Post by cam83 on Mar 19, 2004 14:31:14 GMT -5
Chapter Thirty-Two
They bought a 185 acres of land, filled with lots of trees, overlooking a valley. A home was already being constructed, and Karen and Jonathon went out to oversee the plans. Karen wanted a simple home, but big enough to hold many friends, and relatives who would come and visit. Their home in L.A. was already up for sale. So for the next few months, they concentrated solely on their home, and Karen left behind the world of show business.
She loved being a mother, and a wife. Many nights, after the children were in bed, that was when Karen got to show how much she loved her husband. He was her life, and her heart belonged to him. She had never known such happiness before, and she was now content. She felt as if she were in the land of the living, coming out from under the depths of the earth.
One of Karen's country singles WAITING ALL NIGHT LONG FOR YOU had hit the Top spot on the Country Charts for 6 weeks, and on the Billboard Charts, it topped the Pop Charts for 6 weeks, selling over 3.1 million copies. Another # 1 Adult Contemporary hit for 2 weeks.
Another single was released on August 2, 1991 and hit the # 4 position for 2 weeks and on the A.C. chart it hit # 1 for 7 weeks. This was a bonus track that had never been on any album before, and was released for the purpose of keeping Karen's name still visible in the public's eyes. The single was titled WHAT LOVE IS, and showcased Karen's deep range, oozing with sensuality. The video having been shot that previous Spring, showed Karen in a slinky nightgown singing to a well built Man, as they caressed and held onto each other. Whatever pure, wholesome image Karen had ever had before, was now completely shattered. She was now a DIVA, if not THE DIVA. There was now rumours of a new Solo album of Karen's Greatest Solo Songs being released, with some new songs added with it.
August 11, 1991, the Andrews family welcomed Stephen James into their lives. He weighed in at 8 pounds and 9 ounces, and he was such a little sweetie pie. He had dark hair like his mother, with big, brown puppy dog eyes, and dark, long eyelashes.
Amazingly, 3 days later, Mary gave birth to Savannah Leigh Rose a beautiful blonde haired, blue-eyed baby. Agnes was so happy. What more could she ask for. She had 7 wonderful, healthy grand children. She had a normal family again, and she was getting along with her daughter Karen, better than ever. It was true, she had after all mellowed out, after all these years. She was planning to move to New Haven, Connecticut, as was Bernice, who's husband had just passed away, and so both sisters decided to make the move together.
Another Gospel single was released and it was a duet with Gospel King Michael W. Smith, and shot to Number One on the Gospel Charts for a record-breaking 16 weeks. This single also zoomed to the # 1 spot on the Adult Contemporary Chart for 5 weeks. On the Top 100, it cracked the Top 20 at # 18 and peaked at # 10. The song was PLACE IN THIS WORLD. It was as if her career was getting a resurgence, and her record sales as a solo performer and as The Carpenters, were selling more back catalogue. There was such a demand for it. It seemed, that every year, in Japan, or other countries, like England, new collections of their music, all revamped and repackaged, with bonus material sold in the gold, platinum range. She was not suffereing financially at all.
Their new home was ready, and their old home was sold. So they packed up and left for the 2 hour drive south. Karen was excited, to be able to raise her family in their new huge acreage. The house was beautiful, and very much like a ranch house. There was a pool in the backyard, and lots of trees to provide shade and comfort. The house had 8 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 5 levels, and 2 living rooms. A huge kitchen completed the home, and Karen knew that this would be the center of their home. There was a brick oven inside the kitchen, as well as a double fridge. They even had a stable for some horses that they had bought, and planned to raise their kids to help out around with keeping the place clean and tidy.
Stephen James was such a doll, everyone loved him upon first glance. The 2 older kids took to baby Stephen very well, and spent hours playing and talking to him. Lindsay was already walking around and talking baby talk. Daniel was now 2 years old, and was a little terror, teasing his younger sister to death. Karen and Jon would just sit and watch their brood of kids for hours, and do nothing else.
Richard and his family came out for a visit, a few weeks later, and the house was filled with the sound of little children at play, and doing things that little kids would do.
Karen loved the chance to be a hostess, and provide a home for those she loved, and for those who came to visit. Karen was starting to play the piano again, and would sit at the stool, and play and tickle the ivories. Tunes just came into her mind, and she would develop it even further. She planned for all of her kids to have some sort of musical training. Piano, trumpet, flute, drums, vocals whatever, she wanted them to find an instrument that they enjoyed.
Richard's solo album THE RIGHT TIME was released October 15, 1991and its debut was at # 24. The debut single THE RIGHT TIME (TO FALL IN LOVE) was already in the Top 40 at # 33 with a bullet beside it. Karen sang background vocals on this song, and she loved it. This song would ultimately hit # 2 and go gold, Richard's first solo gold single ever. By Christmas, the album would be past the gold album stage, and into the new year, it would be platinum.
