What is Richard Carpenter's Net Worth?
Richard Carpenter is an American singer, songwriter, and musician with a net worth of $14 million. He is best known as one half of the music duo The Carpenters, alongside his sister Karen Carpenter. The Carpenters achieved great success in the 70s with hit singles such as "(They Long to Be) Close to You," "We've Only Just Begun," and "Top of the World." Richard served as a record producer, pianist, composer, and arranger for the duo. After Karen's passing in 1983, Richard released two solo albums and continued to record and produce documentaries.
Early Life and Education
Richard Carpenter was born on October 15, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Agnes and Harold. His sister Karen was born three-and-a-half years later. The siblings were baptized into the United Methodist Church and were active in the Methodist Youth Ministry. While his sister enjoyed playing baseball, Richard focused on honing his piano-playing skills, eventually becoming a prodigy. Inspired by his father's record collection, which included works by Ella Fitzgerald and Perry Como, Richard decided to pursue a career in music. He formed a band with friends and performed at a local pizza restaurant.
In 1963, the family moved to Downey, California. Richard attended Downey High School and later enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, as a music major. There, he was mentored by choirmaster Frank Pooler, who would later collaborate with Richard and Karen professionally.
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Career Beginnings
In 1965, Richard, Karen, and Wes Jacobs formed the Richard Carpenter Trio. Richard played piano, Karen played drums, and Wes handled bass and tuba. The band competed in the Hollywood Bowl Battle of the Bands in 1966 and won. They recorded songs at RCA Studios, including "Every Little Thing," "Iced Tea," and "Strangers in the Night." Richard's next group was Spectrum, which performed at various Los Angeles nightclubs. Following that, he formed the band Summerchimes.
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The Carpenters
In 1969, Richard and Karen signed with A&M Records as the duo The Carpenters. Richard was the arranger and instrumentalist, while Karen provided vocals and briefly played drums. Their debut album, initially called "Offering," was later retitled "Ticket to Ride." Their second album, 1970's "Close to You," reached number two on the Billboard 200 and included hit singles "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun." This album earned eight Grammy Award nominations and won two. Subsequent albums featured hits like "For All We Know," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Superstar," and "Top of the World."
The Carpenters released "Now & Then" in 1973 and "Horizon" in 1975, the latter reaching number one in the UK and Japan. Despite Richard's struggle with Quaalude addiction affecting their touring schedule, they released more albums, including "Passage," "Christmas Portrait," and "Made in America." Posthumous releases after Karen's death included "Voice of the Heart," "An Old-Fashioned Christmas," "Loveliness," and "As Time Goes By."
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Substance Addiction
Both Richard and Karen faced significant mental health challenges during their careers. While Karen struggled with anorexia nervosa in the late 70s, Richard battled depression, insomnia, and panic attacks. He became addicted to the prescription sedative Quaalude. In early 1979, after a serious fall, Richard entered a six-week treatment program in Topeka, Kansas, successfully overcoming his addiction.
Solo Career
Following Karen's death in 1983, Richard took a hiatus but returned to the music scene in 1986, embarking on a solo career. He released his debut solo album "Time" in 1987, featuring vocals from artists like Dionne Warwick, Scott Grimes, and Dusty Springfield. He paid homage to his sister with the track "When Time Was All We Had." In 1989, Richard produced, arranged, and performed on Scott Grimes's debut album, and in 1996, he released "Richard Carpenter: Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Conductor," featuring reworked Carpenters hits.
Personal Life
Richard married his adopted cousin, Mary Rudolph, in 1984. They have five children: Kristi, Traci, Mindi, Collin, and Taylor, and reside in Thousand Oaks, California.
Real Estate
In 1994, Richard and Mary acquired a plot of land in Thousand Oaks for $600,000. They built a 10,000-square-foot, 6-bedroom home, completed in 2000. The property's current value is estimated between $6 million and $8 million.
