Archive - Bob's Page of Carole King Career News
[pre-1/18/10]

'Living Room Tour' Debuts at #17 on Billboard Chart; 3rd Week in Top 25  It was one of the most highly praised concert tours of the 2004 season.  Critics in every city raved.  She got more positive press than Madonna who was playing arenas in some of the same cities, even though Carole  was  playing  theatres and smaller outdoor sheds.  Documenting the tour, is a new double CD, recorded live, which debuted in its first week on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart at #17-- Carole's highest album chart position since 1977. As of 8/6/05, it is in its third week in the Top 25-- practically unheralded for a non-rap, urban dance oriented artist. Released on Rockingale Records via Concord and Hear Music (Starbucks), the disk is available in retail as well as every  one of the 4500 Starbuck outlets.  This is how Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company became such a monster hit, and it's also what accounted for Tina Turner's recent "best of" becoming her highest charting CD to date.  Will lightning strike thrice?   If Carole's cd's first week debut is any indication, quite possibly.  Carole King Productions, led by Lorna Guess and Rockingale Records (Leah Reid) may just have found a way to bring back the King to the throne she dominated 30 years ago.

Carole Wows Today Show Audience           Left to right:  Carole and bandmates Gary Burr and musical director, Rudy Guess--(Photos courtesy of Lenore Maroney) Afforded little more than 4 hours sleep on the bus trip from Cohasset Mass (where she had performed in concert the evening before) and Rockefeller Center, Carole took charge of her rehearsal in the wee hours of the morning on July 15.  She needed very little direction from the  show's director, instead, politely asking technicians to adjust monitors.  Perhaps she wasn't concerning herself with the intricacies of camera angles, etc, but, she knew exactly how she wanted her music to sound, even at one point instructing the crowd that had assembled that she would need their help singing along when the taping began. Assisted by her top notch team, Lorna Guess, manager, Leah Reid, Rockingale Records label manager, Elissa Kline, photographer, her publicist Matt Hanks, and band mates Rudy Guess and Gary Burr, who along with Carole rocked Radio City Music two nights earlier, Carole proceeded through her rehearsal without a snag.  If she was aware of the ungodly hour, she didn't let it show.  She was as energetic as she had been two nights earlier.  Sprinkled in the crowd along with a group of nuns carrying a sign that read "Nuns Who Love Carole," were a few of us from Carole's message board/online fan club. Right before she took to the stage, she obliged for a  photo with the group. Despite a few flubs from Katie Couric, who was supplied an incorrect song title by her research staff, Carole was warm, quick witted, and gracious during the interview.  She performed "Smackwater Jack," "I Feel the Earth Move," which did indeed shake the plaza especially when she stood and started in on some heavy-duty piano banging, and, her new song, "Loving You Forever."   The ever-present loud noises of busy Manhattan streets ebbed when Carole began the quiet song -- perhaps one of the only times you would ever get to enjoy such silence--and the crowd stood in quiet awe of the woman who has conquered all phases of the music business 40 odd  year career.

Carole King's Critically Acclaimed, SRO 'Living Room Tour' Continues in 2005 Sells Out NYC's Radio City in 24 Hours! The five-time Grammy winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, singer-songwriter Carole King brings her "unplugged," intimate show to cities across the USA and Canada this summer beginning on July 3.  Although she is touring with same two sidemen, long-time musical director Rudy Guess and Gary Burr, fans who saw the show last year are hoping she will choose to squeeze in a few different selections from her catalog that spans 4 decades and is one of the most successful of any songwriter's in the history of popular music. Since her last tour in 2004, one of those classics, "Hey Girl" went on to be one of the tracks on the Grammy Album of Year, Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company.  If fans are lucky, perhaps Carole will perform her version of this song, which Rolling Stone hailed in 1980 when it was released on Pearls: Song of Goffin & King.  The song has been recorded by dozens of the world's best performers, but, Carole's performance of it is still the finest.

Louise Goffin '2-fer' Now Available; Rudy Guess Does Christmas
Although there'll be no new Carole King product under anyone's Christmas tree this season, you can get yourself or the discerning CK fan on your list two other special CDs.  Wounded Bird Records, a CD-only label has just released Louise Goffin's critically acclaimed 1979 debut album, Kid Blue with her follow-up album on one CD.  Kid Blue features Carole singing background on the album's closer, "Singing Out Alone."  When originally released in '79, a track from the album, "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" got lots of radio play and climbed the Billboard singles chart.   Louise's follow-up album, features Stevie Nicks and the great "If You Ever Did Believe." To order, www.woundedbird.com.  While shopping at Wounded Bird Records' website, you may want to also pick up Carole King's 1983 Speeding Time on CD for only $10.98.  I was told by a product manager at the label, that they are also actively persuing securing rights to re-issue One to One on CD.  Carole recorded both albums for Atlantic in the early 1980s.

Carole & Goffin-King Both Represented on RS Top 500 List
Rolling Stone apparently believes that lists sell magazines, so they've come up with yet another one, this time, Top 500 Records of Rock Era.  Carole King, recording artist's "It's Too Late," came in at #469.  Recordings of Goffin-King records did better-- "Up on the Roof" by the Drifters was #113; "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"  by the Shirelles was #125, and Little Eva's "The Loco-motion" was #350.  The late Scepter Records owner, Florence Greenberg, tells how she was holding Carole's baby (Louise) in her lap, giving her a bottle, while Mom banged away at the piano to finish the tune, which was originally named "Tomorrow" and turned down by the Shirelles for sounding too much like a Country and Western song....  That little record, ranks among the most recorded love songs ever recently and is given one of its best  rendering by Ann Hampton Callaway on her latest  CD, Slow.  (The cd also contains the great new King-Callaway composition "Tonight You're Mine." 

Gerry Goffin and Joni Mitchell were among those record biz types and critics who voted in the latest poll. 

Can't figure out how James Taylor's version of "You've Got a Friend" or Aretha's "Natural Woman" failed to make the list.

Carole to Perform at Democratic Convention
Carole King will be performing at the Democratic Convention in Boston.  Check Carole's site for more details as the convention gets closer.  She will also be performing on Lifetime's "Chicks Rock the Vote" special during that week as well.

Joan Osborne Records King/Williams Collaboration
Joan Osborne sings the opening song to Raising Helen, called "Stand Back."  The song was written by Carole and Paul Williams and is included on the film's original soundtrack.

A 'Bucket' Review: Carole King Stomps for Kerry in Idaho

By Mary Rohlfing

Had Carole King asked her audience at Boise’s Blues Bouquet on Friday night, February 20, to vote for George Bush, I fear they’d have considered it. Had she asked them to remember to correctly spell and write-in Kuwanyamtiwa for President in November, they’d have done that too. (For the record, this is the Hopi word for “beautiful badger going over the hill.” I have no idea whether Carole King knows anyone with this name, nor how I came to know this word, but Kuwanyamtiwa really does mean “beautiful badger . . .” You can look it up.)  

Of course, King didn’t ask anyone to do anything but to think, research, and vote conscientiously. If, after engaging in these activities, voters arrive at the same conclusion that King has: to vote or caucus for Senator John Kerry, well, so much the better. If not, hey, that’s cool, too, as long as the decision is an informed one. Clearly King is holding fast to an ideal of the voter as rational, and this is what makes her plea so emotionally alluring. The truth, I think, though, is that a lot of people won’t do the things King has asked of them and will instead simply take her word for it. The good news is that she has indeed made a rational decision, and a damned convincing one at that. Carole King changed some minds last night; less, though, by making them noodle their noggins and more by making them shake their booties. And while they were wiggling their butts, stomping their feet, clapping their hands, beating on tables, and singing along, the link between art, politics and love became palpable.  This audience was cuckoo for Carole.  

The bond formed between long-waiting and hungry-for-“their-Carole” Boise-area Carole King fans and Ms. King was inextricable. So adoring were the over 300 attendees of the first and originally only-planed set, that when King asked them to leave so as to allow others in, most everyone grudgingly agreed.  

It’s been a long time since Carole King played Boise (1989), and even longer since she played for free (1970something, soon after she moved to Idaho). A lot has gone down in her life since then, and in the lives of those who love her. Idaho by no means ain't what it used to be. But last night, time stopped, and it was as though the one hundred year accumulation of the Bouquet’s ghosts of players and “playas,” dancers and drinkers, bartenders and barflies were all commingled in smiles and songs. In referring to Carole King and Gerry Goffin’s recent receivable rights to the Grammy Trustees’ Award, Jakob Dylan listed off the usual litany of their hits and added, “These songs don’t write themselves, you know.” Somehow, though, when one hears 300 plus people, happily packed together singing the chorus to “You’ve Got a Friend,” (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and even offering up the proper response to King’s call in “Love Makes the World,” it’s easy to imagine that these sounds have always been, that they grew up from the dirt and blew forth from the stars billions of years past to become part of our very DNA.  Carole King songs seem to be of our bodies because they make us so comfortable in our own skin. Yet the younger Dylan is right: someone did write these songs, and a whole mess more. My goodness, we are grateful! 

The joys of being Carole King were evident last night. Seeing her smile as she realized a nearly block-long line of fans had been barred from getting in, but who after a full hour of standing in hope had still not left, was one of the most heart-warming things I’ve ever seen. Seeing her yell as she walked past them, “Don’t leave, we’re gonna do a second show!” and catching those folks’ catching on that this wasn’t some campaign worker working them, but rather the woman of the night, was so delicious I wanted to lick my fingers. First they’d smile, then, their eyes went wide as mouths opened and cold crisp, late-winter air was gasped. Cries of, “It’s you! It’s her! That was Carole! We love you, Carole!” rang out from the street. As she moved to the door to go inside and own the place, she was beaming. On this night, it was good to be King and she and her remarkable and untenably talented guitarist Rudy Guess were going to be a two-person roadhouse raucous rockin’ band, rather than the staid entertainment at rich people’s house parties. You could feel the relief and the anticipation. Tonight was going to be special.  It was written all over Rudy’s trademark grin.  

