February 9, 19** – Carole King, American singer & songwriter is @)_!. Happy Birthday Miss |
Tracklist :
1 . w/ James Taylor – You’ve Got A Friend
2 . (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman (Oakland, 1972)
3 . Tapestry (1974)
4 . Jazzman (Live, 1981)
5 . A Natural Woman (Live,1982)
6 . Sweet Seasons (Farm Aid, 1985)
7 . Goffin/King Medley (Part 1)
8 . Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductions 1990
9 . w/ Slash – Hold Out For Love (Hartford 1993)
10 . Gap Commercial
11 . Where You Lead, I Will Follow (Live)
12 . It’s Too Late (2004, Live)
13 . Beautiful (From “Welcome To My Living Room”)
14 . w/ James Taylor – You’ve Got a Friend (2010)
15 . New Year’s Day
16 . I Believe In Loving You (Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize, w/ The Cast Of Beautiful)
Carole King: A Songwriting Icon
Carole King, born Carol Klein in Manhattan, New York, in 1942, is a highly influential American singer-songwriter whose career evolves from writing hits for other artists to becoming a successful solo performer.
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
She is raised in Brooklyn.
Her mother, who is musically trained, teaches her to play piano and read music.
Her father instills in her the idea that she can do anything.
She is playing piano by the age of four.
She writes little tunes and has an affinity for music from a young age.
She is influenced by classical music, Broadway show tunes, and early rock and roll.
She makes her first recording at age two or three, a rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”.
By 15, she conducts her first orchestra.
Every high school in Brooklyn during the 1950s has rock and roll groups.
She is inspired by the Alan Freed shows and thinks she can do that.
She forms her first group, a quartet called the Co-Sines, in high school.
She serves as the singer, writer, and piano player for the group.
Early Career as a Songwriter
She does not want to be famous or a singer, but she likes the idea of writing songs for other artists.
She begins her career in the Brill Building era, a time when songwriters are hired to write songs for popular singers.
She works at 1650 Broadway, which is near the Brill Building.
She goes to offices with pianos and plays her songs for people.
She is very confident.
She and her then-husband, Gerry Goffin, are a songwriting team writing for Don Kirschner’s Aldon Music.
They write songs to order.
They achieve 36 top 10 records in three years.
They write hits for many popular artists of the 1960s.
Their notable songs include “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” for the Shirelles, “Up on the Roof” for The Drifters, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” for Aretha Franklin, “The Loco-Motion” for Little Eva, and “Pleasant Valley Sunday” for The Monkees.
She meets Gerry Goffin while looking for a lyricist.
They marry young when she becomes pregnant.
They are very competitive with other songwriting teams.
They finish writing songs quickly, sometimes within 20 minutes to an hour.
They have two daughters.
Transition to Solo Artist
Her relationship and songwriting partnership with Goffin begins to fall apart in the 1960s, leading to their divorce in 1968.
She moves to Laurel Canyon in California, where she becomes part of a vibrant music scene of singer-songwriters.
She forms a trio called The City, but stage fright prevents the group from touring.
She is encouraged by James Taylor to sing her own songs.
In 1970, she releases her first solo album, *Writer*, which does not make a big impact initially.
Her second solo album, *Tapestry*, released in 1971, becomes a massive success.
*Tapestry* tops the Billboard album charts for 15 consecutive weeks.
It stays in the top 200 for 313 weeks.
It wins several Grammy Awards.
It sells over 25 million copies worldwide.
It is a simple and warm record, recorded with minimal instrumentation.
The recording sessions feel comfortable, like playing in a living room.
James Taylor and Joni Mitchell are among the musicians who play on *Tapestry*.
The album combines her Brill Building songwriting experience with the confessional style of the singer-songwriter era.
Its songs resonate with the experiences of women of her generation.
The album cover features a cozy photo of her in comfortable clothes.
She is initially reluctant to tour and is nervous about performing.
She overcomes stage fright after a bomb threat at a performance.
Her songs resonate with people due to their honesty and authenticity.
Her singing style is pure and without artifice.
Later Life and Career
She marries Rick Evers, whom she meets at a party hosted by Don Henley.
She moves to Idaho with Evers, but it becomes an abusive relationship.
She eventually leaves Evers, and he later dies by suicide.
She falls in love with Idaho and continues to live there.
She becomes an environmental activist, working to protect the Northern Rockies ecosystem.
She testifies before Congress in favor of the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act.
She becomes the first woman to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
President Barack Obama presents her with the award at the White House.
A musical based on her life, *Beautiful: The Carole King Musical*, opens on Broadway in 2014.
She is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
She receives a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2013.
She continues to tour and play shows.
Legacy
She is considered one of the greatest American songwriters of all time.
Her legacy is compared to that of Gershwin and Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Her music touches many people, and her songs have a timeless quality.
She is known for her honesty and authenticity as a writer and performer.
Her songs are relatable and speak to universal emotions.
Her music becomes the soundtrack of many people’s lives.
Her influence is heard in the work of many contemporary artists.
She is a master songwriter, and many people adore her music.
Her legacy will be enormous because her songs will last.
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