Carpenters: The Musical Legacy

by Mike Cidoni Lennox, Chris May, Richard Carpenter

Introduction by Richard Carpenter

The definitive biography of one of the most enduring and endeared recording artists in history—the Carpenters—is told for the first time from the perspective of Richard Carpenter, through more than 100 hours of exclusive interviews and some 200 photographs from Richard's personal archive, many never published.

After becoming multimillion-selling, Grammy-winning superstars with their 1970 breakthrough hit "(They Long to Be) Close to You," Richard and Karen Carpenter would win over millions of fans worldwide with a record-breaking string of hits including "We've Only Just Begun," "Top of the World," and "Yesterday Once More."

By 1975, success was taking its toll. Years of jam-packed work schedules, including hundreds of concert engagements, proved to be just too much for the Carpenters to keep the hits coming—and, ultimately, to keep the music playing at all. However, Richard and Karen never took their adoring public, or each other, for granted.

In Carpenters: The Musical Legacy, Richard Carpenter tells his story for the first time. With candor, heart, and humor, he sheds new light on the Carpenters' trials and triumphs—work that remains the gold standard for melodic pop. This beautifully illustrated definitive biography, with exclusive interviews and never-before-seen photographs, is a must-have for any Carpenters fan.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music, Biography, History, American

344 pages, Hardcover

Published November 16, 2021

Reviews

[Mediaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those of us that love the Carpenters are thrilled with anything new involving the duo. And while this coffeetable-like book is good, it's certainly not a "biography" as described by some nor is it a five-star addition to what has already been published about the group. It merely goes through all of their recordings in almost too much minute detail, while failing to give enough space to some of their biggest hits or behind-the-scenes stories.

Richard Carpenter was involved with this and that not necessarily good. The co-authors cater to him and seem to ignore outside viewpoints. The book is too often based on his impression of everything, but his feelings and memories can be wrong. He even says in the introduction that he has read others involved with the group write incorrect things about the making of certain songs, but he provides very few specifics here beyond the surface. He also continues to come across as an egotistical jerk, overstating some of their musical impact.

Editorially the timelines are messed up and there is a lot of repetitive information. And with gigantic pages, why fill them with full-page Billboard charts or letters of praise when there could have been many more pictures and mementoes included on those pages?

I won't say I'm disappointed in this because it's wonderfully detailed if you like Billboard charts, out of focus photos (including the cover shot of Karen), and discographies. But from a narrative standpoint it doesn't offer a whole lot of new information. And I question why the co-authors devoted so little space to some of the biggest hits, while wasting too much on some totally insignificant songs or albums. It actually left me still wanting to know more about exactly how some of their biggest songs came together, because there wasn't enough of that here.

[Thee Ace Man · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a massive source of information about the Carpenters music. In the ending section is an alphabetic listing of the officially released songs and versions and variations thereof and where to find them (singles, albums, etc.). There is also a listing of TV shows as well as concert dates too. Information plus is what this book is about. Throughout the book are also numerous listings of dates and places and activities (including going home to visit mom and dad and such). Several wonderful and insightful and amusing comments included by Richard in these listings. If you don't chuckle a few times here and there you missed something and probably need to reread again.

A very enjoyable book about the Carpenters music. It has several interesting sections and my favorite is the 1970 - 1974 section where the author lists the activities of the Carpenters on a day to day basis. Very eye opening as they go from a live concert to a studio to record to doing a TV special many times. Being pulled in many different directions in a short period of time.

Many insights in the book and a big plus of this book is that it allows the reader to reach their own conclusions. The information is presented but it is not really 'spun' or skewed to try and get the reader to jump to a conclusion. The reader is allowed to make their own choices based on the information presented. Excellent. It would be nice to see other authors take this approach as well and instead of trying to tell a 'story' like most books (Carpenters : The Untold Story included) the author focuses on the information foremost instead of trying to tell a story. Mostest excellent.

