Drummer's Analysis To Karen Carpenter Drum Solo (1976) || Is She As Good As They Say?!

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• Karen Carpenter Drum S...
Today on the channel, we are checking out Karen Carpenter as she plays a drum solo in 1976 from the Carpenters First Television Special! I have heard people say how amazing she was on the drums, and after watching this I could not agree more! Her technique is flawless and she is well educated in the rudiments and various styles and genres. I loved hearing her throw down on the drums and I cannot wait to hear more! Hope you enjoy! #reaction #carpenters #karencarpenter #drums #drummer #drumming #drumsolo
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[@setonhillstudios]

*You can support the channel with KZbin Channel Memberships or through Buy Me a Coffee. Never expected, but always appreciated.❤Links in Description!* No question about it, Karen is the REAL DEAL on the drums! Let's Goooo!!!

[@roberthughes5279]

That Drummer she switched instruments with was John Denver

[@tallmanfromcornwall1229]

"She's the real deal." Yes she was, she sure was. Great review.

[@punkydoodle4774]

In a 1975 Playboy Drummers Poll Karen came in 10th...John Bonham came in 11th. He was not happy.

[@dagmar.6954]

Karen was one of a kind. There will never be another like her. She had such a pure calming voice. And she was a terrific drummer. That was her passion even more than singing. You can see the joy in her face in this video. Sadly we lost her so young. Thankfully we have her legacy left in her music.

[@BabsR]

so fun to see Karen and John Denver together

[@LJB1031]

I remember watching this on TV. I was 14. I was and still am a huge Carpenters fan

[@dow311]

Thank you for explaining Karen’s talent on the drums. I had no idea the differences of styles.

[@swamihuman9395]

- "The Richard Carpenter Trio" - featuring Karen on drums :)

[@RockL.Lorraine]

If you noticed... You will always see the biggest smile on her face when she's drumming.

[@jeffreyflint6286]

Karen was so talented. Her voice alone could possibly have melted the polar ice up north. Sorely miss her❤❤❤❤

[@denveradams4909]

I was a church drummer back when I was in high school. (1975-77) Then, I enlisted in the Marine Corps. I gave a girl in my church a few lessons and turned the drums over to her. After all these years, I have decided to get back into drumming. I have purchased the Alesis Nitro Max Expanded electronics drum kit to get started. It will give me something to do this winter. And I may be able to fill in at my church, when our regular drummer cannot be there. Karen Carpenter may not have been the best drummer out there, but she could hold her own and her silky smooth vocals more than made up for it. A true all-around talented artist and I sure do miss her music.

[@BrentCox-m3r]

That’s John Denver that traded the bass drum!! Yeah, she was talented!!!🤘🔥

[@taniaPBear]

Wow! Never seen that before, that was awesome. I could watch her do that for hours. Thanks for bringing us this one and whoever requested it too. ✌❤

[@anitawright7169]

She always said she was a drummer who could sing! She is so awesome. We lost her too soon! Love your reaction!

[@snakeinthegrass7443]

This was so good. And the fact it's 1976 and she/they were able to double her up on stage, and then she started trading notes with herself, flawlessly! Amazing! She was smiling so much, having so much fun, it really hurts to know the pain she was in internally. Rest in peace, Karen. Thank you for your work on Earth. 🙏🙏

[@juliewolfe168]

The drummer in the marching band who she "kisses" is John Denver. Cracked me up. I was one of those girls in the early 70s who was told "girls don't play drums." Im 62 y.o. and taking drum lessons. Just bought my first drum kit

[@kierstenridgway4634]

Yay you!!! ❤❤❤✌️

[@LoisChisholm]

The great drummer, Buddy Rich, called Karen the "best female drummer" he had ever heard. For all the different types of drumming she does throughout this solo, the one thing you never see in any of her other performances is THAT SMILE. You can tell he is doing her absolute favorite thing in the World! I'm not sure how many other performances like this you will find. There may be a few from live concerts.

[@stevetournay6103]

There's a great one from '76 recorded in London at a concert. But my favourite is the Ed Sullivan outdoor Bacharach medley from 1971, taped at Walter Reed military hospital...

[@ChuckDrennen]

The world lost a musical treasure when Karen passed away. So many great songs that we won’t hear until we’re with her again.

[@rudymorganti7155]

So cool . Love it she was great. Thanks from Belgium 🇧🇪

[@drumbelly]

Great reaction to Karen the drummer. She always considered herself “a drummer that sings”, but obviously her golden voice moved her to the front of the stage. A cool video to see her playing and singing is the Burt Bacharach Medley from the Ed Sullivan show performing before an audience of wounded Viet Nam vets. Many styles, Tom fills, and harmonies from early the Carpenters days.

