Karen is an award winning jazz drummer. She’s incredible and I believe she can play the base too. Her amazing drum instructor: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Douglass Both she and Richard were musically gifted. ❤❤
Karen was a rare treasure and I miss her to this day. I was a kid in the 70s and the Carpenters were played a lot in my house. Glad you're discovering what a true talent she was. ❤
Karen was one of a kind. There will never be another like her. She had such a pure calming voice. And she was a terrific drummer. That was her passion even more than singing. You can see the joy in her face in this video. Sadly we lost her so young. Thankfully we have her legacy left in her music.
Did you see the smile never left her face. She has the most beautiful voice in the world but this shows drumming was her first love. Karen is just amazing.
Karen once said she considered herself to be a drummer first and a singer second. In the early years of the Carpenters, she played drums for all the songs in concerts while she sang. She was finally convinced to come out front of the band to highlight her singing and to let the audience see her better.
Such a marvelously talented woman. Was always so happy behind a drum kit. Playboy once did a survey of their readers on who was the best drummer. Karen beat out John Bonham from Led Zeppelin. Amazing! I was a Zeppelin fan back then, but also a Carpenters fan. " Close To You " was a must play at every high school dance and " This Masquerade " was a favorite song of mine. And how could you not fall in love with a beautiful woman, with an ANGELIC voice, THAT PLAYS THE DRUMS TOO! Still love her. Rest in peace Karen.
There are more drummer-Karen videos than this TV one...includong a couple live ones, one from a 1976 concert in London and another recorded outside the Walter Reed army hospital in 1971 (on that one, an extended Burt Bacharach song medley, she's singing too)...
She was listed #19 on Billboards all time drummers and considered one of the greatest female drummer. She plays and sings which is a rarity. Phil Collins, Don Henley are just a few
I saw a documentary after her death where Richard said that they had two coax her to get out front where they wanted her and promised that she could play the drums for ONE song if she would step up front for the remainder of the performance. She wanted to be a drummer but you can't let a talented voice like hers go unnoticed or unappreciated. She was multi talented for sure.
Karen was probably one of the world's most famous female drummers during her lifetime! 🥁 Another female singer / drummer I remember is June Miles-Kingston who played the drums in many hit songs including "Don't Leave Me This Way" by "The Communards" which you might like to react to. 👍
She viewed herself as a drummer who could sing. Richard had to push hard to get her to get out from behind her drum set and get out front and sing because he said she was so petite in stature the audience couldn't see her behind the drums. But, her drums were her comfort.
She played subtle accompaniments on the Carpenters songs - because that's what a good musician does - they don't draw attention to themselves, they serve the needs of the song. But when a drummer gets a chance to solo, all bets are off! I am a woman and I learned to play drums because of her inspiration - and I can play and sing at the same time, which is either a natural talent or you just can't do it. We are lucky to have had her talent showered upon us, even if for a brief moment in time.
Thank you, Chase, for reacting to that video. I have been waiting for months for you to discover her other super-talent. We definitely lost one of the truly great entertainers way too soon! I am also amazed at how quickly you responded to my request. I love that you love her!
Karen was one of the best drummers male or female. Drums were her happy place. Look how she's smiling the whole time. Because of her gorgeous voice they insisted she be up front singing and she hated it. Hated the attenrion. This i believe caused her anorexia to spiral out of control
Here’s Karen at 18 with Richard and their base player when they started “Dick Carpenter Trio”: ua-cam.com/video/o82d9T4D-8I/v-deo.htmlsi=b7p6iMBwkLTKO2WU
I notice you have no reaction videos for Donna Summer. Why not react to Donna Summer's MacArthur Park Suite, it is a pure magical journey you will enjoy. The 17 Minute Version is the best. While you are at it, try Listening to Donna Summer's I feel Love but has to be the Patrick Cowley remix, totally mind blowing!
And now you know, that not only did she have arguably the best female voice ever....but was also one of the best drummers in history!!! Truly amazing.
Karen is an award winning jazz drummer. She’s incredible and I believe she can play the base too.
Her amazing drum instructor:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Douglass
Both she and Richard were musically gifted.
❤❤
Karen was a rare treasure and I miss her to this day. I was a kid in the 70s and the Carpenters were played a lot in my house. Glad you're discovering what a true talent she was. ❤
Such a talent. I love how she just did her own thing despite not being the “norm “
Karen was one of a kind. There will never be another like her. She had such a pure calming voice. And she was a terrific drummer. That was her passion even more than singing. You can see the joy in her face in this video. Sadly we lost her so young. Thankfully we have her legacy left in her music.
