Carpenters Legacy in Thousand Oaks

Valley Scene Magazine, by Pam Froman - January 13-19, 2023

In their illustrious career from 1969-1983, The Carpenters received 3 Grammy Awards, 5 Billboard Top Ten Albums, 3 Number One Singles, 12 Top Ten Singles, and 20 Billboard Top Forty Hits. Now you can experience their music and stage presence once more with the amazing Carpenters Legacy impersonation show starring Sally Olson and Ned Mills as Karen and Richard Carpenter.

Sally Olson, artistic director, and lead vocals for this amazing tribute performance grew up listening to music such as The Beatles, Carole King, James Taylor, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Simon & Garfunkel, and of course, The Carpenters. "I started with the idea of putting together a one-woman show – it was just going to be a bunch of songs of artists that I liked." says Sally. "Then it quickly started to turn into The Carpenters because my voice naturally is a really good fit with Karen Carpenter's."

She needed somebody not to just accompany herself by playing piano – but actively performing the role of Richard. That was when Ned Mills came on board.

Ned Mills, musical director, and pianist grew up hearing wonderful hits by Judy Garland, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Frank Sinatra. But he soon got into The Beatles and The Carpenters. "One of the earliest things on the radio that I remember was Karen Carpenter singing 'This Masquerade' and 'Top of the World'" he says. "I quickly came to realize after meeting Sally that one of the most underappreciated pianists of the 20th century is Richard Carpenter. When we decided that we were going to put this project together I knew I had a lot of brushing up to do and I had some very big shoes to fill."

Carpenters Legacy: A Re-creation of the 1976 UK Tour is the definitive show celebrating the music and legacy of the famed brother-sister duo. Carpenters Legacy maintains a Las Vegas residency at The Modern Showrooms at Alexis Park Resort Hotel. But they are coming to Thousand Oaks in 2023!

"Karen Carpenter's voice was really special," says Sally. "She was the type of singer who doesn't sing with any vocal acrobatics. It's very straight ahead, pure, and of course, there was that deep contralto voice quality and timbre that she had."

"When you hear Karen's voice, the first thing that you notice is the intimacy of it," says Ned. "She was known for holding the microphone very close and it makes you feel like she's singing directly to you. That recognizable voice – it's like taking a warm bath – just gorgeous and unforgettable."

The brother/sister duo was so inspirational and popular because of Karen's recognizable voice and Richard's arrangements with beautiful harmonies. Richard got his influence from everyone from Burt Bacharach to The Beatles, as well as the harmonies of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. "The Carpenters had a total commitment to perfectionism – having everything sound perfect," says Ned. 'That is what identifies their music."

The Carpenters Legacy show in Thousand Oaks is a recreation of the Carpenters' live performances in 1976, specifically their tour in the UK that year. Sally and Ned chose to revive that tour because it was the most dynamic and successful part of the Carpenters' career and truly showcased their talents. It will feature hits including "We've Only Just Begun", "Yesterday Once More", "Superstar", Karen's drum solo, Richard's classical piano feature, a Spike Jones parody of "Close To You", comedy antics, and much more. It's going to be a lot of fun!

Carpenters Legacy: A Re-creation of the 1976 UK Tour starring Sally Olson and Ned Mills is coming to the Bank of America Performing Arts Center – Scherr Forum Theater, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks on Saturday, February 11 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

For more information on Carpenters Legacy, log onto www.carpenterslegacy.com