Many, many personal stories and insights provided by Richard Carpenter. The other excellent part here - no 'second guessing' or 'mind reading'. There are quotes and such to draw from. But no assumptions or such about what others may or may not have been thinking. Herb Alpert provides information as does John Bettis and of course Richard Carpenter as well but it is personal information and not trying to second guess or mind read what others may or may not have been thinking. Gigantic plus here for me as I get so tired of that stuff where people try and talk on other's behalves instead of their own when dealing with stuff.

The focus of this book, as the title states, is the music. Personal insights are added when they affect the music, but this is about the music and not about "personal demons" and such. Which after reading, yes, most of the personal stuff didn't actually affect the music but did affect time in some instances (like Karen's hospitalization in 1975 for two months). Richard's motorcycle accident in January 1973 is briefly mentioned as Richard was in casts but the motorcycle accident didn't really slow things down any. One thing missed was Karen's mini stroke in late 1977. But cripe that was over 50 years ago and even I can't remember which side of her face it affected for sure (I think it was her right side but don't quote me on that). But the focus is on the music and not as much about personal stuff outside personal stuff that affected the music. Karen's anorexia and Richard's addiction are mentioned but music is the focus of the book and not personal demons and such.

With that, the music was written by others for the most part so there wasn't really anything personal with the Carpenters (Karen and Richard) themselves in the music. Pretty much if they liked a song they did it and based on the merits (or demerits) of the song itself and not based on anything personal outside of Richard and Karen's musical abilities and whether the song had appeal or not to Karen and Richard.

The image problem as well as a few articles are included as well. Yes, in a time when writers and such are looking to bash people, they are going to bash others, nice people included. And like with the rest of the book, stuff is presented but the reader is allowed to think for themselves. Gigantic plus.

I found a typo or two, but nothing major as there are typos in everything released any more it seems. So many words and such that something is bound to be missing or out of place somewhere. Nothing that detracts or such. The usual format and conversion type typos for Kindle and eBook type editions. The one thing I found that I feel was off was when it was in there that Karen died from a heart attack. Medically a heart attack is from a damaged heart and according to the autopsy, Karen's heart wasn't actually damaged. I felt it would have been better if it would have been "heart stopped" or "cardiac arrest" or such instead of "heart attack". The author is not really a doctor (nor the others as well) so understandable. Just a technicality.

And yes, pictures, pictures, pictures... Many wonderful pictures included.

If looking for information, this book has that. If looking for gossip and that kind of stuff, look elsewhere. Just the facts. Non fiction. Clear, concise and easy to follow. A reference book about the Carpenters for a change. Woohoo. Yahoo. And all that hip, hip hurray type celebratory stuff. Definitely a keeper.

[MaryAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like The Carpenters you will love this book. Excellent selection of pictures and stories from Richard. So much research went in to this, yet it’s still so interesting and readable. It’s big, like a coffee table book. Pick it up and enjoy the experience.

[Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magnificent look at the brother and sister duo who captured our hearts and ears throughout much of the ‘70s. I confess I didn’t play every part of this book. I wasn’t interested in photo captions or the extremely detailed discography, and certainly not in concert dates and other minutia the authors include here. But those portions of the book that talked about how a song was written, produced, and sung were wonderful. As I learned the fascinating stories about the songs from Richard’s point of view, I would stop and play them as the names rolled through my book player. What a joyous experiences to recall the seemingly endless cavalcade of memories associated with the music of these two.

If you want creepy sensationalistic stuff about her Anorexia Nervosa, you won’t find it in this book. This is a behind-the-scenes look by a devoted brother into the life of his sister and indeed the life of the duo.

I’ve always considered Richard Carpenter a genius at mixing sounds. I wish I could talk to him about his thoughts on digital audio and whether he would have changed things much because of it. This is a memory refresher, and the quality of the music is timeless.

[Don]

Ever since my high school days, I have been a Carpenters fan. So this book, which chronicles their music, was right up my alley.

The information from the publicist characterizes this as a biography which may mislead a lot of readers. This is not about their personal lives, it is exclusively about the music they made together and the events surrounding that music.

