Most people receive gifts on their birthday, Carole King gave the world a gift the day after her birthday. On February 9, 1971 she celebrated her 29th birthday and a day later her album Tapestry was released.
Prior to the release Carole King was known as a songwriter. She and her then husband Gerry Goffin wrote some of the greatest songs of the 1960’s including The Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, “Take Good Care of My Baby” for Bobby Vee, “Up on the Roof” for the Drifters, “I’m into Something Good” for Earl-Jean (later recorded by Herman’s Hermits), “One Fine Day” for The Chiffons, “Pleasant Valley Sunday” for the Monkees and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” for Aretha Franklin.
“Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” was recorded by Carole for Tapestry.
Tapestry was the follow-up of her first solo album Writer released in May of 1970.
Tapestry was number one on the Billboard 200 for 15 consecutive weeks, and was listed on the Billboard 200 for 318 weeks between 1971 and 2011 (302 weeks consecutively from April 10, 1971 to January 15, 1977).
The lead single from the album “It’s Too Late”/”I Feel the Earth Move” spent five weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The second single “Smackwater Jack” along with “So Far Away,” charted at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album received four Grammy Awards including Album of the Year.