[@stevetournay6103]

Oh yes. That video at Walter Reed is marvelous...and there's nothing "TV live" about as there is with this. The marching band drummer is John Denver, BTW...

[@CarlR-h5x]

this is one of my favs of hers. I saw it years ago when it was new

[@TheRatsCast]

It's real nice to hear a drummer's take on Karen's talent. I was a kid when she was alive and making music, but I knew her as a drummer. I think that's one of the many reasons why she isn't here with us today. The studio didn't want her behind the drums. You couldn't see her sing. They forced her up front when all she wanted to be was a drummer. Richard needed her to sing, but I think she was hoping to be replaced. That didn't happen, as she was so amazing a singer, the studio bought the band with her as singer. As you said, she lights up when she's drumming. That might when out of her. With all the other demons she was dealing with, she turned to anorexia to help fix her problems. But that's not how it works, does it? She is saddling missed every day.

[@ericschneider118]

The drummer who can sing !

[@victorsixtythree]

One of my favorite videos showing Karen's (and Richard's) raw talent is from 1968 (when she was just 18!) when they were "The Dick Carpenter Trio" and appeared on a TV talent show called "Your All American College Show". They played "Dancing in the Street" with Karen on vocals and drums. This was before they were "discovered" and signed a record deal.

[@frankmerris8821]

What is so great and sad in a way is to see she always had her biggest smile while playing the drums. maybe her true LOVE

[@phillipbarker4757]

I always wondered if her life would have different if they didn’t push her out front and away from what she obviously loved.

[@theemaygoogleme151]

The first actual concert I went to see at age 12 in 1972 and at that point she was the drummer for The Carpenters along with her angelic vocals.

[@robertbootier8223]

You could tell right away that she could play, just showing a little crispness right away. Seemingly endless Multiple types of fills. Jazz chops I envy.. 🤙

[@Laura_Martin42]

The drummer she is talking to in the marching band is John Denver.

[@nailbndher]

Really enjoy your reviews of Karen’s drumming and singing and look forward to seeing more from you! Thanks again

[@OneOddTodd63]

Something others may not think about. This was effortless. She's running around from place to place smiling. She's not winded. Not wearing herself out. She's having fun.

[@davehind3193]

.Most thought of Karen as a singer that could play drums, She considered herself a drummer that could sing.

[@VinceEmbry]

"Help, Mr. Guder" live for more Karen on drums.

[@suzannezethner8180]

❤❤ Lord what a talented woman. I never saw this. Incredible ❤️. Gone too soon. 😢

[@oldladylovesBruno]

She had so much talent and the voice of an angel. Sadly, her inner demons took her away from us. Truly tragic.

[@in8hope617]

Yes and YES:) This was really fun to watch and so impressive to see!

[@lonniekay3506]

Good reaction. Look up Live at Budokan. Her abilities on drums are unbelievable!

[@kimcutts6153]

🇬🇧 Did you notice that was John Denver who gave Karen his drum 🥁😊 Karen was just the best. And she is missed. 😢💔❤️🫂🎼🎶

[@roniboyd613]

❤❤❤❤ thank you for watching Karen's drum solo

[@caryd67]

I was probably in the second grade when I saw this on tv, Karen Carpenter absolutely killed it, and definitely inspired me!

[@mikewoodrow5878]

Ya gotta check out the one when she was a teen and they are doing a cover of Dancing in the Streets - she kills it.

[@chipurBillWhite]

I really enjoyed that. Karen was a breath of fresh air. I miss her…

[@Irockthere4]

26 years old there and a flawless voice to match

[@stevenschoen1138]

Most people don’t realize what a kick ass drummer Karen was

[@setonhillstudios]

She could definitely bring it!! 🥁

[@robertgieseler1220]

Yep, as you just said: Karen Carpeter has been the real deal. I had no idea that she's been playing the drums (pardon my ignorance) -- and boy, did she play them. Thank you very much for sharing that experience. Just fascinating. Let us keep moments like this alive...! All the very best from Germany

[@1chound1]

Check her out with The Carpenters, Bacharack Medley at Walter Reed Hospital live......playing and singing.

[@christopherstevenson5470]

A Special Talent.🙏🙏🙏

[@manolitoenales3363]

A great reaction 🥰 you may see her performance on Johnny be Good Live in Japan Budokan concert in 1974. She is amazing.

