Carole King's Tapestry

Carole Kings Tapestry is both an anthemic embodiment of second-wave feminism and an apotheosis of the Laurel Canyon singer-songwriter sound and scene. And these two elements of the albums historic significance are closely related insofar as the professional autonomy of the singer-songwriter is an expression of the freedom and independence women of Kings generation sought as the turbulent sixties came to a close. Aligning Kings own development from girl to woman with the larger shift in the music industry from teen-oriented singles by girl groups to albums by adult-oriented singer-songwriters, this volume situates Tapestry both within Kings original vision as the third in a trilogy (preceded by Now That Everythings Been Said and Writer) and as a watershed in musical and cultural history, challenging the male dominance of the music and entertainment industries and laying the groundwork for female dominated genres such as womens music and Riot Grrrl punk.