Brother and sister duo the Carpenters were one of the most successful pop groups of the 1970s, having many top 10 hits before their career came to an end in the early 1980s. Richard in 1946 and Karen Carpenter in 1950 were born in New Haven, and began singing and playing instruments while still in high school. Richard played piano Karen, drums. The Carpenter family moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s, and in 1966 Richard, Karen and friend Wes Jacobs won a local talent contest, coming to the attention of RCA Records.

Unfortunately their initial demos didn't work out, and by 1968 they were performing together as a duo, playing clean pop rock. A new demo won the pair a contract in 1969, and they released their debut album later that year. With their 1970 follow up Close to You, the Carpenters broke into the big time, scoring a No. 1 hit with the Bacharach David title track.

During the early 1970s the Carpenters became one of the most popular musical acts in the world, with numerous Top 10 hits such as Rainy Days and Mondays, Goodbye to Love, We've Only Just Begun, and Top of the World, while winning two Grammy awards along the way. By 1975 the soft pop that made the duo so famous had somewhat fallen out of fashion. After releasing a 1977 live album and a platinum selling 1978 Christmas album, the pair took a break while Karen worked on a solo album with Phil Ramone. Within months she was once again performing with her brother, the solo album put aside unreleased.

The Carpenters made 12 albums and won several awards. Sadly the Carpenters career was to have a tragic ending on 4th February 1983, when Karen was found unconscious by her mother. Karen died of heart failure caused by the long battle with the disease Anorexia Nervosa. Karen Anne Carpenter is greatly missed, but we are still able to hear The Carpenters  music and the voice of Karen Carpenter.