![]() He would become a father figure, guiding and navigating her through the process. With his treatment, Karen would be dependent on him in order to override the authority of the disease, until she established her own separate identity. The psychotherapist had already been practicing for 12 years and was on a mission to develop effective treatment for the mystery disease.ĭescribing himself as a “nurturant-authoritative” psychotherapist, Levenkron’s approach was controversial. In his phone calls, Steven Levenkron had been firm and direct about the treatment he could offer, speaking in a no-nonsense way that reassured her. She knew instinctively that she needed someone strong to help her fight the anorexia, someone who saw through her denial and her attempts to hide the illness. Thoughts of food and the methods to eliminate it had become obsessive, dominating her day and disrupting her sleep. In this excerpt, Carpenter, having realized her disease was spiraling out of control, seeks out professional help in New York City in 1982.įormer 'Gilmore Girls' Writer Recalls Casting Search for Logan Huntzberger Role (Exclusive Excerpt)Īnorexia had become a tyrannical force in Karen’s psyche, telling her that food was an enemy to be fought. In a new biography, Lead Sister: The Story of Karen Carpenter, author Lucy O’Brien reframes Karen Carpenter’s life as that of a pioneering woman within the male-dominated recording industry and offers new insights into her tragic battle with anorexia, a mysterious eating disorder about which very little was known at the time. But time has been kind to the Carpenters, whose signature sound is now widely considered an American classic. A virtuosic drummer with a sweet, melancholic singing voice, she and brother Richard Carpenter conquered the easy-listening charts with melodically sophisticated hits like “Superstar” and “We’ve Only Just Begun.” Even President Richard Nixon was a fan and invited the Carpenters to the Oval Office in 1972 - cementing their status as the ultimate squares to the Flower Power generation. They have sold more than 90 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.It has been 40 years since Karen Carpenter - the charismatic sister half of the multiplatinum-selling sibling act The Carpenters - died at the age of 32, and the chasm she left behind has never been filled. Their music continues to attract critical acclaim and commercial success. ![]() Extensive news coverage surrounding these circumstances increased public awareness of eating disorders. Their joint career ended in 1983 when Karen died from heart failure brought on by complications of anorexia. The duo toured continually during the 1970s, which put them under increased strain Richard took a year off in 1979 after he had become addicted to Quaalude, while Karen suffered from anorexia nervosa. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 10 albums along with numerous singles and several television specials. The Carpenters produced a distinct soft musical style, combining Karen’s contralto vocals with Richard’s harmonizing, arranging and composition skills. ![]() While Carpenters were on hiatus in the late 1970s, she recorded a solo album, which was released years after her death. Initially, Carpenter was the band’s full-time drummer, but gradually took the role of frontwoman as drumming was reduced to a handful of live showcases or tracks on albums. After several years of touring and recording, Carpenters were signed to A&M Records in 1969, achieving commercial and critical success throughout the 1970s. She began to study the drums in high school and joined the Long Beach State choir after graduating. Moved with their parents to California in 1963 and settled in Los Angeles. They were born in New Haven, Connecticut, Richard Lynn Carpenter (born in 1946) and Karen Anne Carpenter (in 1950).
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