The first set began with a pounding rendition of “Beautiful.” As they did with every song that followed, the audience sang along without even being asked. It was impossible not to. While I am fuzzy on the order of the songs already, I believe “Sweet Seasons” followed. In setting this one up, King mentioned that the song’s lyricist, Toni Stern, had granted her permission to change the lyric a titch so as to omit a word “not used by the Kerry campaign: the L word.” There was no organ in the house, but I swore I heard one anyway before she belted out, “Sometimes you win, sometimes you win. Sometimes you don’t have to choose between the two or wonder, wonder if we’re gonna make it.” When it came time for those expected-horns, King flawlessly emulated them. That gesture made everyone love her all the more and made evident why it’s always been said that no one does a better demo. She makes you hear instruments that aren’t even being played. How does she do that? The rest of the set consisted of “Up On the Roof,” “Love Makes the World,” “A Natural Woman,” “I Feel the Earth” and ended with “You’ve Got a Friend.”
 
The contrast between “I Feel the Earth” and “You’ve Got a Friend” was exhilarating and exhausting. Those who have heard King’s 1993 concert album know that at the end of “I Feel the Earth” the drummer goes ballistic, whacking away fast and nasty. Apparently, this crowd has heard that version before, because just at the right time, feet started stomping and tables were pounded so hard that half-full bottles of beer began to polka. Relishing the percussive assistance, King just egged us on, calling for an “earthquake on Main Street.” She damn near got it. 

The set ended quietly as we raised our hands and swayed to sing, “You’ve Got a Friend.” New friends clasped hands, lovers caressed each other’s locks, and old friends blew kisses all across the room. No matter how many times I’ve heard this song, and no matter how many times I’ve been part of an audience singing those words back to King, I never fail to grow a little bit teary and thankful for the web of relationships in my life.  Images of all the people loved and liked came flowing forward, dancing and swaying with that Bouquet of century-old ghosts.  

After hugs and pecks and pats on the back, old friends glided out of the bar, blown away, convinced they’d been sanctified, and so damn happy to have “their Carole” home again.  
After a few minutes the place was packed all over again.  More sweat, more drinks, more friends. The next show started with “So Far Away,” and included all the songs mentioned above with the addition of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” and the replacement of a bluesy rendition of “Chains” for the earlier ethereal “Up On the Roof.”   

Interestingly, the second crowd eschewed singing the choruses and went straight for the verses. I believe this was the only show I’ve ever attended where almost everyone sang along to almost every word. Most surprising of all was that even on “Love Makes the World,” the crowd sang along. “Can’t Stop Believin’!” And they meant it! Carole and Rudy were ecstatic, claiming this was the first time an audience had accompanied them on that one. As I realized that there were more than a few of us there who knew the new ones as well as the old, time stopped standing still and it became devastatingly clear that indeed, these songs don’t write themselves and that as much as this crowd loved singing songs of long ago, they were perfectly delighted to be singing songs of now. Nothing could please an old Carolehead more, I tell you.  Nothing is more miraculous than the length of the list of this woman’s output. The music just keeps playing and coming. How does she do that?!   

Last night, I learned a lot about people I thought I knew well. One friend, I found, had his first date with his wife “27 years ago at a Carole King concert at Red Rocks.” Another friend said her family had a rule that the only records allowed in their rural Midwestern home were those that the whole big farm family could agree to. “Tapestry” was one of them. When she got home from the show, she called her sisters and said, “Guess who I saw tonight! One of the artists of those three records we had when we were teenagers!” One sister was stumped at first, but the other started singing “It’s Too Late.” They were mighty jealous.  

The treats last night were too many to mention, but I want to highlight a few: Carole’s imitation of Diana Ross singing “A Natural Woman;” Carole’s claim that at the Grammys she was chomping at the bit to be asked whether she thought Janet Jackson’s recent exposure was profane so that she could answer, “What’s profane are the words, “Mommy, I’m hungry,” and “I can’t afford insurance;” Carole’s Brooklyn bravado at telling the crowd to shush while she was telling a story—it worked, by the way; and seeing her warm up and grow more bold in asking folks to vote for Kerry, telling us it was worth considering for no other reason than that his candidacy had brought she and Rudy to the road. That worked too! Fun as well was when the crowd periodically chanted, “Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!” and he blushed. Too damn sweet! Most priceless, though, was seeing Rudy and Carole grin like idiots at the sound of the crowd and while playing the game of trying to one-up each other. Rudy would riff and Carole would answer, and sometimes when he moved his fingers far down on those frets, Carole would claim she couldn’t do it. The audience disagreed and she’d do it, and Rudy would laugh and we’d all clap. Two cats cattin’ around; as good a bar band as I’ve ever heard.
 
By now, most have likely given up on reading this, rightly convinced this review has gone longer than the two shows combined. Well, while New York girls may be known for using the ‘f’ word as punctuation, we Philly girls use non-curse words for rests between the “fs’.  If I’ve said too much, too f-in’ bad. Last night I got to be a witness to something sacred. Last night, the dream conditions for seeing the best f-in’ songwriter alive were met. F, I had f-f-f-f fun! Wish you could have been there, and I’m glad some seven hundred or so were. And this time, we Boiseans aren’t going to take waiting fifteen f-in’ years between shows. Carole promised she’d be back soon, and what Carole promises, Carole delivers. Next year in Boise. 

Get your dancin’ shoes on, friends, she’s promised us that if we work hard and we don’t give up, we can get our White House back next fall. Believe her, she f-in’ means it. And last night, Boise meant it when they made the earth quake on Main Street for “their Carole.” Welcome home, CK1.

Across the Street from the Brill Building,  Carole King Works Her Magic for Kerry
(Posted1/21/04) In an intimate club setting (Caroline's) across the street from the fabled Brill Building and around the corner from Aldon Music where Carole King began her career over 40 years ago,  one of the world's most beloved pop music icons worked her magic once again winning over a rather dour crowd with her trademark wit, warmth, and musical gifts.  For a singer who rarely performs in public, Carole established immediate rapport with the audience.   Introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Peggy Kerry and Bebe Neuwirth, Carole immediately warmed up the gathering of  still frozen rush hour commuters who plucked down $500-$150 in support of  Sen. John Kerry's campaign.  And if, Carole's heartfelt and  eloquenty expressed views on why she supports Kerry weren't enough to win over these cynical New Yorkers, her musical performance did just the trick. 

She sounded and looked better than ever.  Proudly noting at one point that she's 61, about to turn 62, sporting longer, curly hair, she looked as good as she did when she appeared in promo stills shot around the time of Rhymes and Reasons in '72.    Her voice never cracked, and while she might not have tried to reach some of the higher notes of a  song such as "Sweet Seasons," it didn't matter because she imbued it with with other charms  such as taking liberties with the opening lyrics, "Sometimes you win, Sometimes you win..." and scatting along at the bridge  to reproduce the sounds of the famed horns on the 1971 recording. 

 "Beautiful" opened the show with Carole solo at piano.  The song sounded just as timely now as it did 33 years ago:  her vocals lent it  a more urgent "call to arms"-- -- a  battle cry to return to the civility of a non-Bush era America, perhaps?  Rudy Guess joined her on stage for the remaining numbers: "Up on the Roof,"  aforementioned "Sweet Seasons,"  "Love Makes the World" (introduced by Carole recalling how she wrote the song with PopRox),  "I Feel the Earth Move," and concluding with "You've Got A Friend."   It was actually a great relief to hear Carole actually sing "I Feel the Earth Move" with just piano and some guitar -- unlike other more robust, full-band in concert treatments, you could actually hear her sing each and every note.  She didn't have to compete with a band -- what a treat to hear that voice in such a pure setting.

A King Steps Out into Kerry's Court in Iowa
 A Bob's Page Exclusive by Daniel Weiss, Des Moines, Iowa

(Posted1/19/04) When Carole was being introduced to speak in the Campanile room at Iowa State University, a list of people who have recorded her songs was being read from the Kerry MC.  Carole blurted out "and Semisonic!" with that Brooklyn giggle, me realizing that she was seated two chairs away from me in the front row.  Whoa.  I had been talking to everyone around me and hadn't heard 'the girl from Brooklyn's voice.'  Needless to say, I was stopped in my tracks looking over to the left and seeing that huge grin, the curly hair and the stunning lineament of "the most significant melody writer of the second half of the 20th century" (Gerry Goffin quote.)

King was extremely articulate.  "I am here as a woman...a mother...a grandmother...and as your neighbor." 

"We must keep our eyes on the prize and THAT is...nominating someone who can take back the white house.  John Kerry is the only democratic candidate that can defeat George Bush and help us take back our country."

At the end of her speech on the current state of the environment and the federal government's abuse of the Rockies, she took questions and then stated, "well, I know you didn't all come here to here me speak.  I am going to sing if you all sing along with me."  With no accompaniment at hand, Carole led us through "I Feel the Earth Move" with hands clapping above her head.  I was in the front row and listened to that voice...wow.  Yes, that voice.

