Randy Schmidt on THE LIFE, MUSIC, AND TRAGIC DEMISE OF KAREN CARPENTER.

Greetings friends. Today we're talking with Randy Schmidt, who wrote the definitive biography of Karen Carpenter who, along with her brother Richard, was one half of the immensely popular 1970s musical ensemble, The Carpenters. Everyone knows the Carpenters. For me, they were just that "pop act" that I didn't pay much attention to, and didn't really have any thoughts about one way or the other. Then I saw a video of Karen drumming...then I started listening to some of the music and realized what a golden voice she had...and I started thinking about her sad and untimely death in 1983 due to complications from Anorexia Nervosa. By this time, I had Karen Carpenter on my mind, and I wanted to know more about this truly amazing singer. 

I turned to Randy Schmidt, who has written the definitive biography of Karen, entitled Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter. Randy has written on a number of performers, but it's his work on Karen Carpenter that has struck a chord with so many, and I'm so pleased he came on the show. And...we had an AMAZING conversation. 

We talked about how the Carpenters came to be, their beautiful music that often transcended the traditional pop format with which they're often associated, and the circumstances surrounding Karen's death. I know you'll find yourself enraptured in Karen's story - just like I was. It's a special conversation, and a bif thank you to Randy for sharing his insights with me. 

See you soon with a new episode. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one.