A new Christmas album was to be released titled A CHRISTMAS FANTASY, and this album had been recorded several years earlier, but never been released. Karen and Richard had written new songs, and also written a musical fantasy that went along with it. A very novel concept. Taping also began for the Christmas TV Special that would accompany the release. All the Carpenter grandchildren would be in the special, as well as various relations and friends.
Agnes and Bernice flew down from the East to visit, and appear in the taping. They would be staying for 6 weeks, and everyone would be staying at Jonathon and Karen's new home. Once again, Karen would be decorating her home, and making it as close as possible to a lavish winter wonderland. She wanted this to be the best Christmas ever.
he also had another surprise. She was expecting child # 4, but didn't tell anyone, not even Jon. She wanted to keep it as a surprise, and save it for Christmas day. She was going on her 3rd year anniversary in less than 2 months, and she already had 3 kids with another on the way. She was already going to be 42 in March, and so she knew that this would be her last pregnancy. If she was any younger, she would have had a dozen already, but since she wasn't she thought she would make the best of what she had.
The TV Special A CHRISTMAS FANTASY hit # 1 on the Neilson Ratings, and the album was already certified Platinum by Christmas. The medley A CHRISTMAS FANTASY cracked the Top 10 at # 9. Their special guest stars had been Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Sandi Patti. These 3 Gospel veterans had also sang background vocals for the Christmas album as well, and all had had a fun time doing so.
Since Karen's win of 3 Dove Awards just the past spring, in which she won the prestigious awards for BEST ALBUM, SONG OF THE YEAR and FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR. Karen had been especially stunned to win the Female Vocalist award, as Sandi Patti took that award home for 10 years running, but Sandi didn't mind at all.
Christmas 1991, everyone gathered at Jon and Karen's home, and the house was packed as usual, but no one seemed to mind at all. The more the merrier seemed to be the motto that Karen seemed to be using more and more frequently. Christmas was always her favorite time of the year. A new energy seemed to radiate from her. Agnes was so pleased to hear that a new grand child would be arriving in the New Year. This would make it her 9th grandchild. She was enjoying being back in New Haven with her old friends, but also made frequent visits to California where all her grand children were. Amazingly about 5 of the Carpenters Christmas albums were on the Billboard TOP 200 Albums and all ranked below # 80, around the Christmas season, and altogether had sold several million copies. Karen could never keep track of all the certifications of her releases. It was too much work for her to do.
They bought a 185 acres of land, filled with lots of trees, overlooking a valley. A home was already being constructed, and Karen and Jonathon went out to oversee the plans. Karen wanted a simple home, but big enough to hold many friends, and relatives who would come and visit. Their home in L.A. was already up for sale. So for the next few months, they concentrated solely on their home, and Karen left behind the world of show business.
She loved being a mother, and a wife. Many nights, after the children were in bed, that was when Karen got to show how much she loved her husband. He was her life, and her heart belonged to him. She had never known such happiness before, and she was now content. She felt as if she were in the land of the living, coming out from under the depths of the earth.
One of Karen's country singles WAITING ALL NIGHT LONG FOR YOU had hit the Top spot on the Country Charts for 6 weeks, and on the Billboard Charts, it topped the Pop Charts for 6 weeks, selling over 3.1 million copies. Another # 1 Adult Contemporary hit for 2 weeks.
Another single was released on August 2, 1991 and hit the # 4 position for 2 weeks and on the A.C. chart it hit # 1 for 7 weeks. This was a bonus track that had never been on any album before, and was released for the purpose of keeping Karen's name still visible in the public's eyes. The single was titled WHAT LOVE IS, and showcased Karen's deep range, oozing with sensuality. The video having been shot that previous Spring, showed Karen in a slinky nightgown singing to a well built Man, as they caressed and held onto each other. Whatever pure, wholesome image Karen had ever had before, was now completely shattered. She was now a DIVA, if not THE DIVA. There was now rumours of a new Solo album of Karen's Greatest Solo Songs being released, with some new songs added with it.
August 11, 1991, the Andrews family welcomed Stephen James into their lives. He weighed in at 8 pounds and 9 ounces, and he was such a little sweetie pie. He had dark hair like his mother, with big, brown puppy dog eyes, and dark, long eyelashes.
Amazingly, 3 days later, Mary gave birth to Savannah Leigh Rose a beautiful blonde haired, blue-eyed baby. Agnes was so happy. What more could she ask for. She had 7 wonderful, healthy grand children. She had a normal family again, and she was getting along with her daughter Karen, better than ever. It was true, she had after all mellowed out, after all these years. She was planning to move to New Haven, Connecticut, as was Bernice, who's husband had just passed away, and so both sisters decided to make the move together.
