Carole King Biography

(Composer)

Birthday: February 9, 1942 (Aquarius)

Born In: Manhattan, New York City, New York

Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and composer, known as the best female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century in both the US and the UK. Born and raised in New York City, she started learning the piano as a kid, and by the time she was 10 years old, she had already become a successful pianist. She started writing songs in her teens. In the 1960s, she began writing songs professionally, along with Gerry Goffin, her first husband. In the 70s, she started performing as a solo singer and participated in various concerts and live shows, where she displayed her piano skills too. Through the years, she has released 25 solo albums and has won four ‘Grammy’ awards. She has also been included in the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ and the ‘Songwriters Hall of Fame.’ She has written more than 400 songs, which have served about 1000 artists. The 1996 semi-biographical film, titled ‘Grace of my Heart’, told the story of a young songwriter who made other singers famous and was said to be loosely based on King’s life.
47
Quick Facts

Also Known As: Carol Joan Klein

Age: 82 Years, 82 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Charles Larkeym (1970–1976), Gerry Goffinm (1959–1969), Rick Eversm (1977–1978), Rick Sorensonm (1982–1989)

father: Sidney Klein

mother: Eugenia Gingold

children: Levi Larkey, Louise Goffin, Molly Larkey, Sherry Goffin

Pop Singers Lyricists & Songwriters

Height: 5'4" (163 cm), 5'4" Females

City: New York City

U.S. State: New Yorkers

More Facts

education: Queens College, City University of New York

  • 1

    What is Carole King known for?

    Carole King is known for being a singer-songwriter and for her influential contributions to the music industry.
  • 2

    Which album by Carole King is considered one of the greatest of all time?

    Carole King's album "Tapestry" is considered one of the greatest albums of all time, showcasing her talent as a songwriter and performer.
  • 3

    What musical did Carole King's life and music inspire?

    Carole King's life and music inspired the hit Broadway musical "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical," which tells the story of her career and personal life.
  • 4

    Did Carole King write songs for other artists besides herself?

