The Carpenters were a fixture on American radio stations in the 1970s and early 80s, winning over fans with the smooth contralto vocals of Karen Carpenter and the harmonizing and composition of her brother, Richard, who played piano and keyboard. The duo released 14 studio albums, becoming leaders in the soft rock, easy listening and adult contemporary genres before Karen Carpenter’s death in 1983, at age 32, from complications of an eating disorder.