Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Karen Carpenter's closest friends...

Karen Carpenter with Phil Ramone


Karen Carpenter with John Denver


I was just browsing the internet and ran across an (unrelated) article which made me think about the friends Karen Carpenter made in her lifetime.

I'd love to discuss her relationship with some of these people.

The following is a list of people Karen considered to be good friends. People she confided in and people she spent a good amount of time with.

This list does not include family or band members.

Karen "Itchy" Ramone
Phil Ramone
Olivia Newton-John
Dionne Warwick
Dorothy Hamill
Christine Ferrari
Phoebe Snow
John Denver

I know there are others that I have missed maybe some of you can add to this list.

What was the significance in Karen's relationship with each of these people?

6 comments:

  1. I know of one relationship here that was highly important to Karen, and that was with Itchy Ramone. Itchy "cared for" Karen in more than one way - Itchy was also honest with Karen and from what I understand, attempted NOT to enable her with regard to Karen's anorexia. I think Itchy was a highly valuable friend to Karen in many, many ways.

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  2. Hi Tim... yes, Itchy was one of Karen's very closest friends and I feel a friend who gave Karen much support and strength to finally face the fact that she was suffering from anorexia. I feel Karen's friendship with Itchy was one of her most important and healthiest friendships.

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  3. Another one of Karen's closest friends, whom I forgot to mention is Frenda Leffler. Frenda was Ed Leffler's wife. Ed was a manger for the Carpenters from around 1974 onward. Karen became very close friends with Frenda right from the beginning. They were close confidantes and spent a good amount of time palling around.

    Karen was God Mother to Ed and Frenda's twin sons (Andrew and Ashley). Frenda was also Karen's bridesmaid in her wedding to Thomas Burris.

    Karen and Frenda remained friends to the very end. They had a "date" to get a manicure on February 4, 1983. Sadly Karen never made it to that date.

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  4. Update on Frenda. She is now going by the name Frenda Franklin. I believe she has remarried.

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    Replies
    1. Franklin is Frenda's maiden name.

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  5. Franklin was Frenda's maiden name.

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