[@coletedeux]

In 1967 - 70, we had one female drummer in our high school band. Nancy could, and did, show the boys some things.

[@vernhoke7730]

This is when she is at her happiest. Behind the drum kit banging away. I forgot John Denver was in this skit.

[@roadwary56]

i didn't realize how good she was until your analysis of this vid. with your drummer background. I have to agree, she is a true legit drummer. she could drum as well as she sings, what a talented lady

[@setonhillstudios]

She was definitely an amazing talent! Truly unbelievable! 🔥

[@jamiemacdonald436]

Been waiting for this one!

[@A-whiter-shade-of-pale]

This was from their first TV special. In the band the guy who had the drum before he got kissed was John Denver. She was fantastic when she was 15 (1965) and a part of the Richard Carpenter Trio (Richard Karen drumming not singing and Wes Jacobs) playing in jazz clubs in LA. Search on Hollywood Bowl Battle of the Bands 1966 to hear 2 songs recorded in 66 (Karen was 16) at the Bowl "Girl from Ipanema" (a jazzed up Bosa nova) and "Iced Tea" strait jazz song Richard wrote. Wes Jacobs plays bass on Ipanema and Tuba on Tea. THEY WON THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS in 66. Then in 68 with Bill Sissoyev replacing Jacobs they won Your All-American College Show 1968 You can do a search on that and see them win it. Karen was singing by 68. I still hear a hint of their jazz years in all of their music.

[@ragtie6177]

Karen gave me this nickname "RagTie" when I did painting & repair work on her her brothers' apartments, houses & Richard's car warehouse. Even painted her parents house. Beau😢 one of a kind free spirit who, in opposite views portrayed upon her, was not conflicted or troubled outwardly and open in her everyday life. She was a happy, smiley ;& outgoing person. Despite her internal suffering. But I spent allot of time with her and that conflict never showed.

[@robertwalker1803]

Just talented and beautiful.Killed us all to watch her waste away from anorexia and feeling helpless.Angel voice and Angel smile. She plays drums on some of her own songs.

[@jojones1082]

The thing that always strikes me when I see this is the pure happiness and joy that she is clearly experiencing while she's playing. I've never seen that same joy in her while she's singing, but to be fair, most of the songs she sang were more on the melancholy side. Still, even if I were blind and could only hear this performance, I would still be able to tell that she was absolutely loving every single second of it.

[@jbs256]

Hi Steven, I loved your reaction/analysis of this classic Karen exhibition. There is another done a little earlier on the BBC where the “Lead Sister” shirt is rooted from. There are numerous live examples of her drumming AND singing lead. You know that’s rare. Phil Collins, Don Henley, Levon Helm to name some of the guys. When you see a produced music video it’s often a mime to a Hal Blaine drum track. But one song was always Karen’s. That’s Mr. Guder, she drummed it for the album and Richard and John Bettis wrote the biographical song. It’s about Richard & John’s boss at Disneyland. I’m going to link a 1973 live performance on The Tonight Show. It also features Bob Messenger on the electric flute. It’s a stunning example of it all. I’m linking to a friend’s channel, he is restoring Carpenters videos. This one is based on a 20 minute appearance with Johnny Carson and that full version is on the Carson Channel. Harvey has the two musical segments on his. There are other Carpenters videos here and it’s a treasure trove of some beautiful videos. This one looks like it aired yesterday, not 50 years ago. It scales to 4K on a TV. Enjoy! Joe kzbin.info/www/bejne/jX-ZqmqIf9SMrJYsi=csZVOwhHnOcqblXj .

[@bringmechoc]

So much talent. It’s great to hear a breakdown from a drummer. I had no idea there were different styles of drumming.

[@setonhillstudios]

So many! Thanks for watching! 😁

[@laraismyname821]

There's a video of her at 18 years old playing drums & singing "Dancing In the Streets" with her brother, here on KZbin. She looks like a little kid & the venue looks like a school talent show (it wasn't---I think it was a local TV show). It's so good though. She had it even back then.

[@myownchannel247]

That’s John Denver that she got the drum from

[@LynnBartlett-un2vp]

Im.so glad you finally watched her. Karen always believed she was a drummer first of all who just happened to sing. She had a pitch perfect voice and was calked "one take Katen". She was so good at singing it became her career even though drumming was her happy place. But, her life was taken way to young.

[@normandaubry]

She used to say that she was a drummer who happened to sing

[@Joseph-f9m7s]

Karen was amazing. So sad we lost here not long after this. Way too young.

