The Carpenters. The music of choice in dental office waiting rooms across the country. Hits like, "We've Only Just Begun," Top of the World," and "Rainy Days and Mondays," featured the incredibly smooth vocals of Karen Carpenter.
Karen and her brother Richard were a hit making machine in the 1970's. Richard handled the arrangements and keyboards as Karen provided the vocals and...drums. Times have changed, but back in the 70's a female lead singer who was also the drummer was a rarity. But Karen wasn't just a timekeeper, she was a great drummer! She started playing as a kid and taught herself how to play complicated drum lines with "exotic time signatures". She always considered herself a, "drummer who sang," and fellow drummers like Hal Blaine and Buddy Rich gave her high praise.
I was just scrolling through social media when I came across these Karen Carpenter drum solos. She's incredible! Imagine if they added some pyrotechnics? Check 'em out...