That evening when she 'meeted and greeted' people at the Centro restaurant in downtown Des Moines (located in the temple of the performing arts,)

Carole was very warm.  She spoke to each person and signed autographs of everything
from Really Rosie cassettes, old LPs of Tapestry,...my brother stood there with a Speeding Time CD...and my Love Makes the World insert opened one page to that side profile photograph and the statement about the album.  At the Centro, she was tearful and warm (a long, sincere hug) for my sister, who told Carole about all the years of enjoying the music and how 'your music is my heart.'  We took lots of photographs and Carole spoke about Kerry and the need to support him for the presidential nomination. She then again led everyone there in a 'get-up-and-move-it' rendition of "I Feel the Earth Move."  Old and young...unison...all the gentle inflections of the recording.  It was obvious her voice was shot from a day of speaking but she signed a lot more photographs that evening until about 8:10 with such warm eye contact and big, thankful grins without using her voice anymore.  She had a couple of pieces of pizza and conversed her way to the door.  We watched her walk out and down the street towards her hotel until we could not see her anymore.  (She was always accompanied by a Kerry aide.)
 

September/October Carole King Tidbits
Senator John Kerry 's presidential nomination campaign gets a big boost from Carole King when she gives a special performance at a  September 29, 2003 benefit in Boston (The Roxy/Tremont St); tickets range from $250-$1,000.   These prices are more affordable than her 10/9 benefit for the Westport CT Playhouse benefit she is starring in with Robin Williams... Meanwhile, Backstage Magazine reports that the LA Falcon Theatre production of "A Christmas Carole King" has been nominated for a 2003 Ovation award.    Josh Rouse's debut album 1972 has been getting lots of press; it's title track actually references Carole King's name; other songs are similar to both her and JT's brand of early 70s soft rock.

Rising Star Covers 'Earth'
Mandy Moore, just named to Entertainment Weekly's annual "It" List  (June 27/Jul04, 03 issue), will include her version of "I Feel the Earth Move" on her Coverage cd scheduled for October release.  Among Mandy's other favorite artists saluted on the CD are Todd Rundgren, Cat Stevens, and XTC.

Starbucks Releases Sheryl Crow's 'Music That Matters' CD
Next time you're in your local Starbucks, you might hear a new compilation of songs in the Starbucks Artists Choice series being played while you wait in line for you Venti Latte.  You'll definitely see it prominently displayed at the checkout counter right next to the other four CDs in this brilliant cross-marketing effort.  The series offers fans of the featured artist a peak into the record collections of their idols.  In the case of the just released Sheryl Crow compilation, one of the tracks featured is Carole King's "So Far Away."  Sheryl Crow has often cited Carole as one of the artists who had influenced her the most.  In the the liner notes to the actual CD package, Sheryl explains why she selected each song and artist. About Carole, she says,

"My first instrument is piano, and I think the biggest record for me, as an early aspiring artist, was Tapestry, and I still think it's one of the greatest records of all time.  Every song on that record, for me as a singer/songwriter, is not only a great piece of songwriting, but , it kind of sums up a time and a feeling.  And, I guess the song on that record, "So Far Away," was the song I learned and played over and over and over,  And, not only was she one of the first influences for me, but also a very strong female example of where you could go."'

I won't spoil the fun for you to discover on your own the other 14 songs that Sheryl chose to include on the CD.  Let it suffice to say that some are rather surprising choices.  It's an interesting mix of songs spanning 3 decades.  All of the tracks are apparently mastered from the original master tracks as sound is of high quality.   While you're there, check out the other 4 titles in the series that also includes The Rolling Stones and Lucinda Williams.

Now, let's hope Starbucks gets Carole to issue her own "Artist Choice" CD.

Little Eva, Rock's Most Famous Babysitter, Dead at 59
She rose to the top of the charts with Goffin & King's "The Loco-motion" and was an overnight sensation back in the innocent 1962 heyday of rock and roll, and just as quickly, she faded away  but, her legend will forever live in the hearts of millions of Baby Boomers. Her infectious vocals which followed one of the most famous drum roll intros to any record, will always conjure up sweet memories of a time filled with great promise and optimism. 

Eva Boyd Harris, 59, mother of three, grandmother of 15, and great-grandmother of 9, died on April 10, in North Carolina, where she had lived for the last 24 years.

Brenda Cape, her manager and friend of 13 years, told a reporter that  Harris was known for shopping wherever she went, being very devoted to her family and an avid member of her church, The Vision of Hope in Kinston, where she was a member of the choir.  

Since the success of Kylie Minogue's version of "The Loco-motion" in 1988, Cape's client was in heavy demand for rock and roll revivals and in recent years, played such venues as LA's Greek Theatre, NJ's Meadowland Arena, and Nassau Coliseum in Long Island.

'Beautiful' and 'Goin' Back' Top Latest Poll
With 30 votes cast, a lyric from Carole's song "Beautiful" has topped the poll with 17% of the vote.  "If there's any answer maybe love can end the madness, maybe not, oh, but we can only try..."

The runner-up lyric, from 'Goin' Back,'

 "I think I'm returning to the days when I was young enough to know the truth..."

'Love' Makes Top 100 Year-End Chart
Carole's 2001 single, "Love Makes the World," was the #85th biggest A/C chart hit of the year according to Radio & Records Magazine.  Congratulations to Carole, Lorna, and everyone at Koch Records.

Louise Goffin's 'Circle' Named Best CD of '02
Louise Goffin's Sometimes a Circle was voted best CD of 2002 by visitors to Bob's Page of Carole King. The Greg Wells produced collection of songs garnered 33% of all votes.  Much more important than this little honor is the fact that Louise's album received one of the best reviews of the year in Rolling Stone upon its initial release--the once in a life-time type of glowing review that recording artists must secretly dream of getting.

Bruce Springsteen's sure to be Grammy -honored The Rising and James Taylor's October Road tied with  7votes each (11%).  Dixie Chicks' Home and Bonnie Raitt's Silver Lining were the only other two CDs to register multiple votes.  19 votes (31%)were cast for "other" CDs not pre-selected by Bob.(31%).

Surprisingly, Eminem, whose "Lose Yourself" was universally praised as the best single of the year by most critics and radio programmers and is a shoo-in to win the Grammy for Best Record of the Year (Grammy nominations are announced first week of January 03), did not register one single vote for 8 Mile Soundtrack,  contradicting Time Magazine's proclamation that this was the year  adults discovered the blonde-haired Detroit mega-star.   In its year-end issue, Time magazine also compared him to Bruce Springsteen and named him "The New Boss."

Here's hoping that Carole King has a new CD in 2003 eligible for this poll next year!

A Christmas Carol King

A Review by L.A. Correspondent Seth Cutler

I saw A Christmas Carol King here in Los Angeles. It was an evening of fun and excitement. This updated version is a marriage of a three ring circus, A Christmas Carol and Carole King.  Scrooge is the Christmas Carol King.  He wrote and owns all of the Christmas carols and of course
won't let anyone sing them.

The first CK tune was Beautiful.  Can't remember the exact context.  One  f the characters was giving advice on how to approach life. Then Casper the Scary Ghost of Christmas Past took Scrooge back to his childhood.  We go back to Scrooge as a boy in boarding school. He doesn't
get to go home for the holidays. He breaks out into Home Again.  There was a scene where his sister sang Brother Brother as she was wrapping a present to send to him We were also taken to a scene where his wife tells him she's leaving him. Of course she broke into a rocking version
of It's Too Late. It was especially fun watching the various characters dance to this tune. Casper did a little pole dancing.

When the ghost of Christmas present (who was costumed as a Christmas present) took over we got to see the Cratchet Family celebrate Christmas, where Mrs. Cratchet sang and vamped A Natural Woman to her husband Bob Cratchet. Scrooge was also taken to his nephew's Christmas
party and watched as the guests made fun of him and broke into "Do The Ebenezer (The Locomotion).

The second act started with I Feel The Earth Move. The entire cast dancing and rocking out.  The ghost of Christmas Future arrived and was costumed on very high stilts.  He takes us to Tiny Tim's funeral where the Cratchet family sings So Far Away.

Of course the new and improved Scrooge returns to celebrate with the Cratchet family with a rendition of You've Got A Friend. The play ended with a reprieve of Beautiful.

The audience was filled with adults but there were quite a few kids there as well. Hard to tell who laughed more the kids or the adults.  There was humor for both. For the adults there were many sexual inuendos. The costumes were fun. All the townspeople wearing a variety of clown noses. From the minute you walked into the theatre the actors were all over the lobby and stage singing and dancing and talking to audience members.

Hollywood Benefit All About 'Hope'
"It's a remarkable bunch of performers, but it's always about the kids,." Carole King told a L.A.Times reporter covering the 11/4/02 beneift staging of "The World of Nick Adams." The staged reading of the Hemingway work set in 1915 was produced by Lou Adler for Paul Newman's "Hole in the Wall" camps for sick children.  Carole, a long-term supporter of the charity, was featured on Access Hollywood's report of the evening leading the chorus of children singing "Hope," the song she wrote for the charity.  She was also show chatting with Warren Beatty and Annette Benning, who, along with Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, Julia Roberts, and, of course Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, made this evening, a night not easily to be forgotten for those lucky enough to be in attendance.

People Say the Nicest Things About Carole King:

I remember the first female voice that I resonated with. I was in the back seat of my parents' car. We lived in Germany for a while and I remember hearing Carole King's voice. And I just   perked up. I was very little and I remember her being the first voice in a woman that I really connected with. And then whatever my parents were listening to; Bob Dylan, early Rod Stewart,   Jennifer Warrens, Leonard Cohen. --Alanis Morrisette in a CNN interview, 7/5/02                                          

Gilmore Girl Soundtrack  Released 
Rhino Records has released the Gilmore Girls soundtrack CD.  It contains the re-worked version of the classic King/Stern song "Where You Lead" produced by Greg Wells and featuring Carole and Louise Goffin. Ever since the WB show's debut two years ago, the song has been sought after by the show's younger viewers who weren't even born when the '71 original became a hit for Barbra Streisand, not too mention, one of the staples from Tapestry.

