KAREN CARPENTER: THE SINGER. THE GODDESS DIE YOUNG. SHORT STORY.
When I was in Cuba, the biggest fever of Anglo-American music of the 1970s was excited. In the Hit Parede of Kaven Kences every Saturday morning, by the station of the American Naval Base that was captured in Guantanamo, we listened to the best Hits of the moment.
Then The Carpenters threw one success after another. And the students of the Pre University Ruben Batista fell in love with the duo, whose music, a little cloying and sweet, served as a commentary every day of classes and we listened to in the "dercargas" - music, drinks and dances - that we did in the house of a partner .
The outstanding name of Karen Carperter, who was pure magic in her bass and because of the sweetness she spilled from her prodigious vocal record, highlighted - reminiscent of our very Cuban Gloria Stefan.
His brother at the piano seemed not to exist. He only accompanied her in the choirs and let her sing like a bird humming a beautiful flower.
They produced a different soft musical style, combined with Karen's vocal contralto with Richard and his skills as an arranger and composer. During the 14-year career, The Campenters had ten albums, numerous singles and several television specials.
The first single, "Close to You," quickly reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, and remained there for several weeks. Then they checked the Beatles song "Mr. Postman" resounding success.
At the height of their fame I saw a special on American Base TV. I was surprised by Karen's thinness, she looked like a terminally ill with cancer. Later I learned that she was suffering from Nervous Anorexia and that she was taking Methamphetamine pills to avoid obesity and keep up the hard pace of so many tours around the world.
On the morning of February 4, 1983, Karen woke up, went to the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker, and then returned to her room. Her mother got up, the minutes passed and there were no signs of Karen, so she went up to her room, where she found her unconscious.
In minutes, an ambulance arrived, which took her to the emergency room. Richard arrived at the clinic shortly after. After 30 minutes, the doctor informs them:
"I'm sorry, Karen is dead."
The remains rest of the singer are in the family mausoleum of the Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, Los Angeles County, California.
Maybe the young people today don't know anything about that prodigious duo The Carpenter or that their music feels it out of tune or too cloying, but they were a duo that cheered our youth and whose songs we would remember forever.
ORLANDO VICENTE ALVAREZ
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