Carole King – Starting Out
Carole King is one of the important female musicians of the last 50 years. Furthermore, her talent goes beyond imagination. Seriously, there’s not much that she hasn’t done in her career. As for her fans, they adore her! Her songwriting is very relatable and connects with fans along the way. She’s a true musical icon who’s paved the way other musicians and songwriters alike.
Early Years – Starting out
Starting out, she learns to play the piano around the age of four from her mother, she was obsessed with the piano! Learning as much as she could as a child. In the 1950s, she forms a band called the Co-Sines, changes her name to Carol King, and makes records with her friend Paul Simon at the time. Later, she attends Queens College where she meets Gerry Goffin and starts a songwriting partnership. Shortly after a relationship and eventually they get married. At first things didn’t start out as they planned, but after working writing together for a while, they realize that they could give up their day jobs and make a living writing music.
Not only were they the songwriting King and Goffin team behind Don Kirshner’s Dimension Records, as a performer and writer in the late 1950s, she makes a name for herself with the song “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” in 1960. A hit that she wrote for “The Shirelles” with lyricist Gerry Goffin. ” Not only did this song kick start King’s extraordinary career, but also, for The Shirelles it becomes the first No.1 in history for an African American girl group at the time. Carole King starts her career writing and producing songs for other recording artists.
She quickly starts making a name herself after penning hits throughout the 1960s. Including “The Loco-Motion,” “Up On The Roof,” “I’m into Something Good.” Along with “One Fine Day” and the huge Aretha Franklin hit, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” As well as the Monkees (“Pleasant Valley Sunday”), the Beatles (“Chains”), Linda Ronstadt (“Oh No, Not My Baby”) and James Taylor (“You’ve Got a Friend”). To date, more than four hundred of her compositions are covered by more than 1,000 artists, resulting in one hundred hit singles.
The Most Successful Female Songwriter
By the seventies, she breaks out as a recording and performing star in her own right, particularly with her smash 1971 album “Tapestry”, which tops the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks in 1971 and remains on the charts for more than six years. While going on to release 25 solo albums throughout her career. But still today, “Tapestry” still stands out as the favorite among fans.
She’s an inductee with “Songwriters Hall of Fame.” She’s inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a performer and songwriter. She’s also the recipient of the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, being the first woman to be honored. As well as a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2015! These are just a few of the many awards that she’s won along the way when it comes to her career.
Broadway Musical biography
Trying to write about all the amazing projects that this woman has done in a short blog is tough! Also, for those of you that love Broadway, you have to see “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical!” It’s a fantastic show that great show that really highlights all the amazing things she’s been able to create in her life! It’s currently touring in California. You can also check her out her memoir as well. When she’s not writing music, she fights for environmental issues and other things near and dear to her heart. An artist that goes beyond what’s expected of her and more!
Furthermore, be sure, to check out the other blog posts: https://jbonamassa.com/jb-blog/
Video Credits: ElectronicCinema – Jazzman, Luckysmusic – I Feel The Earth Move, Carole King – You’ve Got a Friend (Live at Montreux, 1973), ckartur03 – So Far Away.
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