I loved this, but that may have more to do with the memories the book triggered than with the book itself. I have a lifelong friend who is a huge Carpenters fan. Back in my college days, when we lived near each other, we spent many happy hours listening to their albums and talking about their music. As I read, all of those wonderful memories came flooding back and, because I'm sort of a sap, I became very emotional.

If you are a huge Carpenters fan, this book will delight you. And if you get as caught up in happy memories of amazing friends as I do and those friends happen to love The Carpenters, this should be at the top of your hit list.

[Martin Maenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book - on that chronicles the recording career of the duo of Richard and Karen Carpenter. It contains in-depth details about each of the albums, insights from Richard on the recordings and the singles. It also features lots of photographs taken throughout the group's decade and a half run. Highly recommended for music fans, especially those like me who grew up in the 70's on the sweet pop that the Carpenters produced.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a Carpenters Fan! It would be hard to say how much my musical sensibilities have been shaped much of my life, outside of music in the church, by Richard Carpenter, since A Song For You album was given to me from my brother for my 13th birthday. Reading this book brought back memories of my teen years, and every album released by the Carpenters. I still remember where I was, in the little family/dining room of our home, in 1983, Raytown, Missouri, when my father came in the door and told me he heard on the car radio that Karen Carpenter had died. (He knew the fan I had been.) Their music was a part of an entire decade of my life, from 13 until shortly before my 23rd birthday, when Karen passed away. My life since has been filled with lots of good music, of all kinds, mostly Christian, but the 1973 version of Top Of The World will always be my very favorite love song and one of my all-time favorite songs, and my most favorite secular Pop song. This book was the only authorized biography about the Carpenters, which Richard has allowed—why? because it’s about the music. At the end of the day, they were two very unusually talented normal young people, who’s talent at the right time and place made them very famous and popular. But as time goes on—decades, it’s still about the music, not the tabloid level stories or the sensational stories around their personal lives, Karen and her illness or her death. Richard is a music eccentric and second guesses everything. He’s a perfectionist, which has manifested itself in their excellent music, and in his attempts many times to redo things. And that comes across, page by page about album by album. But it’s their original studio recordings which shine their skill, raw talent and impulsive creativity in their youth. If you’re looking for a sad story about the triumphs and tragedies of the Carpenters, choose one of those unauthorized books, but if you want to know about their music and how it came about, you’ll enjoy this walk down memory lane and appreciate even more one of the most amazing female voices and her talented brother of our time.

[Cipresso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential book for Carpenters’ true fans and collectors. As a reference book, it’s among the best ever published for any musical artist, IMHO as good as the Mark Lewinson’s Beatles one.
And while for the Carpenters’ story (and Karen’s particularly) I’d suggest Little Girl Blue, this is a tremendous source of info, rare pics, docs, facts, dates for the duo.
I got it as a Xmas present from my wife, I wasn’t really interested, I though it was a coffee table book .
Fact is, in a couple of days I read it ALL, very interesting comments from Richard that make it a compulsive reading for me. In the following months I listened again to the entire Carpenters’ discography, (re)discovering things I hadn’t noticed/known.
If you’re serious about this band (or Karen C.) do yourself a favour: build it!

[Denver Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book focused on the discography of the artist, rather than the artist themselves. Making this one of the most boring reads I’ve ever picked up! I would really like to have learned more about Richard and Karen Carpenter.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much chart info. Not enough personal

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting to read some of the background of the different songs. She was such an amazing singer. Gone too soon.

[Vanessa (V.C.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know you're in for a treat as a Carpenters fan to have a book that's actually approved and was worked on by Richard Carpenter himself! As fans know, Richard is notoriously very private and usually turns down most offers and has looked down negatively at most biographies, movies, and documentaries about them. Because it's Richard-approved, this is one pretty detailed, elaborate, and extensive book NOT on his personal life or his sister's personal life and their "demons," it's a book about their career, their albums, and their music, all of which that were and even still are often under looked and haven't received as much careful attention or appreciation, until now.