A Review: What the World Needs Not --Another "Tapestry" Tribute Album
Back  in the early 70s,  the title of a Seventeen magazine Carole King profile was headlined: “The singer is the song,” suggesting that her songs, not necessarily the singing, accounted for her immense popularity.  On the second Tapestry tribute album in five years, it’s definitely those 12 songs that are the real stars.  After the atrocities committed on the over-produced Lava/Atlantic Tapestry Revisited album, this “coffee house” special offers a few refreshing unplugged moments.  For the most part, though, the operative word is uninspired.

Not surprisingly, the more interesting numbers are the ones where the singers try different approaches to the songs:  Nikki Boyer, of the LA based band “The Spirit Theory” strips “I Feel the Earth Move” down to just a sensual sounding acoustic guitar.

With hints of samba in her inflections, it’s much more interesting than Martika’s bombastic Top 10 dance version of the same song.  A singer simply named Kate delivers “It’s Too Late” with such an interesting take that the song sounds new.  There’s a real sound of bittersweet sadness in her voice—memorable. 

Most of the singers don’t offer anything bold or imaginative: just changes in tempo and instrumentation, for the most part.  In one case, a singer actually flubs the opening line of “Home Again” – sacrilege!  On “You’ve Got a Friend,” there’s an early fade out that makes you think the producer was running out of tape in the studio recording the take.

Why doesn't anyone think to produce a Carole King songbook -- an album full of artists performing her non-Tapestry songs?

Carole Guests on New Talk Show
Get those VCRs rolling: Carole will guest on the "The Caroline Rhea Show"  on September 4th. Rhea is the replacement for Rosie O'Donnell's talk show. But, be very careful to check your local listings as the new talk show is not being carried in some major markets such as NYC. 

Carole Performs at October Benefit Dinner in Philly
Hey Now Philly, You Street City:  Carole King will be performing October 11 at the Gala 25th Anniversary Dinner for the ALS Organization.  Information about tickets can be obtained by calling (215)643-5434.

Carole's Today Show Appearance Sparks Big Sales
In the 8/17/02 issue of Billboard magazine, not only did Tapestry bolt from #41 to #4 on the Pop Catalog chart, but, Love Makes the World re-entered the Billboard Top Independent Chart at #29.  The reason: Carole's 5 song performance on the 8/2/02 Today show's Summer Concert Series.  See below for more...

Carole Works That Magic on Today Show Concert
Following 3 days after Bruce Springsteen's Asbury Park location concert, the Today Show didn't have to travel  out of town to capture Carole King in her hometown environment. The New York City born singer/songwriter treated thousands of fans to a live concert as part of the show's Summer Concert series.  Backed by Rudy Guess on guitar, Phil Robinson on guitar, Robbie Konder on keyboards, Shawn Pelton on drums, Zev Katz on bass, Sherry Goffin Kondor, Curtis King and Vanesse Thomas on backing vocals, fans who gathered early got to watch Carole's 60 minute plus pre-dawn rehearsal. 

By the end of the day, Carole's performance  on the #1 morning show had propelled both Tapestry (#5) and Love Makes the World (#6) into the top 10 of Amazon.com's sales chart.

Complete Song Listing Added to SHOF Website
Compiled from both ASCAP and BMI databases, the Songwriters Hall of Fame's website recently added a complete song listing of the Carole King catalog.  Included are all of the Goffin/King hits, King album tracks,  plus more recent songs not yet recorded.  Click Here to View.

Carole Being Honored by Songwriters Hall of Fame
Carole was honored on June 13 in NYC by the Songwriters Hall of Fame when the organization presents her with the Johnny Mercer Award for Lifetime Achievement. Bravo broadcast the tribute in early October, Click here for more information.  The April 23 Wall Street Journal's Marketplace featured rock stars bypassing the major record corporations in favor of independent distributors.  A photo of Carole performing at JFK Stadium was prominently featured along with a quote from Ms. King's lawyer Laurie Soriano stating that with sales exceeding 160,000 Love Makes the World has turned out to be "very profitable." 

Of course, once Koch Records gets hip to releasing either "I Wasn't Gonna Fall in Love" or  "You Will Find Me There," two of the best pop classics that Carole has ever recorded,  Lite rock stations will have a new single to rally around.

Carole Steps Out in April...
Carole opened the 20th anniversary celebration/tribute party for Paul Newman's "Newman Own" company.  The party was held on 4/2 in NYC and also featured Bette Midler on the bill...  Carole will  be interviewed on World Cafe, to be aired nationally in early April on public radio stations across the country. And, finally, on May 7th, Carole will at long last make her first appearance on the WB hit, "Gilmore Girls."  Don't know whether Carole will be singing her new single "Monday Without You" at any of these events.

It's a Family Affair: Sherry Steps Out as Solo Act
For everyone who has ever wished to hear Sherry Goffin Kondor record a solo album, you won't have to wait too long.  With a little help from family members, Robbie Kondor (co-writer and musician), mom, and brother-in-law Greg Wells (producer), Sherry will release an entire CD of  lullabies for children in June on Rounder Records.  Included in the mix is "Betcha By Golly Wow, " The Stylistics oldie that Sherry once told an interview her mother used to sing to her  at bedtime. The cd, Mellow My Baby: Soothing Songs and Lullabies also features "Child of Mine," a beautiful song lovingly written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin  for Sherry when she was an infant, as well as original lullabies co-written by Kondor and King.
 

Louise Goffin's New CD Garners Rolling Stone Rave
Louise Goffin's new CD Sometimes a Circle received a rave review in Rolling Stone On-line recently.  The title track has been a radio staple on lots of Triple A radio stations.  On a recent promotional visit to a Philadelphia radio station on 2/13, the night before Valentine's Day, Louise performed the song, along with, a version of a 1961 written by a pair of Brooklyn songwriters... To learn more about Louise's CD and upcoming appearances, check out her website at: www.louisegoffin.com

Carole Spends 60th Birthday in Cuba
Associated Press's  Anita Snow reported on 2/11/02 that Carole King was part of a Congressional delegation that visited Cuba over the 2/9 weekend (King's 60th birthday) in an attempt to build bridges between the two countries.

"My songs were a message I wanted to bring here," said King, who celebrated her 60th birthday in Havana on Saturday. "I came here to learn because my life, my work, is all about communication. We should be setting an example of good will."

Delegation members said they brought bottles of California cabernet sauvignon and merlot to Castro's dinner. Earlier Sunday evening, the California delegation shared a bottle with 17 noted Cuban dissidents at an Old Havana hotel.

"We ought to be having a better tone about building bridges rather than building walls," Rep. Sam Farr (news) said Monday.

The group also included representatives of California's rice and wine industries and King, the singer/songwriter.

They said their dinner with Castro at the Palace of the Revolution stretched from 9 p.m. Sunday until about 4:30 a.m. Monday. During the meal, King also performed a new song, "Love Makes the World."

Carole's Single Debuts on  Gavin Report Top 40 A/C Chart
Carole's new single, "Love Makes the World" has debuted at #37 on the Gavin Report's Top 40 A/C chart.  Meanwhile, the CD becomes Carole's first studio album since "City Streets" to debut on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart (issue date 11/10/01) -- it's #158 with a bullet.  The CD is also #7 on Billboard's Top Independent Album Chart and #16 on Billboard's Top Internet Sales chart.

Carole's new single, "Love Makes the World" has debuted at #37 on the Gavin Report's Top 40 A/C chart.  Meanwhile, the CD becomes Carole's first studio album since "City Streets" to debut on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart (issue date 11/10/01) -- it's #158 with a bullet.  The CD is also #7 on Billboard's Top Independent Album Chart and #16 on Billboard's Top Internet Sales chart.

Carole's Single Debuts on  Gavin Report Top 40 A/C Chart
Carole's new single, "Love Makes the World" has debuted at #37 on the Gavin Report's Top 40 A/C chart.  Meanwhile, the CD becomes Carole's first studio album since "City Streets" to debut on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart (issue date 11/10/01) -- it's #158 with a bullet.  The CD is also #7 on Billboard's Top Independent Album Chart and #16 on Billboard's Top Internet Sales chart.

Carole Among Performers at WTC Benefit in DC
Carole King performed at the RFK Stadium WTC benefit concert on 10/21 in Washington, DC.  Earlier that week, Carole had been lobbying in Congress when the buildings at Capitol Hill had to be evacuated due to the Anthrax threat, Carole mentioned in her NPR radio interview.

Tribute to Carole & Others Will Benefit WTC Rescuers
The New York chapter of the Recording Academy will honor singer-songwriter Carole King, rockers Kiss, AOL-Time Warner executive and President of the Songwriters Hall of Fame Linda Moran, and rap mogul Russell Simmons at the 2001 Heroes Awards Gala on Dec. 4 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. The dinner ceremony will benefit the families of the World Trade Center rescuers who died or are missing.

Gap Commercial Spark "Tapestry"  and "Love" Sales
The September airing of the Carole/Louise Gap commercials have sparked Tapestry sales--the album quickly re-entered Billboard's Pop Catalog chart and soared to Top 10 in only 2 weeks.  Meanwhile, Love Makes the World remains a consistent high ranking sales entry on Amazon.Com's charts -- reaching as high as #9.
 