[@kellypickle]

Very jazz and we all know that jazz is the king of drums. Definitely might reminds me of Buddy Rich. Buddy Rich, who was an inspiration to so many rock drummers

[@darrinlindsey]

If you ever get back to her singing, now, I would like to suggest a tv appearance from the early 80s. It's a medley that she did with Ella Fitzgerald (The Queen of Music). It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, musically. Miss Ella was up in age, but still had an amazing voice. I remember watching it, when it played on TV. To me, it felt like the elder superstar passing the torch on to the new superstar to run with. Unfortunately, Karen would lose her battle with demons and anorexia, soon after this aired. Like I said, it is so beautiful. You can search for their names and medley.

[@stevetournay6103]

Listening to Toronto radio station JazzFM yesterday and it was mentioned by Alex Pangman on her show Swing Set that the standards Don't Get Around Much Anymore and I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart were written as countermelodies for each other. That rang a loud bell: those two songs appear in the Karen/Ella medley in exactly that fashion, with successive lines traded back and forth...and Ella will certainly have known that was the intent with those two tunes. If only KC had lived longer. There would have been a Carpenters standards album...or several...

[@bobdelp2023]

AND YES STEVEN, SHE WAS THE REALLLLL DEALLLL!!! 😊 EVEN ( NEIL PEART ) R.I.PARADISE💯 THE PROFESSOR OF PERCUSSION AT ONE POINT SAID THAT KAREN WAS THE BEST FEMALE DRUMMER THAT HE EVER SAW! 👍 AND THAT WAS ( JOHN DENVER ) R.I.P ☹ IN THE MARCHING BAND SKIT IF YOU NOTICED! WE LOST KAREN 😮BACK IN 83 STEVEN, SHE WAS JUST ( 32 ) TRULY A SAD STORY ( ANOREXIA NERVOSA ) AND A CRUEL MUSIC INDUSTRY I'VE ALWAYS SAID! ANYWAY, THIS WAS AWESOME FOR SURE!

[@Stevedrums741]

My brother is 12 years old than me and a frustrated guitar player and I'm a decent drummer and one time we were talking about drummers and who I felt was underrated. One of the first names I mentioned was Karen Carpenter's and he laughed at me - literally as he had no idea she even played. After he got done calling me all kinds of names, I sent him the video you are reviewing. A couple of days later, he sent me a text back that said simply: "I stand corrected. Who knew?"

[@irmaoksanen6830]

That's John Denver on the bass drum Karen is arguing with. So glad that she is getting the props she deserves. If only she had been able to follow her true passion behind the drum kit.

[@kriskammeraad3955]

That's John Denver on the bass drum

[@Perfect_Blend]

Karen Carpenter took drum lessons from Bill Douglass, a well-respected jazz drummer who played with Benny Goodman and Art Tatum. Some of her best drum work is in her live performances. Another one of a very young Karen and Richard is "Carpenters- Dancing In The Streets-1968","Carpenters Burt Bacharach & Hal David Medley" on The Ed Sullivan Show", "Carpenters | Johnny B. Good - Live at Budokan (1974)". By 1974, they had Cubby O'Brian(an original Mousketeer) on drums as a back up drummer, but he also played at the same time Karen played and they wanted it to be EXACT. Both Karen and Richard were perfectionists.

[@stevetournay6103]

This, being from a TV special, though it does show off KC's technique, is "TV live". Much better to view a pure live performance, like the 1971 Bacharach medley played outside the Walter Reed military hospital for an audience of wounded Vietnam vets, and recorded for Ed Sullivan... Karen, before becoming one of the premier female vocalists of the late 20th century, was one third of the Dick Carpenter Trio, an instrumental jazz combo. That act won the jazz division of the 1966 Hollywood Bowl Battle of the Bands; as a result they did some recording, and some of that has since turned up on Carpenters retrospective collections...

[@firedoc5]

Karen was just amazing all around. She thought of herself as a drummer first and foremost and it took a while for her to come out from behind the kit because of her shyness. Singing drummers are a rare breed, such as Levon Helm with The Band and Don Henley with The Eagles who are two of my favorites.

[@ellencourtney7187]

I’m going to pretend I understand the technical aspects of this. No I’m not! I’m going to trust you-and Karen’s talent. It’s just so hard to watch her, even all these years later. If only she could have been helped enough to stay with us and lived. What a lovely gifted woman 💕

[@jeffreyflint6286]

Taking me back!

[@fortressfrazze3777]

The real deal no doubt.

[@kellypickle]

A drummer that sings

[@dalekrampert1920]

wow!!!!!!

