Carole King facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carole King
King in 2002
Born	Carol Joan Klein (1942-02-09) February 9, 1942 (age 83) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter musician
Years active	1958–present
Spouse(s)	Gerry Goffin ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1968)​ Charles Larkey ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1976)​ Rick Evers ​ ​ (m. 1977; died 1978)​ Rick Sorenson ​ ​ (m. 1982; div. 1989)​
Children	4, including Louise Goffin and Molly Larkey
Musical career
Genres	Pop folk rock pop rock soft rock Brill Building blue-eyed soul
Instruments	Vocals piano
Labels	Rockingale Ode/Epic/CBS A&M Records Koch Records Priority/EMI RCA
Associated acts	James Taylor the City Danny Kortchmar Neil Sedaka Gerry Goffin Louise Goffin Soraya
Signature

Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She is known as one of the most successful songwriters in American history. She wrote or co-wrote 118 pop songs that appeared on the Billboard charts. She also had 61 hits in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter there for many years.

Carole King's big success started in the 1960s. She and her first husband, Gerry Goffin, wrote many popular songs for other artists. Many of these songs became famous "standards." King continued to write for other artists even after their divorce.

She became famous as a performer herself in the 1970s. She sang her own songs while playing the piano. Her album Tapestry was a huge hit in 1971. It stayed at number one on the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks and was on the charts for over six years.

King has released 25 solo albums. Tapestry is her most successful, selling over 30 million copies worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards and is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She is also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, both as a performer and a songwriter. In 2013, she was the first woman to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. She was also honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Carole King was born Carol Joan Klein on February 9, 1942, in Manhattan, New York City. Her parents were Eugenia and Sidney N. Klein. Her mother taught her basic piano skills when she was very young.

When Carole was four, her parents found out she had absolute pitch. This meant she could name any musical note just by hearing it. Her father loved to show off her special talent to friends.

Carole started formal music lessons at age four. She learned music theory and how to play the piano. She loved learning and wanted to master all the popular songs she heard on the radio.

In the 1950s, she went to James Madison High School. She formed a band called the Co-Sines and changed her name to Carole King. She also made demo recordings with her friend Paul Simon. Her first official song, "The Right Girl," was released in 1958.

King attended Queens College. There, she met Gerry Goffin, who became her songwriting partner. They got married in 1959 and soon had their first daughter, Louise Goffin. They both left college and took day jobs, writing songs together in the evenings.

Neil Sedaka, who had dated King in high school, had a hit song called "Oh! Carol" in 1959. Goffin wrote a playful response called "Oh! Neil," which King recorded. Their big break came when they wrote "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" for the Shirelles. It became a number one hit and a classic song. After this success, Goffin and King quit their day jobs to focus on songwriting full-time.

Career Highlights: A Songwriting Journey

1960s: Writing Hits for Others

Carole King, Gerry Goffin and Little Eva on the cover of Cash Box; September 15, 1962

In the 1960s, Carole King wrote the music and Gerry Goffin wrote the lyrics for many classic songs. They created hits for many different artists. Some of their famous songs include "Chains" (later sung by the Beatles) and "The Loco-Motion" (for their babysitter Little Eva).

Carole King also recorded some of her own songs. Her first big hit as a singer was "It Might as Well Rain Until September" in 1962. It reached number 22 in the US and number 3 in the UK. She released a few more singles, but then stopped recording for a while.

Other popular songs they wrote during this time include "Take Good Care of My Baby" for Bobby Vee, "Up on the Roof" for the Drifters, and "One Fine Day" for the Chiffons. They also wrote the famous song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" for Aretha Franklin. They worked at 1650 Broadway, a famous building where many songwriters created hits.

By 1968, Goffin and King had divorced. King moved to Los Angeles and started recording again. She formed a trio called "The City" with Charles Larkey (her future husband) and Danny Kortchmar. They released one album, Now That Everything's Been Said, in 1968. However, King didn't like performing live, so the album didn't sell well, and the group broke up.