Carole & Louise Fall into the Gap
Entertainment Weekly reports in its 8/24/01 issue that Carole King and daughter Louise Goffin will star in one of the Gap's series of new tv commercials called "First Loves."  The series of spots asks celebs like DreamWorks recording artist Goffin to reveal their first loves.  In Louise's case, that happens to have been her Mom.  In the photo show from the ad in EW, it looks like Carole is modeling  the Fall Gap line --she's wearing a brown turtleneck sweater.  

The spots begin airing 9/9 and will be featured on the following shows---Ally McBeal, Frazier,  NYPD Blue, Drew Carey, West Wing, Gilmore Girls, Will and Grace, ER,Access Hollywood, and
Thieves.

Official: Carole's New Album to Arrive 9/25
NEW YORK, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Pop icon, singer/songwriter Carole King, will release her 1st new studio album of new material in 8 years, Love Makes The World, on September 25. King is releasing the CD, her first studio album in almost a decade, on her own label, Rockingale Records through a KOCH Progressive/KELA partnership, instead of several available major label options. "Making the album on my own, without the pressure of having to answer to a big record company, where decisions are made by committee, enabled me to make the album I wanted to make," commented King. Love Makes The World, produced (primarily) by King and Humberto Gatica, includes several good friends who came by the recording sessions over the past year. The album features guest performances by Kenny Edmonds (Babyface), on "You Can Do Anything," Celine Dion on "The Reason," Wynton Marsalis on "I Wasn't Going To Fall In Love," and k.d. lang on "An Uncommon Love." The songs in the inimitable King style were written in collaboration with writers as diverse as PopRox, Babyface, Mark Hudson, Gary Burr and Carole Bayer Sager.

The album will be available at all traditional outlets as well as online. King will launch her own website, caroleking.com, in conjunction with the release of Love Makes The World, developed personally by King for her fans. The site will feature links to video interviews, extensive liner notes in installments for her new album, as well as news, personal notes and thoughts from King herself on everything from family to the environment. Planned for future release on the website is a comprehensive Timeline of her four-decade career, as well as a detailed Discography page representing her career as both an artist and songwriter.

'Tapestry': 30 Years Ago, A Look Back.. .
Lisa Rose of the Newark NJ Star Ledger, NJ's leading daily newspaper, did a great job of  analyzing the legend of Tapestry, in the page 1 feature of the 7/8/01 Sunday Spotlight/Arts section.  She interviewed Lou Adler, Danny Kortchmar, Gerry Goffin, and even Sherry Goffin Kondor.  Carole declined an interview, as she is focusing her attention on her upcoming release.  The three page spread featured four great photos.  To read story online. click here.,

Where the Stars Put on a Show For Free ... and Other Short Notes
The NY Historical Museum is staging a photo exhibit this summer  titled "Up on the Roof" and featuring  works snapped by famous photographers on New York rooftops... Rolling Stone reported that Carole King teamed up with Hanson at Miles Copeland's most recent songwriter's retreat held earlier this Spring.  One of the Hanson brothers is quoted in the random note as being taken aback by actually referring to Our Miss King by her first name...Cynthia Nixon, star of HBO's "Sex in the City" show is quoted in a recent magazine selecting Tapestry as her "Desert Island Pick"...Carole performed at a recent Lupus benefit sponsored by Backstreet Boy Howie Drough, as well as a Memorial Day benefit auction for two of her Idaho neighbors

Jim McCrary Web Site Debuts
Famed LA photographer Jim McCrary who served as A&M Records staff photographer from 1967-74 has a new website that features many vintage shots of Carole King. McCrary gained world-wide fame for having shot Tapestry album cover. Click here to visit the website.

Brill Building Doc Debuts on A&E in August 
Morgan Neville's documentary, "Hitmakers: The Teens Who Stole Pop Music" will be screened on 5/3 in NYC and 6/18 in LA at the Museum of Broadcasting headquarters before debuting on A& E week of August  27, 2001.  Check local listings.  The documentary features lots of new interview footage with Carole, Gerry Goffin, and others.

Review  of "Hitmakers: The Teens Who Stole Pop Music" by Kevin, of NYC

I saw The Brill Building Documentary at the Museum of Radio & Television tonight, and am still on a high.

Carole King and Gerry Goffin are featured prominently!

There are interviews with Steve Lawrence, Jeff Barry, Elie Greenwich, Jerry Wexler, Neil Sedaka, Shadow Morton (who was on a panel afterwards), Lieber & Stoller, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Doc Pomus, Don Kirschner and others.

I sat near Mary Weiss, from the Shangri-las. Looks great - so YOUTHFUL and BRUNETTE.

A favorite part was Carole & Gerry and Barry & Cynthia sitting at a kitchen table reminiscing (later found out it was the Mann/Weil kitchen table!) Gerry Goffin, whom I always suspected had a dark and possibly smart-ass personality, turned out to be loveable. (I find him extremely good looking, too.)He cracked the audience up several times. One of the stories he told was how Don Kirschner convinced Carole & Gerry to buy a tract house in New Jersey, so they would be closer to him. Here they were, a highly successful songwriting team, buying a little tract house while Kirschner lived in a mansion in East (or South?) Orange. "But at least we got Pleasant Valley Sunday out of it!" laughed Carole. They also talked about how upset they all were when Kirschner sold out to Screen Gems. "We wanted our little cubby holes back" says Cynthia Weil.

There are lots and lots of never-before-seen (by me) stills of Carole & Gerry, and even more amazing, films of Carole & Gerry writing at 1650 Broadway (Gerry giving her suggestions) and an 8mm color film of C & G in bathing suits smooching for the camera! And lots and lots of clips showing THE DEMOS - "Sharing You", piano/vocal Carole King (would like to hear that!)and many, many others.

Also, a long clip of Carole (circa 1971 or 2) singing "Natural Woman" in concert, alone at the piano. Could be from the concert that the BBC filmed.

I spoke with Morgan Neville, the producer/director of the documentary, and he said the clips of Carole and the demos all came via Carole's father, who, to Carole and everyone else's surprise, had "kept all of these things over the years". (I guess they were discovered when he died?) So a big thank you to Mr. Klein!

Anyway, there are lots of surprises in this documentary, including the music. After Goffin/King/Mann/Weill talk about Kirschner creating the Monkeys as a way to survive during the "British Invasion", the film launches into "Porpoise Song" -- it was fun to hear it blasted from the theatre's mega speakers.

And I could go on and on, but won't. It will be aired on 8/27.

Sorry this is so long, Mary! (But I post so infrequently!) --Kevin, NYC, 5/4/01

Tell Rhino to Release Vintage King Disks
Each month I receive  emails from other CK fans seeking One to One, Speeding Time, the Capitol albums, and, most commonly, the never released Murphy's Romance Soundtrack.  Read below for one fan's suggestions on how we can launch a campaign to get some of these lost gems re-released:

Hi there,

I just noticed that the rhino handmade label (www.rhinohandmade.com) is
reissuing the two Atlantic albums of Sly and the Family Stone. I wondered if
you felt it was worth encouraging people to put One to One in the rhino
handmade suggestion box, since this company presumably has first rights on
the album (or do the rights belong to Carole herself?). I have done. Anyway,
just a thought, and many thanks, as always, for all the great news and
information you supply us starving Carole King fans with.

Best wishes,

Charlie, London, UK

Nyro's WYLMT for the Ages; "Ally" Disk Contains "Home Again"
One of the finest version of the Goffin-King classic, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" appears on Laura Nyro's just released  "Angels  in the Dark."  Laura's cover, recorded in the year or so before her death,  is the best version of that too-often recorded classic that I've heard since Carole's own re-make back in '71.  The entire album is excellent and will be enjoyed by all of her  fans...Vonda Shephard's version of "Home Again" is featured on the just released "Ally" soundtrack CD.  Other songs include Vonda's version of Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life."  Al Green, Tina Turner, and Robert Downey also guest on the CD. 

Steven Tyler Lends Vocal Support to King Recording
The official Paul Brady website announced that Brady worked with Carole King, Gary Burr, and Mark Hudson on a new version of "Monday Without You." Aereosmith's Steven Tyler dropped by and added a  vocal to the track.  Another song, "I Don't Know" co-written by King, Brady, and Hudson, was also recorded.  Both songs are likely to appear on Carole's forthcoming new CD.

JT's  'You've Got a Friend' Added to NARAS Hall of Fame
James Taylor's 1971 single recording of "You've Got a Friend"  was among 31 recordings added to the NARAS (Grammy) Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame was created in 1973 to honor recordings of enduring quality and relevance or historical significance. Recordings can either be songs or albums that have been released more than 25 years ago. Tapestry and several Goffin/King songs have already been inducted. 

Billboard Chart Trivia Expert Names King #1 Female Songwriter
In a 12/17/00 L.A. Times feature, pop music critic Robert Hillburn, reviewing Joel Whitburn's latest pop music research book, mentions that Whitburn named Carole King as the #1 most successful female songwriter of the 1955-99 pop music era.  Whitburn calculated that Carole has written or co-written 118 pop hits that made the Billboard Top 100 charts in the 1955-99 period.  Paul McCartney led the list with 169 hits.  Brian Holland, of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame, was #2 152.  

Here's hoping that Carole increases her tally in 2001!

VH-1 Counts 'Tapestry' One of  the All-Time Best
"Tapestry," Carole's landmark 1971 which will soon be celebrating its 30th anniversary, was ranked #39 in VH1's recent poll of the 100 Greatest Albums of All-Time.  Carole was among the artists who took part in the poll.  The album celebrates its 30th anniversary of release late March 2001.

New King Song Recorded by Semisonic
"One True Love," a song written by Carole and Dan Wilson of Semi-sonic, is receiving rave reviews from critics, including Entertainment Weekly and NY Daily News.  The groups "Chemistry" cd reached stores 3/13.

