I blush to think how, as a young rock fan, I dismissed both the vocals and the drumming of Karen Carpenter.
As a writer for a number of technical drum and percussion titles, I understand how seriously underrated Karen Carpenter was as a player.
As a music writer with far more understanding now of what makes a really good singer, I think she is still one of the finest vocalists I have ever heard, or ever expect to hear. Karen's voice on the Carpenters' ballads is in my view a thing of perpetual beauty.