1970s: Becoming a Star Performer

King around 1977

In Los Angeles, King met other musicians like James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. She released her first solo album, Writer, in 1970. It reached number 84 on the Billboard charts.

Her next album, Tapestry, released in 1971, was a huge success. It included new songs and new versions of her older hits like "Will You Love Me Tomorrow." The album also featured "You've Got a Friend," which became a number one hit for James Taylor.

Tapestry quickly became popular. It had many hit singles, including "It's Too Late," which reached number one. Tapestry stayed at number one for 15 weeks and sold over 30 million copies worldwide. It won four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. King also won Song of the Year for "You've Got a Friend," becoming the first woman to win that award. Rolling Stone magazine listed Tapestry as one of the greatest albums of all time.

King continued to release successful albums in the 1970s. Carole King: Music (1971) also reached number one. Other albums like Rhymes and Reasons (1972) and Fantasy (1973) also sold very well.

In 1973, King performed a free concert in Central Park in New York City. About 100,000 people came to watch her.

Her album Wrap Around Joy (1974) also hit number one. It included the popular songs "Jazzman" and "Nightingale." In 1975, King wrote songs for the animated TV show Really Rosie.

Thoroughbred (1976) was her last album with the Ode record label. She worked with friends like David Crosby and James Taylor on this album. She also wrote four songs with Gerry Goffin again.

In 1977, King released Simple Things with a new record label. It was her last album to be certified Gold (meaning it sold over 500,000 copies) for many years.

1980s: New Directions and Acting

King released albums like One to One (1982) and Speeding Time (1983). After a successful concert tour in 1984, a journalist called her "a Queen of Rock."

In 1985, she wrote and sang "Care-A-Lot," the theme song for The Care Bears Movie. She also wrote music for the movie Murphy's Romance and even had a small acting role in it.

In 1989, she released the album City Streets, which featured famous musicians like Eric Clapton.

1990s: More Music and Broadway

Her song "Now and Forever" was featured in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own. In 1993, she released the album Colour of Your Dreams, which included a guest appearance by Slash.

In 1994, King performed on Broadway in the musical Blood Brothers. She also released a live album from a 1971 concert at Carnegie Hall.

In 1997, King sang backing vocals on Celine Dion's song "The Reason." They performed together at a concert. King also sang "You've Got a Friend" with other stars like Celine Dion and Shania Twain. In 1998, she wrote and sang "Anyone at All" for the movie You've Got Mail.

2000s: TV Themes and Tours

Carole King performing aboard USS Harry S. Truman in the Mediterranean in 2000

In 2000, King was asked to record a new version of her song "Where You Lead" for the TV show Gilmore Girls. She changed some of the lyrics to fit the mother-daughter story of the show. She often performs this song with her own daughter, Louise Goffin.

In 2001, King released a new album called Love Makes the World. It included songs she wrote for other artists and featured singers like Celine Dion and Steven Tyler.

In 2004, King started her "Living Room Tour," performing concerts that felt like she was playing in her own living room. An album from this tour, The Living Room Tour, was released in 2005 and became her highest-charting album since 1977. A DVD of the tour was also released.

2010s: Reunions and Honors

King and James Taylor performing during their 2010 Troubadour Reunion Tour

In 2010, King and James Taylor went on their "Troubadour Reunion Tour." This tour celebrated the first time they played together at The Troubadour club in 1970. The tour was very successful, selling over 700,000 tickets.

During the tour, King released two albums. One was a collection of her songs, and the other was Live at the Troubadour, a live album with James Taylor. This album debuted at number 4 in the US.

In 2011, King released A Holiday Carole, an album of Christmas music and new songs co-written with her daughter Louise Goffin. It was nominated for a Grammy Award.

King's autobiography, A Natural Woman: A Memoir, was published in 2012 and became a best-seller.