Carole Covers Carole on "Rosie"
Carole covered Carole on last month's Rosie O'Donnell Show by reprising, solo at piano, "Oh No Not My Baby."  Chatting with Rosie, Carole mentioned that she may include the song on her forthcoming CD.  She's trying to come up with an arrangement that hasn't been used before and is thinking of just bass (Charles Larkey) and piano.  Carole covered the song last on her 1980 Pearls: Songs of Goffin & King album, and also supplied soulful background vocals on a 1972 version by Merry Clayton that was produced by Lou Adler.   No word on release date for the new CD, but obviously it won't be until sometime in 2001.  

In the meantime, for that special CK fan on your holiday list, consider giving them the just released DVD version of Carole's 1994 PBS In Concert special.  The DVD contains a few extra features (text & graphics only) including CK Album Discography, a bio, and a list of her To 40 hits.   DVD can be ordered from CD Now. Target is selling it for $14.99.

Goffin-King Classic Opens New Season "Ally"
The sounds of Lisa Nicole Carson and Vonda Shepard singing "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" opened the first new episode of Ally McBeal on Monday 10/23. Ally's best friend was singing the song  to a reggae beat at the bar where Ally's boyfriend was about to propose to her. Ally had previously told the boyfriend that the song  the song was her all-time favorite, so he arranged for her  friend to be singing  it while he attempted to propose to her.

Ally's producers have spotlighted many Goffin/King and King solo songs in past seasons.

Mexican Funk Group Records "Corazon"
 Titan, a new Mexican funk group is garnering lots of press for its super hot version of Carole's 1973 classic, "Corazon" on their new CD, Elevator.  You'll recall that the group LTD Exchange had a hit on urban/r&b radio stations with its 1973 cover of the same song. 

Carole's 'Guest' Announces Conservation Purchase
During a September 24th benefit at the California home of Carole King, President Clinton  announced  a new US Forest Service  purchase of  784 acres of pristine California coastline at the southern edge of Big Sur. The $4.5 million purchase, Clinton said, ensures permanent preservation of the area that serves as habitat for endangered steelhead trout and the Smith's blue butterfly.

Paul & Carole: College Day Collaboration
In an interview with NY Daily News (9/30/00) to promote the release of his new WB disk, "You're the One," Paul Simon remarks that  he and Carole sang the demo for The Passion's 1959 hit, "Just to Be With You."  "Those modulations, where they go up half a note, said Simon, We put that into the demo."   (Personally, I've not been that much of a Paul Simon fan since his 1973 remark to the NY Times when he made a disparaging comment about Carole's lyrics.) 

Goffin/King Song Headed for Big Screen Project?
An unrecorded Goffin/King song, "Somewhere My Baby Waits for Me," is supposedly in serious consideration for inclusion in a big screen film project according to a visitor to this site who tipped us off... No word on final decision, but, you'll be sure to read it here if everything pans out... Meanwhile, the closest  that Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous feature comes to acknowledging Carole King is the inclusion of Joni Mitchell's "River."  No JT either.  Two Elton John songs and a short snippet from Cat Stevens make up the representation of the singer/songwriter movement in bloom during the time period.  Excellent film, and hopefully, this will be the project that will launch  Billy Crudup into the superstardom he deserves. 

Carole Picks Her Favorite Songs
Mojo Magazine (8/2000) published a special songwriter's issue in which the world's most celebrated songwriters selected their favorite songs.  Describing Carole as "the definitive '70s singer-songwriter," Carole's top 10 tunes are: "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," "What a Wonderful World," "God Bless the Child," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Imagine," "Tracks of My Tears," Superstition," "People Get Ready," and "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted."

Tarsha Heads Up to "Rooftops"  
Carole  is a featured vocalist  and co-wrote "Rooftops" one of the songs on Tarsha Vega's Diamonds & Monster debut RCA disk. The track pays homage to Carole and is more of musical tribute to her than the whole Lava/Atlantic "Tapestry Revisited" project of a few years back.   Tarsha and her production team/co-writers PopRox give CK a featured vocal, way upfront in the mix.  A snippet of "Up on the Roof" is sampled, and the opening line quotes the opening line of the Stern/King classic, "It's Too Late."

Tarsha  had Carole's name on a wish list of artists she'd like to guest on her album.   Carole, along  with Tarsha's producers, known collectively as "Pop-Rox" wrote  a song for Tarsha and it will appear as the closing track on the new release.  If you like Macy Gray, Lauryn Hill, and TLC, you love this whole disk!

"Freedom Song" Gets Emmy "Best Song" Nod
Congratulations to Our Miss King for receiving  a 2000 Emmy nomination for "Best Song."  The nomination is for her "Freedom Song," which was featured in film of same name.  If you missed the film when it first aired in February, it's available on VHS for rental.

Rare Carole King Photo in Special People Magazine 
In the just published special "collector's" edition of People Magazine's tribute to the 70s, a rare photo of Carole King circa 1970/1971 is published in a two-page spread titled "You've Got a Friend."  The spread also contains photos of other early 70s icons, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Roberta Flack, and Joni Mitchell. Maybe not worth buying the magazine, but, definitely worth a peak the next time you're on the checkout line of your local supermarket or visiting your local Barnes & Noble.

King & Brenda Russell 'Move the Moon'
The Carole King/Brenda Russell collaboration, previously reported here, has resulted in the song "Move the Moon," and it will appear on Brenda's new album sccheduled for US release on July 18. (Thanks to Ulla from Germany for this scoop.)

Carole King "Showers" JT With Praise
Carole performed "Shower the People" in honor of long-time pal James Taylor's induction into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame at  the organization's 31st annual induction ceremony held in NYC on June 15.  She enlisted the help of Sherry & Robbie Kondor for the song.  

King did not perform on the 1976 recording of "Shower the People", but, she did supply back-up on the song when Taylor debuted the then unreleased new tune  for three nights at his late May 1975 Carnegie Hall concerts. She was a surprise guest, first appearing on stage playing piano for "Blossom."  I was in the balcony, when my sister nudged me and said "Who's that playing piano?"  Needless to say, this teen, and the crowd went wild when we recognized who it was.  Carole later joined JT for "You've Got a Friend, " and the debut of "Shower the People."

Carole, along with partner Gerry Goffin, were inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame  back in 1987.

NY Musician's King Tribute Talk of the Town
New York musician Joe McGinty and friends sponsors a series of monthly tributes in Manhattan.  TheCarole King tribute they performed on April 7, is still be written and talked about in the press and on the web.  Unlike the October 1999 People Magazine tribute, this "Loser's Lounge" tribute didn't have to attempt to chronicle King's hit. No one was paying big bucks to hear the big hits.  All bets were off as McGinty and company roared their way through some of Carole's most obscure songs including, "I Happen to Love You," "Road to Nowhere," "They Should Have Given You the Oscar," "Happy Being Fat," "Spaceship Races," and "I Need You."  Concert attendee Art Carey wrote to me that the highlight was surprise guest Ronnie Spector performing "Is This What I Get for Loving You."  

 Hopefully, the buzz will continue and McGinty and Company will reprise this evening once again.

Carole King Wows Earth Day Audience
Carole King's performance at Earth Day 2000 in Washington DC was nothing less than stellar. She was introduced by actor Ed Begley, Jr. and was enthusiastically welcomed by the very large and diverse crowd. Simply stated, she was radiant. Despite the chilly weather and overcast skies, she emitted a warmth that was obviously felt by the audience. Carole was totally at ease with the crowd, first mentioning one of her ecological causes (NREPA), and then proclaiming, ''now for some music!" which brought even more applause from the audience.

Carole opened with "Time Gone By", playing guitar and accompanied by two other guitarists (long-time collaborator Rudy Guess and film director, Phil Alden Robinson. Her voice was in top form, and the overall sound was very rich, even though it was an open-air concert. It was a treat for this fan, since I don't ever remember hearing her sing this song in concert before. It fit the mood of the entire event, since most of the artists had chosen to perform at least one song with an "activist-type" theme.

Carole then announced two surprise guests, and brought out David Crosby (who had performed earlier in the day) and James Taylor (who would be performing his own set later.) The crowd virtually went wild when Carole sat at the keyboard and began playing the first few chords of "You've Got a Friend". It was truly a magical (and almost surreal) moment to experience the three of them singing this song together, and I am sure I wasn't the only one who felt chills -- and it wasn't the weather! Even during the song, Carole yelled out, "It doesn't get better than this!" The audience agreed with her by their cheers and applause.

Carole concluded her short set (each artist only performed for about 15 minutes) by saying something to the effect that she had once written a song about the Earth, so "let's do it!" and launched into a rousing version of "I Feel the Earth Move". Again, there was a very enthusiastic reaction from the crowd as soon as she played those first familiar chords. It wasn't long before many people were dancing and clapping to the music. Afterwards she thanked the charged-up audience for being there and quickly left the stage to
make way for the next performer. Even though it was short, her appearance was very high quality, energetic, and meaningful.

On a personal note, I was encouraged by the very positive and responsive reaction of the crowd to Carole, including people who probably had not even been born at the time that "Tapestry" was first released! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay long enough to see James Taylor's set, because I thought that maybe Carole would reappear to perform with him. Living in the DC area, I was exposed to much publicity about the entire Earth Day event, and every time I saw an advertisement or article mentioning it, Carole was given top billing among the numerous musical entertainers! I am glad I was lucky to see her perform live once again - she was incredible.

