Mary Chapin Carpenter

Artist Image: Mary Chapin Carpenter
Attribution
Image Credit: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA (Mary Chapin Carpenter © copyright 2010), CC BY-SA 2.0

Biography

Mary Chapin Carpenter (born February 21, 1958) is an American folk and country music singer, songwriter and musician. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C. clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records, who marketed her as a country singer. Carpenter's first album, 1987's Hometown Girl, did not produce any singles, although 1989's State of the Heart and 1990's Shooting Straight in the Dark each produced four Top 20 hits on the Billboard country singles charts. Carpenter's most successful album to date remains 1992's Come On Come On, which yielded seven charting country singles and was certified quadruple platinum in the U.S. for sales exceeding four million copies. She followed it with Stones in the Road (1994) and A Place in the World (1996), which both featured hit singles. In the 2000s, Carpenter's albums departed both thematically and musically from her early work, becoming less radio-friendly and more focused on societal and political issues. Her most acclaimed and most topical album to date, The Calling, was released in March 2007. She followed that with The Age of Miracles in April 2010. Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and is the only artist to have won four consecutive Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, which she received from 1992 to 1995. As of 2005, she had sold more than 12 million records. Carpenter has performed on television shows such as Late Night with David Letterman and Austin City Limits and on radio shows such as The Diane Rehm Show. She also tours frequently, returning to Washington almost every summer to perform at the popular outdoor venue Wolf Trap.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1987
Number of Albums 20
Record Label
Website www.marychapincarpenter.com
Wikipedia Mary Chapin Carpenter on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Genres

Country Folk

Trivia

What was Mary Chapin Carpenter's favorite genre?

singersongwriter

...eled as one specific genre and is said to have preferred the label singersongwriter . Carpenter came by her love of music honestly, growing up in New J...
In what state did Carpenter grow up?

New Jersey

...ngwriter. Carpenter came by her love of music honestly, growing up in New Jersey and loving artists such as The Mamas And The Papas, The Beatles and J...
What did she consider music to be at the beginning of her career?

hobby

...The Beatles and John Denver. Early in her career, she considered music a hobby and was often shy when performing at open mic events. She graduated fro...
Which university did she attend?

Brown University

...s often shy when performing at open mic events. She graduated from Brown University and was planning on getting a real job, but she stuck with music a...
Who encouraged Carpenter to stick with music?

John Jennings

...eal job, but she stuck with music at the encouragement of her friend John Jennings . Soon, Carpenter earned a record deal with Columbia Records and sta...
What company did Carpenter sign a record deal with?

Columbia Records

...er friend John Jennings. Soon, Carpenter earned a record deal with Columbia Records and started releasing hit songs in the country genre. While there ...
What year was Quittin' Time released?

1990

... best Mary Chapin Carpenter songs, ranked. Quittin' Time was released in 1990 from Carpenter's sophomore album, State of the Heart. While the title ma...
What was the name of Mary Chapin's sophomore album?

State of the Heart

...ttin' Time was released in 1990 from Carpenter's sophomore album, State of the Heart . While the title may sound like another country anthem about gett...
What song is about calling it quits on a relationship?

Quittin' Time

...s list, here are 10 of the best Mary Chapin Carpenter songs, ranked. Quittin' Time was released in 1990 from Carpenter's sophomore album, State of the...
Margaret Renkl contributes regular columns to what newspaper?

The New York Times

...nkl contributes regular columns about lots of different things to The New York Times . She wrote a deeply insightful one in which she said, We are all ...
What is the name of the writer who writes a deeply insightful column for The New York Times?

Margaret Renkl

...The writer Margaret Renkl contributes regular columns about lots of different things to The New York Times. She wrote a deeply insightful one in which...
What makes life worth living?

To be always a student of art and music and life

...ss of becoming. That doesnt stop at a certain age. To be always a student of art and music and life , as she says, that, to me, is what makes life wort...
What is the only thing that has changed over the years?

the device I use to record my ideas just keeps getting smaller and smaller

...really changed over the years is that the device I use to record my ideas just keeps getting smaller and smaller . I still sit down with a yellow legal...
What do I still sit down with?

a yellow legal pad and a pencil and eraser

...ps getting smaller and smaller. I still sit down with a yellow legal pad and a pencil and eraser , whatever the device is, and guitar sitting in my lap...
In what year was MaryChapin Carpenter born?

1958

...Born c. 1958 , in Princeton, NJ; daughter of a Life magazine executive. Signed with CBS Records and released first album, Hometown Girl, 1988. Had firs...
What was the name of her first album?

Hometown Girl

...agazine executive. Signed with CBS Records and released first album, Hometown Girl , 1988. Had first two country hits, Quittin' Time and You Never Had ...
When was Hometown Girl released?

1988

...cutive. Signed with CBS Records and released first album, Hometown Girl, 1988 . Had first two country hits, Quittin' Time and You Never Had It So Good,...
Which two country hits were released in 1989?

Quittin' Time and You Never Had It So Good

...bum, Hometown Girl, 1988. Had first two country hits, Quittin' Time and You Never Had It So Good , 1989. MaryChapin Carpenter is a Nashville artist who...
Who is a Nashville artist who is stretching the boundaries of country?

