Tapestry (Carole King album) performer Carole King
Tapestry is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Carole King, released in 1971 on Ode Records and produced by Lou Adler. The lead singles from the album—"It's Too Late" and "I Feel the Earth Move"—spent five weeks at number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts.
Tapestry has been certified 14× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in the US, and has sold an estimated 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. In 2000, it attained number 74 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums, and in 2020, it was ranked number 25 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Tapestry won four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year.Production
King wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, two of which had already been hits for other artists such as Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (in 1967), and The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (in 1960). King's ex-husband Gerry Goffin wrote the lyrics for three of the songs. James Taylor, who encouraged King to sing her own songs and who also played on Tapestry, had a number one hit with "You've Got a Friend," later in 1971. Two songs were co-written with Toni Stern: "It's Too Late" and "Where You Lead".
The album was recorded at A&M Recording Studios' Studio B during January 1971 with the support of Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, plus various experienced session musicians. Several of the musicians worked simultaneously on Taylor's Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon album.
The cover photograph was taken by A&M staff photographer Jim McCrary at King's Laurel Canyon home. It shows her sitting in a window frame, holding a tapestry that she had hand-stitched herself, with her cat Telemachus at her feet."I Feel the Earth Move" – 4:17
"So Far Away" – 4:44
"It's Too Late" – 5:06
"Home Again" – 3:33
"Beautiful" – 3:39
"Way Over Yonder" – 5:35
"You've Got a Friend" – 6:00
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" – 4:31
"Smackwater Jack" – 4:18
"Tapestry" – 4:13
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" – 5:11Personnel
Carole King – lead and backing vocals, piano, keyboards
Ralph Schuckett – electric piano
James Taylor – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar – acoustic and electric guitars, congas, backing vocals
Perry Steinberg – bass guitar
Charles Larkey – bass guitar, string bass
Russ Kunkel – drums
Joel O'Brien – drums
Curtis Amy – flute; baritone, soprano and tenor saxophones
Barry Socher – violin
David Campbell – viola
Terry King – cello
Merry Clayton – backing vocals
Julia Tillman – backing vocals
Joni Mitchell – backing vocals on "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"TechnicalLou Adler – producer
Vic Anesini – mastering
Chuck Beeson – design
Hank Cicalo – engineering
Bob Irwin – production on 1999 re-release
Jessica Killorin – packaging manager
Jim McCrary – photography
Michael Putland – artwork
Smay Vision – design
Roland Young – art direction
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