Scene Notes

Carole King—A Timeline

Posted on 10/30/2019

Beautiful—The Carole King Musical—based on King's life as one of the most celebrated and unprecedented singer/songwriters in the music industry—is coming to State Theatre New Jersey from November 8 to November 10.  Leading an impressive life, here is a breakdown of some of King's most iconic events:

• February 9, 1942: Carole Joan Klein is born in Brooklyn, NY
• 1958: Started at Queens College, met Gerry Goffin; records song “The Right Girl” first for ABC Paramount as Carole King
• 1959: Marries Gerry Goffin in Queens, NY
• 1960: King and Goffin write “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” which becomes their first song to hit #1 on the Billboard Chart (recorded by the Shirelles)
• 1960’s: Daughters Louise Lynn and Sherry Marlene are born; King and Goffin sign to Aldon Music & Don Kirschner’s Dimension Records and writes many hits for different artists, Goffin has an affair with Janelle Woods but warns King before it happens
• 1968: Moves to Los Angeles and divorces Gerry Goffin; forms The City Group with Charles Larkey and Danny Kortchmar
• 1969: The City separates, King meets James Taylor
• 1970: Releases Writer, her first solo album; marries Charles Larkey
• 1971: Gives birth to daughter Molly Larkey, releases second solo album entitled Tapestry, makes debut at Carnegie Hall on June 18
• 1973:  Her album, Fantasy, goes Gold, performs at Central Park’s Great Lawn in NYC on May 26 for more than 100,000 people
• 1974: Son Levi Larkey is born, album Wrap Around Joy goes Gold, song "Jazzman" is nominated for a Grammy®
• 1976: Divorces Charles Larkey
• 1977: Moves to Idaho and marries Rick Evers
• 1978: Husband Rick dies of drug overdose, King produces Welcome Home album with Norm Kinney
• 1982: Marries Rick Sorensen, Live concert VHS with on-camera interview for One to One album
• 1987: King and Goffin are inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
• 1990: Begins working with Alliance For the Wild Rockies 
• 1992: Receives a Grammy® Nomination for"Now and Forever"
• 1994: Plays lead role, Mrs. Johnstone, in Blood Brothers; testifies on Capitol Hill in support of Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA)
• 2001: After an 8 year gap of music making, releases album Love Makes the World  
• 2005: Troubadour 50-year anniversary; King and Taylor perform six shows with original band; Testifies at Capitol Hill on behalf of NREPA
• 2010: Carole King and James Taylor reunion tour
• 2011:Album A Holiday Carole is nominated for a Grammy®
• 2012 :King is named songwriting icon and gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 2013: First woman to receive Gershwin Prize for popular song from Library of Congress; receives a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2014: Named MusiCares Person of the Year by Grammy® Foundation; Beautiful opens on Broadway and wins two Tony® Awards
• 2015: King gets Kennedy Center Honor on December 6