The Carpenters

Richard and Karen Carpenter grew up with dad and mom, Harold and Agnes, in New Haven, Connecticut. Dad, who was an avid record collector, hated the frigid New England winters. So, in June of 1963, the family moved to a suburb of L.A., Downey, California. While there, Karen fell for the drums and Richard found Karen’s voice. After glimmers of success in other iterations, by the late ’60s, they became a duo: Carpenters.

Richard and Karen signed with A&M Records on April 22, 1969, and already within the following year, they were charting in the Billboard Hot 100 hits for multiple weeks. And in the few years after, they won 3 Grammy awards and an American Music Award. Between 1971-76 they performed over 800 concerts and had their first TV special. Eight years after producing an instant holiday classic with the single “Merry Christmas, Darling” came the long-awaited Christmas album, Christmas Portrait, which remains a strong seller each holiday season.

Karen passed from complications of anorexia nervosa February 4, 1983. Richard continues to work in recording and post-production of music at Capitol Studios.