In December 2012, King received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She also toured Australia in 2013. After the Boston Marathon bombing, she performed with James Taylor to help the victims.

In 2013, the Library of Congress gave King the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. She was the first woman to receive this important award. President Barack Obama presented the prize to her at the White House. She also received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music.

In 2014, King was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year. In 2015, she was recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors for her contributions to American culture.

In 2016, King performed at the British Summer Time Festival in London, playing her entire Tapestry album live for the first time. An album of this concert was released in 2017.

In 2018, King released a new version of her song "One." She rewrote the lyrics to reflect her hopes for America.

Acting Roles

Carole King has also appeared in a few acting roles. In 1975, she was the voice of Rosie in the animated TV special Really Rosie. She also appeared on The Mary Tyler Moore Show that year.

In 1984, she starred in an episode of Faerie Tale Theatre called Goldilocks and the Three Bears. She later played Sophie, the owner of a music store, in three episodes of the TV series Gilmore Girls. Her song "Where You Lead (I Will Follow)" was also the theme song for the show. She returned to her role in the 2016 Gilmore Girls revival.

Personal Life and Family

Carole King has been married four times. Her children are musicians Louise Goffin and Sherry Goffin Kondor, artist Molly Larkey, and Levi Larkey.

As of November 2018, King lives in Idaho.

Political and Environmental Work

After moving to Idaho in 1977, King became very involved in protecting the environment. Since 1990, she has worked to support the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA). This law aims to protect wild areas. King has spoken in front of Congress three times to support this act.

King also supports the Democratic Party. She has campaigned for politicians like John Kerry and Barack Obama. In 2004, she gave a speech and sang at the Democratic National Convention.

In 2017, King participated in the 2017 Women's March in Idaho. She carried a sign that said "One Small Voice," believing that many small voices together can change the world.

Legacy and Influence

King during an interview at the JFK Presidential Library, Boston, Mass., April 12, 2012

Many famous artists have honored Carole King's music. In 1995, an album called Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King was released. It featured artists like Rod Stewart, Celine Dion, Amy Grant, and the Bee Gees singing her songs.

Micky Dolenz from The Monkees released a tribute album in 2010 called King for a Day, featuring songs written by King.

Many other artists have covered King's songs over the years:

• "You've Got a Friend" was a number 1 hit for James Taylor in 1971.
• Barbra Streisand had a top 40 hit with "Where You Lead" in 1972.
• The Carpenters recorded King's "It's Going to Take Some Time" in 1972.
• Martika had a hit with her version of "I Feel the Earth Move" in 1989.
• "It's Too Late" was covered by Gloria Estefan in 1995.
• "Where You Lead" became the theme song for the TV show Gilmore Girls.
• "Locomotion" was recorded by Kylie Minogue, which helped start her long music career.

Film and Broadway Stories

In 1996, a movie called Grace of My Heart was made. It was loosely based on Carole King's early life and career as a songwriter. The film showed a singer who wrote hit songs for others before becoming a star herself.

A musical about King's life, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, opened on Broadway in 2014. It starred Jessie Mueller as Carole King. The musical tells the story of her life and career. Jessie Mueller won a Tony Award for her performance. The show ran for six years on Broadway.

Awards and Recognition

Carole King has received many awards for her amazing work in music.

Grammy Awards

Other Honors

• In 1987, Goffin and King were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
• In 1990, King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her songwriting.
• In 2002, she received the "Johnny Mercer Award" from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
• In 2007, King was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.
• In 2012, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• In 2013, she was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
• In 2013, President Barack Obama presented her with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. She was the first woman composer to receive it.
• In 2015, she was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors.
• In 2021, King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame again, this time as a solo artist.

Discography

Filmography

Certifications

These lists show how well Carole King's albums and singles sold.

See also

• Hits, charted songs and notable album tracks by Goffin and King
• List of songwriter collaborations