Revisting an old friend, Karen Carpenter

I teach a 13 year-old girl on the Upper East Side. Full of life and spunk, I look forward every Tuesday and Friday to teaching "Stick Tricks," as she dubs herself. Lessons are not ordinary, we work on style, technique, interpretation, but we also study Herstory of drumming. That's right. We explore the feminine perspective of American pop music.

Since, I was a little girl, my Dad thought it important to feature female drummers as sources of inspiration and courage. He knew that after a while, it might seem odd or even discouraging not to find many female percussionists/drummers. So every so often he would pull out Modern Drummer or a vinyl record and play me recordings of fantastic female drummers. Those listening hangs had such a profound effect on my musical perspective and how I valued my artistry beside male colleagues. Needless to say, I believe it is essential for male and female students to hear examples of all styles and artists, women and men. Especially for beginners, having a role model helps guide, encourage, and inspire students on their musical journeys.

Today I brought in Karen Carpenter. Born March 2, 1950 and died February 4, 1983, Karen began playing glockenspiel in high school band, but soon picked up the drums. Playing in college with her brother Richard, they signed their first recording contract in 1969. Originally playing drums and singing, Karen was eventually pressured to stand at the microphone because it was deemed more feminine. As she became more famous, she played less and less drums. Eventually, most of her fans were sadly unaware that she was first and foremost a drummer who happened to sing.

There are a few things that strike me about Karen's playing. First, her technique is impeccable. Clean, fast, and powerful, she had a feather touch and yet her sound was resonant and full. Another things I loved was her smile and energy. She wore the same grin that Gene Krupa did, that kind of presence is infectious and uplifting. But what really gets me is that Karen could sing and play easily.

"Stick Tricks" was not impressed with Karen, she said that she didn't find her particularly inspiring, but I simply replied, "Is it easy to count aloud and play?" "Well imagine singing beautifully and playing all that craziness!" Even though "Stick Tricks" couldn't identify with Karen's music, she still understood the important contribution Karen made and why we were taking a moment to study her.

Who knows how far-reaching these glimpses into Herstory can be. My hope is that if students are confronted with challenges they can look to those who have come before them for guidance and courage. Plus, at the very least Karen and I finally got "Stick Tricks" to count aloud while practicing her 5-stroke roll. :)



For more information about Herstory, female drummers, or lessons, please email me.