Carole King is a singer-songwriter known for her number one pop hits and countless hit singles for other artists. She was born in New York City in 1942 and grew up in Brooklyn. King became a skilled pianist when she was ten years old and she started writing songs through her teens. She went to Queens College where she met songwriters like Paul Simon, Neil Sedaka, and Gerry Goffin. At 17 years old, she became pregnant, married Goffin, and they established themselves as songwriting partners. Both of them were signed to Aldon Music empire. Here is where King, still 17, wrote her first number one hit “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” for the Shirelles. As time went on and after Goffin and King’s huge songwriting success, their relationship started to crumble and they eventually divorced; this jumpstarted King’s solo career.
King’s second album, "Tapestry" (1971), was number on the Billboard charts for 15 weeks and stayed on the charts for six years. It sold more than 25 million copies worldwide and was the best selling female artist album for about 25 years. Some of its most popular songs were “It’s Too Late,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” and “I Feel the Earth Move.”
Along with her massive musical influence, King used her platform to advocate environmental organizations that were supporting wilderness preservation. She was involved with environmental activism since the 80s and was honored at the Carole King: Making Music With Friends—A Concert for Our Children, Our Health, and Our Planet.
Carole King’s influence and reputation were evidently massive, considering she wrote big-selling songs like “You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman)” for Aretha Franklin, “Goin’ Back” for Dusty Springfield, and “Pleasant Valley Sunday” for the Monkees. King and Goffin also wrote songs for artists like Bobby Vee, The Drifters, Little Eva, The Beatles, The Chiffons, and so on. In her life, King wrote or co-wrote over 400 songs that were recorded by over 1,000 artists which resulted in about 100 hit singles. Her songs dominated the charts and she dominated the 60s music industry.
King’s legacy is still acknowledged today. In 2014, "Beautiful: The Carol King Musical" opened on Broadway which included her musical masterpieces and compelling life story. The show did well and won two Tony Awards, a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album, and two Olivier Awards.
Carole King was well-loved by the public and her music was critically acclaimed. Her solo album, "Tapestry," won her four Grammy Awards; she won Record, Song, and Album of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female honors. This album was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1998. She was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, she won the Johnny Mercer Award, and she and Goffin were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received the Trustees Award.