[@lilamuzik3385]

Amazing!

[@TheRatsCast]

Actually, Ann Wilson started out as a drummer as well as front woman. And like Karen, moved to just singer

[@royyoung-q5e]

wow great video thank you

[@setonhillstudios]

Thanks for watching! 😁

[@zwieseler]

Brilliant.

[@douglasstrayer-ng5ql]

Did you recognize John Denver as the drummer in the skit ?

[@nailbndher]

Yes Help and Mr Guder live are a must!

[@JohnLunt-g4f]

Check out thr drummer in the song You gonna go my way.

[@cainealexander-mccord2805]

Hey bud! Yep, even after all this time, it's still a kind of a secret that Miss Carpenter was a drummer. So of course, I have to see what another drummer has to say. Hey, that drum guy is John Denver. And speaking of female drummers, don't miss out on Drain STH's Martina Axen and watch for falling timbers. Sandy West from The Runaways. (Avert your eyes. She's 15.) Sleater-Kinney's Janet Weiss. Yes, the list does indeed go on and on. It's nice to have a guy point that out. I speak fluent guitar, but not a word of drum. (You should have seen my late husband trying to explain the pick and roll to me. I watched it a hundred times. Nothing.) It adds a lot of depth to this to know what to call what I'm hearing. And why. So, Meg White. Is she as nutty as they say? (Drum wise. The other wise, no doubt.) Great video. Love your channel!

[@michaelgregoirejr688]

She was voted best drummer beating out John Bonham in a poll in the early 70s.

[@stevetournay6103]

Yes. Survey was in Playboy...but still!

[@setonhillstudios]

She’s a killer player but that’s a bit bold!

[@scottdarden3091]

As a drummer you should check out Junna "Through Fire and Flames Japanese girl or Yoyoka Japanese drummer selected to the Top 500 drummers of all time when she was 8 years old, she's 13 now and awesome

[@setonhillstudios]

I’ve covered Yoyoka and Junna here on the channel! Both are incredible! On our homepage look under the playlist “Drums and More Drums.” 👍🏻

[@Ozzpot]

She came first in Playboy's 1975 Best Drummer poll. Beat John Bonham into second place. And whilst that's not the most prestigious publication for such opinions, and I think it's a questionable take, there's no doubt she was an outstanding drummer whose talents in percussion were eclipsed only by her uniquely beautiful voice.

[@Ken-h5d]

Steven, I'm a Carpenters fan and I am throwing NO SHADE at all on Karen. You said she was breaking down barriers for women. True. But those barriers were already cracked and dented. A few years before The Carpenters there was an 'all girl' rock band by the name of Fanny. Two sisters, June and Jean Millington, (guitar and bass), Nicky Barclay, (keys), and Alice DeBuhr, (drums). Jean, June, and Nicky traded lead vocals on different songs. Alice sang back-up. Many of their hits were covers with a few originals thrown in. 1st 'all girl' band to sign with a major label and record. Check out any of their videos from 'Beat Club'. (recorded live). Mean guitar, impressive bass, awesome keys, but Alice could slay them skins.

[@carytakagawa2760]

In 1975, Karen was named rock drummer of the year by Playboy magazine in a survey of their readers, just edging out John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was reportedly upset about this, claiming Karen could not last 3 minutes doing the type of drumming that he did. When asked, Karen replied " I hope he's not mad at me; I had nothing to do with the poll". She then flawlessly played the drums and sang Zeppelin's 'Babe I'm Going to Leave You.'

[@laurasmith2522]

That's John Denver that gave up his drum ! Cute

[@candicelitrenta8890]

The band her and her brother first did was a jazz band with her on the drums. Way before she ever did pop tunes

[@donnyduty2553]

Thats John Denver in the skit

[@malcolmrayner3480]

She did all the drumming on their albums and most were one take only

[@kickinbacknyc]

Try that and singing at the same time. A true marvel.

[@setonhillstudios]

@@kickinbacknyc Absolutely! 💯

[@williamfaust5769]

I hope you recognized John Denver as the drum player in that opening skit.

[@rhondaserges5136]

I believe if she could of stayed behind her set .. she'd still be with us. She was a studio drummer before the Carpenters.

[@bella-xp7qd]

She wanted to be known as a drummer who could sing rather than a singer who could drum.

[@mangelwurzel]

For a phenomenal girl drummer, check out Nandi Bushell.

[@ernierivas5484]

Wanna see a beast? There's a video called Karen Carpenter, Kickass Drummer. Well worth checking out!

[@setonhillstudios]

Appreciate it! 😁