King, Carole (1942-…), is an American singer and songwriter. King was one of the superstars of rock music during the 1970’s. Her album Tapestry (1971) became one of the best-selling albums in music history, remaining on the charts for almost six years. King wrote or co-wrote and performed all the songs on the album, which included the hit singles “It’s Too Late” and “So Far Away.” The album also included “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (1967) and “You’ve Got a Friend” (1971).
King was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Feb. 9, 1942. Her real name was Carole Klein. She began playing piano at the age of 4 and was composing songs in her teens. In the late 1950’s, she formed a songwriting partnership with her first husband, Gerry Goffin. She composed the music, and Goffin wrote the lyrics. Louise Goffin, their daughter, also became a popular singer.
While working in New York City, King and Goffin wrote more than 100 hit songs for groups including the Animals; Blood, Sweat and Tears; the Byrds; the Chiffons; the Drifters; Herman’s Hermits; the Monkees; and the Shirelles. They also wrote hits for such solo performers as Aretha Franklin. The team’s songs included “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (1960), “Take Good Care of My Baby” (1961), “Up on the Roof” (1962), “The Loco-Motion” (1962), “One Fine Day” (1963), and “I’m into Something Good” (1964).
In 1968, King and Goffin divorced and their songwriting partnership ended. King moved to Los Angeles. She released Writer, her first solo album, in 1970. Following her success with Tapestry, King recorded the albums Music (1971) and Wrap Around Joy (1974), which included the hit single “Jazzman.” She then wrote the music for the children’s album Really Rosie (1975), with lyrics by the children’s illustrator and author Maurice Sendak. Her hit album Simple Things was released in 1977.
By the mid-1980’s, King had reduced her recording and concert performing schedule. Her later albums included City Streets (1989) and Love Makes the World (2001). She became active in environmental causes. In 1997, she helped found the White Cloud Council, a conservation organization devoted to protecting and restoring the natural heritage of the United States. She wrote the memoir A Natural Woman (2012). King became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2015. In 1990, King and Goffin were elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Nonperformers category (now called the Ahmet Ertegun Award). King was inducted as a performer in 2021.