MaryChapin Carpenter

... country hits, Quittin' Time and You Never Had It So Good, 1989. MaryChapin Carpenter is a Nashville artist who is stretching the boundaries of countr...
What genre of music is Carpenter a part of?

contemporary folk and rock

... who is stretching the boundaries of country music to embrace contemporary folk and rock . Carpenter's intensely personal songs about rocky relationshi...
Where have Carpenter's songs earned a strong following?

college and alternative radio stations

...hips and selfidentity have earned a strong following on college and alternative radio stations , but they have also found their way into the country ma...
Who was at least partly responsible for Carpenter embarking on a musical career?

Her father

...cts, Carpenter had a fairly privileged upper middle class upbringing. Her father was at least partly responsible for her embarking on a musical career...
What song was inspired by the divorce of her parents when she was sixteen?

House of Cards

... partly responsible for her embarking on a musical career. The song House of Cards was inspired by the divorce of her parents when she was sixteen. On...
Who wrote Passionate Kisses?

Lucinda Williams

...n singles is Passionate Kisses (written by fellow singersongwriter Lucinda Williams ), a song with a rock flavor musically and lyrics listing simple de...
What is one of her most widely known songs?

Passionate Kisses

...ents when she was sixteen. One of her most widely known singles is Passionate Kisses (written by fellow singersongwriter Lucinda Williams), a song wit...
In what year did Mary Chapin Carpenter perform at the Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans?

1997

... big hit was Down at the Twist and Shout, which she performed in January 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans. A number of Mary Chapin Carpenter's s...
What is the name of the song that Marychapin Carpenter sang at the 1997 Super Bowl?

Down at the Twist and Shout

...d, food to fill me up, and time to think. Another big hit was Down at the Twist and Shout , which she performed in January 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI in N...
In what city was Down at the Twist and Shout performed?

New Orleans

... and Shout, which she performed in January 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans . A number of Mary Chapin Carpenter's songs speak to women, urging th...
What does Carpenter make a case for in He thinks he'll keep her?

strength and selfrespect

...ed by Carpenter and Don Schlitz, the singer makes the case for strength and selfrespect . The album has a relatively different feel musically, incorpor...
What year was Between Here and Gone released?

2004

...teristic lyrical depth. Her album Between Here and Gone, was released in 2004 . In less than three months after its release, The Calling sold more than...
When was Carpenter born?

Princeton, New Jersey

...r in 2010 Background information Born February 21, 1958 (age 64) Princeton, New Jersey , U.S. Genres Rock folk country Occupation(s) Singersongwriter I...
What is Carpenter's occupation?

Singersongwriter

...Princeton, New Jersey, U.S. Genres Rock folk country Occupation(s) Singersongwriter Instruments Vocals acoustic guitar electric guitar Years active 19...
What was Carpenter's second album called?

A Place in the World

...untry singer. She followed it with Stones in the Road (1994) and A Place in the World (1996), which both featured hit singles. In the 2000s, Carpenter...
In what year was A Place in the World released?

1996

...She followed it with Stones in the Road (1994) and A Place in the World ( 1996 ), which both featured hit singles. In the 2000s, Carpenter's albums depa...
What is the name of Carpenter's latest album?

The Dirt and the Stars

...societal and political issues. Carpenter's latest album, titled The Dirt and the Stars , was released in 2020. Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and...
When will The Dirt and the Stars be released?

2020

...Carpenter's latest album, titled The Dirt and the Stars, was released in 2020 . Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and is the only artist to have won...
How many Grammy Awards has Carpenter won?

five

..., titled The Dirt and the Stars, was released in 2020. Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and is the only artist to have won four consecutive Grammy...
What television shows has Carpenter performed on?

Late Night with David Letterman and Austin City Limits

...enter has performed on television shows such as Late Night with David Letterman and Austin City Limits and on radio shows such as The Diane Rehm Show....
What was the name of the song that Carpenter sang?

(You Don't Know Me) I'm the Opening Act

...levised 1990 Country Music Awards. Performing her song, (You Don't Know Me) I'm the Opening Act , she won the praise of many of country music's brighte...
What did she always walk the thin line between?

artistic expression and commercial appeal

...st first by successfully walking the thin line between artistic expression and commercial appeal . Born in Princeton, New Jersey, February 21, 1958, sh...
What instrument did she learn while living in Japan with her father?

guitar

...rn in Princeton, New Jersey, February 21, 1958, she learned to play the guitar while living in Japan with her father who worked for the Asian Edition ...
When did the family move to Washington, D.C.?

1974

...Asian Edition of Life magazine. The family moved to Washington, D. C. in 1974 . Although she graduated from Brown University with a degree in American ...
How much did the first night she was hired make?

forty dollars

...o take to the stage at an open mike session at a local bar. She made forty dollars the first night she was hired and excitedly began to consider makin...
What did she begin to consider?

making her hobby a career

...t an open mike session at a local bar. She made forty dollars the first night she was hired and excitedly began to consider making her hobby a career ....
Mary Chapin Carpenter began her career as a folkinfluenced performer in what city?

Washington, D.C.,

...didn't actively pursue it as a career. In 1974 her family moved to Washington, D.C., where she became involved in the city's folk music scene. Followi...
Where did Carpenter spend two years of her childhood?

Japan

...er of a Life magazine executive; she spent two years of her childhood in Japan , where her father was launching the Asian edition of Life. Her mother h...
When was Carpenter signed by Columbia?

1987

... Columbia Records, and the label offered Carpenter an audition. By early 1987 , Columbia had signed her as a recording artist, and her first album, Hom...