Another Gospel single was released and it was a duet with Gospel King Michael W. Smith, and shot to Number One on the Gospel Charts for a record-breaking 16 weeks. This single also zoomed to the # 1 spot on the Adult Contemporary Chart for 5 weeks. On the Top 100, it cracked the Top 20 at # 18 and peaked at # 10. The song was PLACE IN THIS WORLD. It was as if her career was getting a resurgence, and her record sales as a solo performer and as The Carpenters, were selling more back catalogue. There was such a demand for it. It seemed, that every year, in Japan, or other countries, like England, new collections of their music, all revamped and repackaged, with bonus material sold in the gold, platinum range. She was not suffereing financially at all.
Their new home was ready, and their old home was sold. So they packed up and left for the 2 hour drive south. Karen was excited, to be able to raise her family in their new huge acreage. The house was beautiful, and very much like a ranch house. There was a pool in the backyard, and lots of trees to provide shade and comfort. The house had 8 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 5 levels, and 2 living rooms. A huge kitchen completed the home, and Karen knew that this would be the center of their home. There was a brick oven inside the kitchen, as well as a double fridge. They even had a stable for some horses that they had bought, and planned to raise their kids to help out around with keeping the place clean and tidy.
Stephen James was such a doll, everyone loved him upon first glance. The 2 older kids took to baby Stephen very well, and spent hours playing and talking to him. Lindsay was already walking around and talking baby talk. Daniel was now 2 years old, and was a little terror, teasing his younger sister to death. Karen and Jon would just sit and watch their brood of kids for hours, and do nothing else.
Richard and his family came out for a visit, a few weeks later, and the house was filled with the sound of little children at play, and doing things that little kids would do.
Karen loved the chance to be a hostess, and provide a home for those she loved, and for those who came to visit. Karen was starting to play the piano again, and would sit at the stool, and play and tickle the ivories. Tunes just came into her mind, and she would develop it even further. She planned for all of her kids to have some sort of musical training. Piano, trumpet, flute, drums, vocals whatever, she wanted them to find an instrument that they enjoyed.
Richard's solo album THE RIGHT TIME was released October 15, 1991and its debut was at # 24. The debut single THE RIGHT TIME (TO FALL IN LOVE) was already in the Top 40 at # 33 with a bullet beside it. Karen sang background vocals on this song, and she loved it. This song would ultimately hit # 2 and go gold, Richard's first solo gold single ever. By Christmas, the album would be past the gold album stage, and into the new year, it would be platinum.
A new Christmas album was to be released titled A CHRISTMAS FANTASY, and this album had been recorded several years earlier, but never been released. Karen and Richard had written new songs, and also written a musical fantasy that went along with it. A very novel concept. Taping also began for the Christmas TV Special that would accompany the release. All the Carpenter grandchildren would be in the special, as well as various relations and friends.
Agnes and Bernice flew down from the East to visit, and appear in the taping. They would be staying for 6 weeks, and everyone would be staying at Jonathon and Karen's new home. Once again, Karen would be decorating her home, and making it as close as possible to a lavish winter wonderland. She wanted this to be the best Christmas ever.
he also had another surprise. She was expecting child # 4, but didn't tell anyone, not even Jon. She wanted to keep it as a surprise, and save it for Christmas day. She was going on her 3rd year anniversary in less than 2 months, and she already had 3 kids with another on the way. She was already going to be 42 in March, and so she knew that this would be her last pregnancy. If she was any younger, she would have had a dozen already, but since she wasn't she thought she would make the best of what she had.
The TV Special A CHRISTMAS FANTASY hit # 1 on the Neilson Ratings, and the album was already certified Platinum by Christmas. The medley A CHRISTMAS FANTASY cracked the Top 10 at # 9. Their special guest stars had been Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Sandi Patti. These 3 Gospel veterans had also sang background vocals for the Christmas album as well, and all had had a fun time doing so.
Since Karen's win of 3 Dove Awards just the past spring, in which she won the prestigious awards for BEST ALBUM, SONG OF THE YEAR and FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR. Karen had been especially stunned to win the Female Vocalist award, as Sandi Patti took that award home for 10 years running, but Sandi didn't mind at all.
Christmas 1991, everyone gathered at Jon and Karen's home, and the house was packed as usual, but no one seemed to mind at all. The more the merrier seemed to be the motto that Karen seemed to be using more and more frequently. Christmas was always her favorite time of the year. A new energy seemed to radiate from her. Agnes was so pleased to hear that a new grand child would be arriving in the New Year. This would make it her 9th grandchild. She was enjoying being back in New Haven with her old friends, but also made frequent visits to California where all her grand children were. Amazingly about 5 of the Carpenters Christmas albums were on the Billboard TOP 200 Albums and all ranked below # 80, around the Christmas season, and altogether had sold several million copies. Karen could never keep track of all the certifications of her releases. It was too much work for her to do.
