http://www.mpihomevideo.com/?p=25467&pid=80&pcid=&ccid=
medium = Videotape, DVD
publisher = MPI Home Video
isbn = 3030672782
* Wallace, Evelyn (1973). The Carpenters' Official Fan Club Newsletters, Issue #26. June, 1973.
* Citation
last = Zerbe
first = Kathryn J.
publication-date = 1995
title = The Body Betrayed: A Deeper Understanding of Women, Eating Disorders, and Treatment
publication-place = Carlsbad, California
publisher = Gürze Books, LLC.
isbn = 0936077239
* cite book
last = Unknown
title = Superstars of the 70's
year = 1976
publisher = Octopus Books Limited
location = London, England
isbn = 0706404475

External links

* [http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/ Richard and Karen Carpenter] – Official site
* [http://thecarpenters.wikia.com/ The Carpenters Wiki] - A wiki in process with some information on The Carpenters
* [http://www.thecarpenters.tv/ Make Your Own Kind Of Music] – 1971 Summer Replacement Series
* [http://www.carpenterarts.org/ Richard and Karen Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts] – Official site
* [http://www.carpenterarts.org/carpenterexhibit.html Carpenters The Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center] – Exhibit page official website
* [http://www.onamrecords.com/Carpenters.html Carpenters on A&M Records] – Over 160 pages on career with set lists, concert photos, promotion and photo gallery with over 400 collectibles.
* [http://paulwilliamsconnection.org Paul Williams Connection] – Official site
*
*
* [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thecarpenters/biography Rolling Stone] – Carpenters biography
* [http://mto.societymusictheory.org/issues/mto.02.8.4/mto.02.8.4.holm-hudson.html Society Music Theory] – A musicologist's discourse on their song "Superstar"
* [http://www.photofeatures.com/carpenters/index.html Chris Walter] – Pictures of Carpenters in an official archive
* [http://www.grantguerrero.com/carpenters/carindex.html Carpenters Discography] – Comprehensive discography of Carpenters albums and compilations