Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

1. Carole KingTapestry

When I was about 20 – I have to think about it, I can’t ever remember how old I was for anything. It was about two years after the first albums that were put out, so I would say it was 1972. I went and lived by myself in a little cabin in the woods in an area of Ontario that is exquisitely beautiful. It has 30,000 lakes. I decided I needed to get out of the city and go be in the woods. There were three primary albums that I listened to every single day, I think they’re all on this list, and I would dance to them. I was able to have them with me sometimes when I would walk through the woods. I had discovered Tapestry half a year before I moved and I just loved it. I just loved it. I played it every day for probably six, seven months, every day. I would dance to it, listen to it, and think about what it is that various things were saying in various songs. It’s hard for me to actually put my finger on why I liked that particular record. I just liked what Carole King was saying in that album. She was talking about the value of friendship and being there, no matter what, for someone.

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