This is a big book, a coffee-table book indeed, with such STUNNING pictures that makes this worthy of buying alone. But it's not the pictures alone that make this book so special. You can feel the love in every page, in how everyone involved in this wanted to give Carpenters the respect that they deserve. It was refreshing even to read a book on them that ONLY focused on their humble beginnings and rise to fame and how their music broke the mold in a time when what this duo was doing wasn't quite common, nor cool, they were really different, but in the best and most beautiful way. They weren't only hit makers, and Karen wasn't just a beautiful voice. They made inventive, exciting, and emotional albums that still sound fresh and new, and Karen was a drummer, and I'm glad that this book also displayed that side of her too, and how proud she was of her instrument. This book does exactly what it aimed to do: we really get a clear and vivid idea of how they were hard-working and how intricate and complex their music was from the lyrics, instrumentation, melodies, etc. and how daring they were despite their sweet and wholesome image.

There's honestly nothing negative that can be said about this book. Yes, the material here is overwhelming, but in a good way. Richard was so generous with his time, resources, archives, and memories, and it showed. This book was just so wonderful, a true gift for Carpenters fans but would also be a fine present for casual Carpenters fans too.

[Cathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this on a display at the library and checked it out just out of curiosity. It's not a biography, nor is it a coffee table book. It's more like a hodgepodge of historical tidbits--everything from an interview with Herb Alpert (the genius behind A&M Records, along with Jerry Moss), an article by the guy who wrote the famous Rolling Stones article about the Carpenters in the mid-seventies and got a lot of flack for it (How dare he write about such a bland, traditional duo for Rolling Stone, with a cover photo by Annie Leibovitz, no less?!), all kinds of detailed info about recordings, concerts, TV appearances, the works. I enjoyed learning more about how the Carpenters got started and enjoyed the interviews with Richard. I also loved the funny, quirky stuff. For example, who knew that the guy who created the Carpenters logo also created the incredibly famous tongue logo for the Rolling Stones, partway through their career? Oh, yes...there are tons of photos in this book, and I enjoyed those a lot.

I liked how at the beginning of the book, Richard states that this book isn't going to be about Karen's battle with anorexia. It's just a book written by two guys who did a lot of research into the music of the brother/sister duo. They got a lot of help from Richard and his collection of stuff in his home, and they got a lot of cooperation from Richard's wife. :) I've loved the Carpenters since I was in first grade and my older siblings started playing their music. I'll always like it and appreciate it for what it is. It's not the edgy, rule-breaking music so typical of the late-sixties and early-seventies. It's just good stuff, like it or not. I love classic rock, but I also love the Carpenters!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. I was pretty impressed by this book written with the cooperation & aid of Richard Carpenter. Just the amount of stuff he had in his archives was overwhelming, and often not heard about or seen before. And it was nice to have a more balanced look at their music, as I remember back in the day most reviewers were often pretty negative. And granted, in a way they were both out of their time period (since they would have certainly made waves in the ‘40s and ‘50’s or later when pop music was stronger) and ahead of many artists in their uses of technology to create their sound. I grew up listening to vocalists (Peggy Lee, Mahalia Jackson, Patsy Cline, etc. since this is what my parents played), so I immediately fell in love with Karen’s voice, so much so that my first concert other than country music was the Carpenters. And thanks to the timeline in the book, I now know it was on September 6, 1970, at the Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield. Anyway, an interesting read. Still makes me sad she died so young.

[Sophisticated Trash · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother adored the Carpenters and the band was a regular fixture in our house while I was growing up. I literally do not remember life without Karen's voice as part of it. It's not Christmas without the Carpenters. Any Carpenters fan would be thrilled with a new exploration of the band, but one in which Richard participates is even more satisfying.

The book is coffee table-sized and beautifully put together, filled with bit of trivia and behind the scenes information and pictures. This is very much a biography of the career of the musical group and not a personal biography of Richard and Karen Carpenter, so readers looking for that should look elsewhere. However, if you want to learn how they were discovered, how they were signed to A&M, how songs were selected, how their popular image shaped them in good and bad ways, their chart history, and their lasting musical legacy, this is the book for you.