--By Randy from DC, Washington DC correspondent to Bob's Page of Carole King

Carole Brings Luck to LA Dodgers on Opening Day
What's a nice Brooklyn girl  like Carole King singing the National Anthem at the L.A. Dodgers opening day game?   New L.A. Dodgers chairman  Robert Daly, CK friend (husband of Carole Bayer Sager) personally asked Carole to sing the song at the April 14 opening day game in L.A.  L.A. contributor to this page, Becky Tedesco reports that Carole dedicated her performance of the song to her father, who was a fan of the Dodgers when they called Brooklyn their home. 

 She may be asked back to it again: the Dodgers won 8-1.  ("The Star Spangled Banner, along with "White Christmas," are two American standards that Carole did not write.)

Carole & 'Earth to LA'
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) held its first annual fundraiser, "Earth To LA!," an evening of comedy, music and short films, on May 31 in LA.  Three members of the Mary R. DejaNews Carole Newsgroup attended: Becky, Lawrence, and Matt.  Carole looked great as she performed the as yet unreleased "You Can Do Anything" and led the audience in "This Land is Your Land.   For more information about the group, www.nrdc.org. 

King Lends Support to Teen's Debut
Atlantic Recording artist Angela Via benefited from a chance meeting with Carole King and the two penned "Stay Together" for the 18 year old's Atlantic debut.  "It was a chance meeting with Carole and we just hit it off," enthuses Angela. "We got chatting and decided we’d try writing together. Carole’s fantastic and she’s yet another reason why making this album has been so thrilling for me. I can’t wait for people to hear these songs." The album will be released on June 6. 

Carole Joins Arista Tribute Concert in LA
Carole King was a presenter at the April 10 T.J. Martell benefit concert honoring Clive Davis on Arista Records' 25th anniversary.  Our Miss King joined in the finale of "That's What Friends Are For," one of Arista's biggest hits.  (The song was co-written by the other Carole, Carole Bayer Sager.)  Another report had King singing a second song with Davis himself.

Meanwhile, the big news of the evening was whether Whitney Houston would show up to perform.  She did.  Reviews were mixed.  The concert was taped for a network broadcast on May 15, NBC; check local listings.

Arista has plans to release the special on DVD as well as to market a live CD of the event.  No word on whether Carole will appear on any of these offshoots.

"Home Again" Closes Special 'Ally' Episode; Airs on 'Hope'
"Home Again," sung by Carole, has been licensed for use on one of this season's final episodes of  Chicago Hope (CBS).

In the past few months, several Carole King songs have been sung on the hit Fox show Ally McBeal, but, none more effectively than how the director used "Home Again" --sung in its entirety by Vonda Shepard, to close the 3/27 episode that focused on the sudden death of Ally's great love, Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows).   Ally, and Billy's wife, both find their way walking to his grave at night, as "Home Again" plays.   This might be another Emmy- nominated episode.  Hopefully, should producers decide to release a third volume of Shepard-sung songs, "Home Again" will be included.  I've never been of fan of Shepard's singing, but, she nailed this one!

The episode was repeated on April 10, which is rare for a show to be re-broadcast so quickly.

Another King Fan Revealed
Loved by millions of music lovers the world over for decades, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Carole King has alot of fans in the ranks of her peers. (See below for "What People Are Saying about Carole King..." )  I was surpised to read that Randy Newman is also one of the long list of the industry's leading artists who admire Carole. In a September 1999 interview in Performing Songwriter Magazine, writer Paul Zollo poses the following question:

 Did Dylan have much of an influence on you when he emerged?
No. I listened mostly to pop music, what Carole King was writing and what Mann & Weil were writing. Straight pop stuff, and, of course, Ray Charles and Fats Domino, who I loved.

King Song Included on Brady's April Disk
A song cowritten by Carole with Paul Brady appears on his new Ryko disk, "Oh What a Beautiful World," released April 14 in Europe...

The Geffen--Not Goffin-Connection
In  The Operator,  the controversial new biography of media mogul David Geffen, Carole King is mentioned as the subject of a heated exchange that took place between Geffen and one of his then signed artists Jackson Browne.  It seems that Geffen proposed to Browne  that he ask King to sing a duet on his 1972 release. Geffen says he could use his Lou Adler friendship to make such a pairing happen.  Browne was aghast at the idea:  I don't know her.  How could I ask someone I don't know to make music with me.  It would only be for commerce sake, not art's sake. Or something to the affect. Needless to say, the pairing never happened.  I wonder if Carole would have consented to such a collaboration: she was keenly aware of how the media was trying to capitalize on her "Tapestry" success, and I'm not so sure she would have agreed to help out someone she didn't know.

Fast forward 30 years: Carole King and Jackson Browne have just co-written a new song together.  Neither have recorded it as yet.

Carole Lands on "Hi Fidelity" Top 5 List
For anyone who has read Nick Hornsby's novel, or ventures to see the film version unspooling across the country at this moment, you will know that the main character Rob Gordon is compulsively making up "Top Five" lists centering on his pop music favorites and events in his life. Within the first few minutes of the film, as he describes his #2 hardest break-up, he rattles off  this ex-girlfriend's "Top Five artists" including  Carole King (#2). (Carly Simon was #1.) 

Crosby Book Glosses Over Carole's Activism
David Crosby has just published his long-awaited book Stand Up and Be Counted, a look back at the role rock artists have played as agents of social and political change.   Carole King, who quietly began her role as political activist in 12/1971 by encouraging 18 year old's to exercise their newly earned right to vote in the liner notes of her Music album, and appearing with James Taylor, Barbra Streisand, and Quincy Jones at the LA Forum 4/15/72 benefit for George McGovern's presidential campaign, is briefly mentioned in the book.  Crosby and his co-author do not mention any of Carole's major efforts on behalf of the environment, the major part of activism since the early 1980s.

Two Caroles Take to the Schools for Mr. Holland's Opus
Carole King, along with pals Rudy Guess and Carole Bayer Sager  visited Lakeside Middle School on behalf of the Mr. Holland's Opus Organization, a non-profit organization that  champions music education in the public school system.  Click here for more information about the organization and a group photo shot.  If you squint, you'll manage to spot the two Caroles somewhere in the center of the photo.  I think Ms. Sager is wearing a white blouse and is seated directly behind the boy kneeling in the first row; I think CK is wearing black , or dark colored shirt, and is sitting next to CBS.  Carole Bayer Sager serves on the group's Board of Directors.  (Thanks to Ulla who supplied this tidbit all the way from Europe!)

Louise Goffin Signs with Dreamworks
Good news for the many fans of Goffin-King's first collaboration: Louise Goffin has signed with Dreamwork Records and is in the process of recording her first album for the label.  For those who have followed Louise's career since the critically acclaimed Kid Blue back in 1979, the big news is why a major label has taken so long to sign her following her excellent Bridge of Sighs WB release back in 1988.   The news was revealed by Sherry Goffin Kondor in a recent live chat conducted on twec.com.   

NPR Picks "Tapestry" One of Century's Top 100 Musical Works
Carole's "Tapestry"  album is one of the few albums included on just released National Public Radio's list of the 100 most important American musical works of the last century.

The list started with 300 songs suggested by a group of producers, artists and experts familiar to NPR. In mid-October, NPR allowed the public to vote on the selection. More than 13,000 listeners cast their votes online and through the mail.

A panel of 15 musicians considered the same 300 songs. Classical conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, and jazz vocalist Jane Ira Bloom were among the panelists. Their votes and those of listeners were combined in the final list.

Elvis Costello Debuts New King Collaboration
Elvis Costello debuted his new collaboration with Carole King at a Louisville concert on 10/13/99.  One fan. Mike Bodayle  posted this reivew on a Costello fan forum :"And, are you sitting down - the world premiere of "Burnt Sugar is So Bitter"! The new song by the "song writing partnership of King & Costello - Carole King that is". Great powerful song about a husband leaving his wife and family. Recall a line about how the kids took all the pictures of Dad off the refrigerator. Hearing EC play this on the acoustic reminded me of the first time I heard "God Give Me Strength" (London 1995) - a great song still struggling to find its arrangement."

She Wrote the Songs...CK Named to Century Best List
A year-end survey of  great American 20th century pop songwriters published in the 12/12/99 edition of the  Newark Star Ledger, NJ's leading newspaper,  selected Carole along with the likes of Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Bob Dylan, Lennon & McCartney, Bruce Springsteen,  and the only other female on the list, Joni Mitchell.

Six critics who have cover popular music and theatre for the metropolitan area newspaper originally came up with a list of 114 songwriters that they whittled down to 50. 

King Mulls Millennium Major Political Event
In the Rolling Stone  year-end millennium special issue, Carole offers the following thought on major political events: 

"The election of President Clinton changed things in a major way.  He was the first president of our generation--the Rolling Stone generation, if you will.  He moved the country into consideration of both the needs and the visions of younger people.  Prior to Clinton, every other president stood as our 'father'--not 'us.'  I mean, whether you supported him or not, wasn't it great to have a president who cared enough to include MTV in his campaign schedule?"

Urging youth to take part in the democratic process is nothing new to Carole : those who have followed Carole's career since the early 1970s will remember how she used the liner notes to the 12/71 "Music" release to promote  the 18 year olds to register and vote.   Yes, once upon a time you did have to be 21 year olds to vote, even though, you were eligible to fight in wars at 18.

Rare King Recording Surfaces on "Crazy" Soundtrack 
A rare mid-60s recording by Carole King of the Goffin-King song "Like Little Children" appears on the Crazy in Alabama Soundtrack. 