I don't know if you ever seen the drum solo she did to dancing in the streets when she was 18 years old in 1968 check it out
Did you see the smile never left her face. She has the most beautiful voice in the world but this shows drumming was her first love. Karen is just amazing.
Karen once said she considered herself to be a drummer first and a singer second. In the early years of the Carpenters, she played drums for all the songs in concerts while she sang. She was finally convinced to come out front of the band to highlight her singing and to let the audience see her better.
Such a marvelously talented woman. Was always so happy behind a drum kit. Playboy once did a survey of their readers on who was the best drummer. Karen beat out John Bonham from Led Zeppelin. Amazing!
I was a Zeppelin fan back then, but also a Carpenters fan. " Close To You " was a must play at every high school dance and " This Masquerade " was a favorite song of mine. And how could you not fall in love with a beautiful woman, with an ANGELIC voice, THAT PLAYS THE DRUMS TOO! Still love her.
Rest in peace Karen.
A drummer from one of the big rock bands of the 70's and 80's namedk Karen when asked about other great drummers he admired.
There are more drummer-Karen videos than this TV one...includong a couple live ones, one from a 1976 concert in London and another recorded outside the Walter Reed army hospital in 1971 (on that one, an extended Burt Bacharach song medley, she's singing too)...
She was listed #19 on Billboards all time drummers and considered one of the greatest female drummer. She plays and sings which is a rarity. Phil Collins, Don Henley are just a few
LOL...sings, not "sins", although I'm sure neither of them was quite as goody two-shoes as their public image!
I saw a documentary after her death where Richard said that they had two coax her to get out front where they wanted her and promised that she could play the drums for ONE song if she would step up front for the remainder of the performance. She wanted to be a drummer but you can't let a talented voice like hers go unnoticed or unappreciated. She was multi talented for sure.
Karen was probably one of the world's most famous female drummers during her lifetime! 🥁
Another female singer / drummer I remember is June Miles-Kingston who played the drums in many hit songs including "Don't Leave Me This Way" by "The Communards" which you might like to react to. 👍
She viewed herself as a drummer who could sing. Richard had to push hard to get her to get out from behind her drum set and get out front and sing because he said she was so petite in stature the audience couldn't see her behind the drums. But, her drums were her comfort.
For more drumming, try the Carpenters-Ed Sullivan show Burt Bacharach/Hal David medley from 1970.
She played subtle accompaniments on the Carpenters songs - because that's what a good musician does - they don't draw attention to themselves, they serve the needs of the song. But when a drummer gets a chance to solo, all bets are off! I am a woman and I learned to play drums because of her inspiration - and I can play and sing at the same time, which is either a natural talent or you just can't do it. We are lucky to have had her talent showered upon us, even if for a brief moment in time.
No wonder!!why she's My Lady.
Gerlie...me too.
That's John Denver that she's talking to.
Thank you, Chase, for reacting to that video. I have been waiting for months for you to discover her other super-talent. We definitely lost one of the truly great entertainers way too soon! I am also amazed at how quickly you responded to my request. I love that you love her!
Try the Carpenters Calling Occupants of Inplanetary Craft ❤
Karen was one of the best drummers male or female. Drums were her happy place. Look how she's smiling the whole time. Because of her gorgeous voice they insisted she be up front singing and she hated it. Hated the attenrion. This i believe caused her anorexia to spiral out of control
In the 70s out of the top 10 drummers in the world at one time Karen was ranked number 5 not something a lot of people knew
Karen always referred to herself as "A drummer who happens to sing".
Here’s Karen at 18 with Richard and their base player when they started “Dick Carpenter Trio”:
ua-cam.com/video/o82d9T4D-8I/v-deo.htmlsi=b7p6iMBwkLTKO2WU
She and Ruth Underwood would have gotten along fine!
Hvnt seen you much...u have much more to do of Karen!?
I notice you have no reaction videos for Donna Summer. Why not react to Donna Summer's MacArthur Park Suite, it is a pure magical journey you will enjoy. The 17 Minute Version is the best. While you are at it, try Listening to Donna Summer's I feel Love but has to be the Patrick Cowley remix, totally mind blowing!