A must for fans; a nice and thorough introduction to novices.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5, rounded up to 5)
I hate to downgrade my rating, when the book was incredibly thorough and I am a sucker for anything about the Carpenters, but I felt like there could have been just a bit more acknowledgement/discussion of Karen's eating disorders. I know it's about their musical legacy and not a biography, but there were several instances where Richard was quoted about their touring or recording schedules and said that they thrived on it/loved it, when you could tell from the pictures from that time that something was going on with Karen. My heart is still broken that she is gone, and I know it has to be so difficult for him, so I don't want to sound harsh or judgmental. But it had to have had an affect on their career besides the time that he was in rehab, and her hospital stays. Overall, of course this book was worth reading for any Carpenters fan.

[Jill Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good anthology on the Carpenter's music. While the book does not go in-depth on the personal lives of the pair, it does go in great detail to the music. The book is loaded with pictures of the group in different periods of their lives and careers. The book includes detailed information on their records, record sales, concerts and appearances. There is some narrative also about the reviews the Carpenters received for their music, some great and some down right nasty. I guess however those reviewers who found the music out of touch or not rock did not understand the music and may want to take their words back relating to the longevity of their tunes.

[MK · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is comprehensive, covering off anything you ever wanted to know about the Carpenters' music career. It touches on the addiction that effected both of them but it didn't affect their musical creation. Every recording they ever did, every media appearance, every concert, every chart position of everything they released, it's all there. Also include are a lot of lovely photos of them as well as memorabilia from Richard Carpenters' personal collection. He's a collaborator on this book and it shows. You really don't need anything else.

[Danette Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up listening to the Carpenters on the radio. Karen had the voice that just flowed. The book has everything and anything you wanted to know about their hits. It has travel journals, tv dates, when the song was released, remixed, when it peaked, and how Richard picked songs. It doesn’t get into anything personal if that is what you’re looking for. There are some nice pics of album covers and award shows. I would say this book is for a diehard fan.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has read every book on Karen and Richard Carpenter, I was excited to see Richard collaborate on a new project. It’s made clear early on that the coffee table book is all about their careers and not their personal lives: how songs came together, tour schedules and plenty of rare memorabilia reproduced. I learned so much about how the songs and albums were produced, Richard’s influences and more. Great backstories. Essential reading.

[Joe L · Rating 2 out of 5]

The positives: numerous fun facts, both detailed and broad historical perspectives, photos

The negatives: very significant repetition, legacy questions - a weirdly addressed yet not addressed "who was more important" vibe

The one's not recommended for general consumption. It's far too inside baseball.

[Charles Bellavia · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Carpenters: The Musical Legacy" is full of typos and misprints. The quality of the proof reading was very annoying.

The book is full of data on when a song was issued, how high and how long it stayed on the charts. This is an anthology for a Carpenters collector.

If you want to learn more on the Carpenters, read Wikipedia or another book.

[Debbie Ladd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! If you want to know about the music of Richard & Karen, and look at hundreds of candid photos, this is the book for you. I now know the date of my first live concert! October 18, 1973 at the Bangor Auditorium. I'm a fan for life of their music!

[Douglas Mormann · Rating 5 out of 5]

carpenters: the musical legacy

A must read for anyone who loves carpenters music. Great to read how the music came to be. Check out the concert dates. You may find they played in your town or one near you. Such fun for any carpenters!!!!! Enjoy!!!!

[Ronald Zincone Photography]

High respect for this book

Great book. Very informative. Does justice to the Carpenter's legacy. Karen would have sanctioned it for sure. Tells an important part of Karen and Richard's legacy.

[Michelle Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. It provided great insight to The Carpenters timeline.

[Joe B · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent history and discography of the Carpenters without all the drama of how and why Karen died. Richard and the author did a great job. Very detailed and expanded linear notes.

[Tambra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to read and learn about them. I enjoyed it.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encyclopedic and predictably melancholy.

[Patrick Tarbox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little flat and ‘meh’, but Richard Carpenter does offer some great insight into their career and it is definitely complete, no stone on their music career is left unturned.