Recent Carole Sightings...
Randy of Washington DC reported that the Washington Post reported Carole attended the 11/7/99 "reunion" party of the Gary Hart 1984 campaign.  Randy was especially delighted to read that the Post had even listed Carole ahead of Warren Beatty when reporting on potential guest list...The following Tuesday, 11/9, Carole was in New York to attend a benefit for Rosie O'Donnell's children foundation.  Others in attendance included Liza Minnelli, Julia Roberts, and Michael Jordan. (A great photo of Carole appeared in In Style magazine, 1/00 issue with Julia Roberts on cover; thanks to Mary R. for the tip.) .. Good Morning American airs a special feature on mother/daughter relationships that includes an interview with Carole and 2nd daughter Sherry Goffin Kondor. The spot was taped the same day that Carole appeared on GMA to promote her  People tribute show in October.

People Magazine King Tribute Show : Too Little Carole
A Review

Lacking in spontaneity  evident in the way performers were quickly trotted on and off stage with very little interaction between each other,  the honoree, or the band, and a little too overproduced for my taste, the 10/14/99 People Magazine Tribute to Carole King was overall successful in that it reminded everyone in attendance of the powerful impact that this Brooklyn girl turned "natural woman" has had on the course of popular music in the later half of the 20th century. 

 And, once Carole appeared on stage  to close the evening,  the show began to transform itself into something spontaneous and fun.  From that point on, we were treated to special moments, like Carole doing "Home Again," one of her signature concert numbers, as well as a beaufitul duet with Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds on a new song Carole, Edmonds and Carole Bayer Sager wrote called "You Can Do Anything."  (She had debuted this song on Good Morning America  the previous day, but, Edmonds' voice added  even more depth to it. )  

Of all the perfomers present, only Luther Vandross ("Hey Girl"), Reba McEntire, Sherry Goffin Kondor and Trisha Yearwood managed to breathe some life into their versions of the the  Goffin- King chestnuts  by ad-libbing or really trying to connect with the audience.  In fact, Ms. Goffin-Kondor's young son Dylan displayed more enthusiasm and at-ease rapport with the audience in his brief introduction of Chrissie Hynde than most of the performers did. Most were on and off, so fast that it seemed that they were  being timed or had other gigs to rush off to attend, which, indeed might have been the case with Rickie Lee Jones who opened a three night run at a downtown venue the following evening.

If only the show had allowed Carole to duet with more of the performers and  delved further into the King catalogue  ("Jazzman" is not one of Carole's classics that I would have chosen and the live version was too long and occupied too much of her on-stage time.   Besides  "Music" would have lent itself much better to the jazz group's talents as it is a much more sophisticated composition and it  works beautifully in concert as evident by its being chosen the opener of the recent off-Broadway revue, "Tapestry" and the second-act opener of Carole's own 1976 "Thoroughbred" tour.

 Nonetheless, on its own, the evening will stand as a nice testament to this wonderful composer's legacy.

King's Music Connects People to People
At the beginning of the 10/14/99 People Magazine Tribute to Carole King, President Nora McAniff remarked how People's mission is connecting people to people.   Utilizing the technology and power that is the Internet, Mary's Carole King Newsgroup  and Bob's Page of Carole King (via its CaroleNet) have been doing their part in connecting "people to people" who have a passion for the music of Carole King. 

•  A young woman from Germany found a listing for another young woman on Bob's CaroleNet page and struck up an Internet friendship that brought both to New York City on October 14 to attend the People tribute concert.  They had never met, face to face, before boarding the plane to the NYC concert.

•  Two people who work for the same major corporation in NJ found each other, not in their lunch room, but on Mary's newsgroup and likewise began a friendship that brought them together on 10/14/99 for a day of "carole-ing" in NYC.

• A young married couple in Italy read about the People concert on Bob's page or Mary's newsgroup, and likewise made the trip.

 A group of 15 or so members of Mary's Carole Cyber World, most of whom had never met, finally did meet on Oct 14, 1999 outside the Brill Building at 11:30am, on a windy, but beautiful Fall NYC afternoon, to share not only past CK experiences, but also to get to know each other as people, "one to one," and in the flesh. 

 While I have been hosting this web-site for over 4 years and emailing back and forth to Mary R. from Idaho,  at least once a week,  I had never even spoken to her on the phone, so  10/14/99 was a special day I'll always remember as the day I actually got to meet this wonderful friend, as well as 13 others! 

And a special thanks to the special woman who brought us all together-- may your music always keep playing. It inspires us to be better people and makes the world a little bit brighter in every way...

Salon.Com Feature on CK Career: Goin' Back 
Salon.com, the online e-zine that published an excellent reveiw of the Carole King Legacy re-releases, also ran a feature on Carole's career: Click here to read article in its entirety.

Carole King & Toni Stern Song Recorded for "Shake Rattle & Roll"
MCA Records soundtrack to the CBS mini-series Shake, Rattle, & Roll will feature a new composition, "Wall Around My Heart," penned by Carole King and Toni Stern in 1985, but previously not recorded.  The song will be performed by Chante Moore, who plays a member of the fictional "girl group" The Emeralds.  The mini-series  aired on CBS 11/7 and 11/9.

Carole Joins Mary Chapin Carpenter in Wilmington, NC
From a review of a July 3, 1999 Wilmington, North Carolina concert review by Debra Gillilan :

"Then they did the number, "I Feel Lucky", and the crowd was singing along. And then, Mary Chapin introduced the evening's special guest-none other than Carole King ! Carole came onstage to sing "You've Got a Friend", along with Mary Chapin and the entire audience. Carole even changed the lyrics to "I'll be there, Mary Chapin, You've Got a Friend". It was awesome. And then, Mary Chapin let Carole sing "Natural Woman"; at this point, I personally got a big kick out of watching Mary Chapin looking on in awe of Carole King. Mary Chapin sat with her guitar back by the drums, and even had her head resting on her hand propping her head up, in awe, kind of like I do when I watch Mary Chapin !! It was wonderful to see such ear-to-ear grins on Mary Chapin's face, as Carole King sang to her, and then Mary Chapin sang back-up, and then the whole audience sang verses. A night to remember !"

Salon.Com Rates Rosie "The Best Children's Album Ever..."

For an indepth review of the four Legacy/Carole King reissues, click here:http://www.salon.com/ent/music/feature/1999/05/25/tapestry/index.html

Carole Voices Opinion About Ratings and the Media
As part of the USA Today/CNN Gallup Poll, in preparation for the Brownback's hearing, the Recording Industry Association of America contacted Ms. King. She was asked to comment on the affectiveness of ratings and labels. This was her statement:

"Ratings and labels are 'informative', singer/songwriter Carole King says. "They're a good thing." But beyond that, artists need to police themselves, she says. Parents hold the key. [Contributed by Becky Tedesco]

Pop-Up Video 'Divas '98 Reveals' Behind the Scenes Trivia
VH-1 aired a "Pop Up Video" version of its Divas '98 during April. Interweaving trivia facts with the clips, the following tidbits were revealed about Carole's appearance: Although she at first felt reluctant about "borrowing" expensive jewelry, she did agree to borrow earrings and a necklace at a total value: $1.25 million. At the last minute, she wanted to borrow a ring to wear while playing piano. The show's jewelry supplier didn't have a ring in her size so the show's stylist had to run out and buy her a ring--value: $3.00. The black pants suit outfit Carole wore cost $5,000.

Crew members at rehearsal were treated to a "moving version" of "You've Got a Friend" on the afternoon of the show: sung by Carole alone. A few execs wanted "to lose" the song from the finale since it was deemed by them to be "too syrupy." {As the world knows, the five divas singing "You've Got a Friend" wound up being the highlight of the show.}

Also, during the "Natural Woman" grand finale, producers told Aretha that Carole would sing the first verse, but, of course, Aretha ignored this instruction and commandeered the first verse and the rest of song as well. Carole was said to not be annoyed since she "writes songs for voices like Aretha to sing." {The New York Times in its review of the evening last year credited Carole with bravely attempting to engage Aretha in some vocal , back & forth exchanges.}

Besides Aretha, Mariah Carey also suffered plenty of "pop up" zingers including such items as she would only perform a duet with Aretha, and she did not originally want to be part of the finale.

2 Goffin & King Classics Inducted into NARAS Hall of Fame
Recordings of two Goffin & King classics, "Natural Woman" and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" were inducted into the National Academy of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame last week. Over 100 new recordings were added to the already 286 recordings, including "Tapestry," the album, which had been inducted last year.

This year, Joni Mitchell's "Blue" and Dylan's "Blonde on Blonder" were both inducted.

King, the Songwriter, Continues Heavy Activity
While her fans worldwide wait anxiously for news of a possible new album, Carole King , the songwriter continues her collaborations with many of today's most prolific songwriters, most recently Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Brenda Russell, and her own daugher Louise Goffin. Matt Block of LA reports that he found a new entry in the BMI catalog called "We Can More Than Make It," written by Louise and her mom.

Meanwhile, Carole's collaboration with Carole Bayer Sager, "Anyone at All," has become a big hit in Japan, and Ulla from Germany reports hearing the song on German airwaves, as well.

A Roadie Shares His Memories of Working With Carole King
A former roadie named Karl Kuenning who worked sound for Carole King during her brief Fall East Coast "Welcome Home" lp support tour recalls his experiences working with her : http://www.roadie.net/carole.htm. I was lucky enough to catch two shows, the 11/17/78 opening night at Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ and the 11/19 show at the Palladium in NYC. (Funny how sometimes I can't remember today's date, but, my memories of things CK-related are so vividly clear!)

New Web-site Features CK Concert Photos
Check out the beta-testing of a new site that contains lots of CK concert photos taken by Neal Preston. To access, click on link to opening page that follows and enter Carole King in "search" box http://www.corbis.com for a sneak peak. Featured are shots taken at 1985's Farm Aid and a 8/77 Greek Theatre show with Navaroo.

Back to Bob's Page of Carole King Home Page