    Yes, Carole King is known for writing many hit songs for other artists, such as "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" for The Shirelles and "You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" for Aretha Franklin.
Childhood & Early Life
Carole King was born Carol Joan Klein in Manhattan, New York City, on February 9, 1942, into a family of Jews. Her father worked as a firefighter, while her mother was a teacher. Soon after Carole’s birth, the family moved to Brooklyn and bought an affordable two-story duplex.
Music was a key part of the household as Carole’s mother, Eugenia, was a keen pianist. Eugenia’s inclination toward music brought Carole further close to music. Carole had been practising the piano since the age of three and discovered that she had a natural flair for it.
Carole had a very special talent and had the ability to sense “absolute pitch” at the tender age of four. Eugenia soon started giving Carole piano lessons, and by the time Carole was 10, she played as good as her mother. Carole practised regularly to hone her piano skills and also played the songs she heard on the radio.
Carole was a great student in school and was promoted directly to second grade after kindergarten. As she grew up, she attended the ‘James Madison High School,’ where she first got acquainted with the art of songwriting. While in school, she started her own band, named ‘Co-Sines,’ and changed her name to “Carole King.”
Once out of high school, she attended ‘Queens College,’ where she met Gerry Goffin. She married Goffin when she was 17. He was an aspiring songwriter too and the couple started working together.
After finishing college, Carole started working as a secretary and wrote songs along with her husband. In 1960, a song written by them, titled ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow?,’ became a mega hit. This was their first major breakthrough. They quit their day jobs and concentrated on their careers as songwriters.
Continue Reading Below
Career
The early 60s were the beginning of a successful career in songwriting for the couple. They released hits such as ‘Goin’ Back,’ ‘You Make Me Feel Like,’ and ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday.’ At that time, the music industry was male-dominated and songs expressing a woman’s point of view were not heard very often. Gerry realized that his wife possessed a rare talent and the couple maintained their collaboration.
However, toward the mid-60s, their personal relationship became increasingly strained, in spite of the fact that they tasted significant professional success together. Gerry’s infidelities affected Carole immensely, and in 1968, she got divorced from Gerry. Carole told the story of her heartbreak through her song ‘The Road to Nowhere.’ After the divorce, they went their separate ways, and this was the beginning of a solo music career for Carole.
In 1968, she moved to Los Angeles and collaborated with another writer, Toni Stern. They wrote a song, ‘It’s Too Late,’ which is known as one of the most successful songs of her entire career. In the late 60s, she became part of the group ‘The City,’ with her second husband, Charles Larkey, and Danny Kortchmar. The band released only one album, titled ‘Now That Everything’s Been Said.’ Several tours were cancelled because of Carole’s severe stage fright. ‘The City’ eventually collapsed and Carole decided to sing her own songs from then on.
Although her first solo album, titled ‘Writer,’ was a colossal failure, her sophomore effort, ‘Tapestry,’ turned out to be a game-changer in every possible way. The album was released in 1971 and remained on the top of the ‘Billboard’ charts for 15 weeks following its release. It made the record of staying on the ‘Billboard’ charts for six years. This was a major record and was broken only by Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ in 1982.
Some of the hit songs from the albums, such as ‘It’s Too Late’ and ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow?’ had been written previously, and she herself sang them. Her third album, ‘Music,’ too was also a roaring success but could not reach the benchmark set by ‘Tapestry.’ It was certified “gold” by the ‘Recording Industry Association of America’ (RIAA).
In the following years, she recorded several albums, such as ‘Wrap Around Joy,’ ‘Fantasy,’ ‘Thoroughbred,’ and ‘Rhymes and Reasons.’ She collaborated with her ex-husband, Gerry Goffin, for ‘Thoroughbred.’ Many of her albums achieved the “gold” status, and she continued being successful as a musician, singer, and songwriter.
Apart from working on her music, Carole kept herself busy with other activities too. As her music career took a downward spiral in the 80s and the 90s, she associated herself with social causes. She has worked for the passage of the ‘Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act.’ She showed her all-round support for the ‘Democratic Party’ and became actively involved in electoral politics.
Toward the late 90s, she was ready to make a comeback to music. In 1997, Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded her hit song ‘The Reason,’ which was written by King. In 2004, Carole recorded a live album, titled ‘The Living Room Tour,’ and in 2007, she toured with young singers Fergie and Mary J. Blige and performed successfully. In 2010, she collaborated with James Taylor and released a live album, ‘Live at the Troubadour,’ which became a hit.
Over the years, Carole won four ‘Grammy’ awards and was inducted in the ‘Songwriters Hall of Fame’ and the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.’ She has written more than 400 songs that have been used by more than 1000 artists, bringing her immense fame as a songwriter.
Personal Life
To date, Carole King has married four times. She married her college boyfriend, Gerry Goffin, in 1959, followed by fellow musician Charles Larkey, in 1970. Both her marriages fell apart after a few years.
She then married Rick Evers and later claimed that he had brutally assaulted her and that he was a cocaine addict. Rick died of a cocaine overdose a few days after their separation in 1978. She then married Rick Sorenson. Carole also had a long-term friendship with musician James Taylor, with whom she worked on many projects.
She has four children, including musicians Louise Goffin and Sherry Goffin Kondor and artist Molly Larkey.
Facts About Carole King
Carole King once wrote a song called "Pleasant Valley Sunday" which was later recorded by The Monkees and became a hit in the 1960s.
In addition to her successful music career, Carole King is also an avid environmentalist and has been involved in various conservation efforts.
She released her iconic album "Tapestry" in 1971, which is considered one of the greatest albums of all time and won four Grammy Awards.
Carole King has been known to collaborate with various artists and musicians throughout her career, showcasing her versatility and talent in the music industry.

Awards

Grammy Awards
2015 Best Musical Theater Album Winner
2013 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
2004 Trustees Awards Winner
1972 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female Winner
1972 Song of the Year Winner
1972 Album of the Year Winner
1972 Record of the Year Winner

See the events in life of Carole King in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Carole King Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/carole-king-8941.php

People Also Viewed


Ariana Grande Biography
Ariana Grande
(American)
 
Taylor Swift Biography
Taylor Swift
(American)
 
Eminem Biography
Eminem
(American)
 
Lady Gaga Biography
Lady Gaga
(American)
 
Billie Eilish Biography
Billie Eilish
(American)
 
Bruno Mars Biography
Bruno Mars
(American)
 
Katy Perry Biography
Katy Perry
(American)
 
Selena Gomez Biography
Selena Gomez
(American)