Carol King’s Tapestry at 50… Got to see Carol a few years back with James Taylor… absolutely spectacular. Two premier Singer-Songwriters!
“While still in high school, King began arranging and composing music, and at age 15 she formed and sang in a vocal quartet called the Cosines. She studied briefly at Queens College before dropping out to marry Gerry Goffin in 1959 (divorced 1968), who abandoned his plans to become a chemist in order to write music with her. Together, Goffin and King began writing songs for Aldon Music in the confines of a cubicle near the Brill Building on Broadway, and they quickly became one of the most successful songwriter duos in the industry. Their first hit, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (1961; recorded by the Shirelles), became a number one single on the U.S. Hot 100 before King turned 19.
“Over the next six years, King and Goffin composed hits with stunning regularity. Their other number one songs were “Take Good Care of My Baby” (1961; Bobby Vee), “The Loco-Motion” (1962; Little Eva), and “Go Away, Little Girl” (1962; Steve Lawrence). Other King and Goffin hits included “Up on the Roof” (1962; the Drifters), “One Fine Day” (1963; the Chiffons), “Don’t Bring Me Down” (1966; the Animals), and “(You Make Me Feel like) A Natural Woman” (1967; Aretha Franklin).
“Her album Tapestry, a collection of catchy melodies and engaging lyrics, held the number one spot on the Billboardalbum chart for 15 weeks; it remained a best seller for more than 300 weeks. Tapestry also earned King four Grammys; in addition to winning for album of the year, she received the awards for best song (“You’ve Got a Friend”), best single (“It’s Too Late”), and best female vocal performance. Other noteworthy numbers on the album included “I Feel the Earth Move” and “So Far Away.”
“King’s musical career sparked back to life in 2007 when she reunited with Taylor for a performance at the Troubadour, a famed West Hollywood venuethen celebrating its 50th anniversary. Following the release of a Live at the Troubadour CD and DVD in 2010, King and Taylor embarked on a Troubadour Reunion world tour.
“King was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987, and in 2002 she received the Johnny Mercer Award for her “history of outstanding creative works.” She and Goffin were awarded the National Academy of Songwriters Lifetime Achievement Award in 1988, and two years later they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2013 she was awarded the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song as well as a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement, and she was named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2015.” (from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carole-King)