Hello Friends,

We sincerely hope you all enjoyed a great Holiday season, and we wish to express our thanks for the lovely greeting cards That poured in from throughout the world.

Let me go back in time to last August to bring you up to date on Richard's activities. The entire month of August was Carpenter Month in Downey. City Hall representatives visited the Carpenter homes and chose over 100 items to put on display in two show cases, one in The Downey City Library and one in City Hall. Items included posters, albums, gold records, personal photographs, trophies, lovely sketches or the duo drawn by fans and a "Karen" and "Richard" doll which sat near a little drum and a beautiful black satin piano, all hand-made by a loving fan. During a festal ceremony honoring Richard on August 14, he was presented with a Key to the City, a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, and a Proclamation from the City of Downey, all presented by Downey's Mayor Devilla.

On September 19, Richard participated in the AIDS Project Los Angeles, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. The benefit was responsible for raising over $1 Million for AIDS research. Richard performed We've Only Just Begun with Diahann Carroll.

During the month of October, Richard took time out from recording his own LP to arrange vocals and sing background on two bands of the new Smokey Robinson LP. The album is engineered and co-produced by former Carpenters' "alum" Tony Peluso who will be featured on solo guitar on Richard's forthcoming LP. The two "Smokey" tunes on which Richard is featured are Sleepless Nights and Hangin' On By A Thread. While on the subject of the solo LP, we should mention that Richard is approximately 50 percent along with the project. Release date may be later than anticipated due to major renovation which is taking place at A & M Studios.

In answer to a request of the Homecoming committee of California State University at Long Beach, Richard performed the Carpenters Fantasia with the school's concert band and choir at half-time during the University's second annual homecoming game on October 19. The next evening Frank Pooler and his choir again joined Richard when he performed with the Garden Grove Symphony Orchestra. m addition to the Fantasia, Richard performed Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, Warsaw Concerto, My Favorite Things, and Star Wars / Close Encounters. The orchestra is under the direction of Richard's long time chum, Edward Peterson. Monies raised from the concert will benefit the Garden Grove orchestra. The evening was entitled We've Only Just Begun and was dedicated to Karen's memory.

Finally, in November, Richard took a well deserved vacation. With wife, Mary and Mom and Dad, a flight was made to beautiful Hawaii. They joined former Carpenters' sound-man, Ken Black and his new bride, Cheri, in Oahu. All came home a shade or two tanner.

During the month of December, Richard and the University choir were brought together again for the Annual Winter Festival Concerts which benefit the Choral Scholarship Fund at the University of California at Long Beach. In addition to the choir, Richard's selections also featured members of the school's instrumental program and a rythm section replete with Bob Messenger on bass and "sax". Richard performed four instrumentals from the two Carpenters Christmas LP's and asked friend and vocalist Pam Miller to join him in performing An Old Fashioned Christmas and It's Christmas Time. Sleep Well Little Children. Richard also sang his new arrangement of A Cradle In Bethlehem and dueted with Pam on Christ is Born.

Richard and John Bettis performed in A Salute To The American Songwriter. The program was held at the Beverly Theater on December 10 and was sponsored by the National Academy of Songwriters of which both Richard and John are members. In addition to the Carpenter/Bettis duo, the program featured many other songwriters including Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Stephen Bishop, Eric Carmen, etc.

On December 19 Richard was again asked to judge two tapings of Puttin' On The Hits. To the best of our knowledge, the programs will be aired in February and March, Check your local listings for the exact date.

Richard is one of many celebrities who will be participating in the upcoming Hands Across America. For Those of you not aware of this monumental project, it is to be a chain of people holding hands on a predestined route stretching from Los Angeles to New York. Monies raised from this project will be used to combat domestic hunger and homelessness. You will all be hearing a lot more regarding this project in the upcoming weeks. Hands Across America will take place on May 25. A place in the chain will cost each person from $10.00 to $35.00 (depending on whether one wants a T-shirt of a commemorative pin). We urge all of those who are able to participate in this most worthwhile event.

Richard will again be guest artist with the United States Air Force Band at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. Mom, Dad and Mary will accompany him to the performance which will take place on February 16.

Richard and engineer Roger Young have just completed remastering of Horizon for CD release. Carpenters albums already available on CD are The Singles 1969-1973, Voice of the Heart, Christmas Portrait and Yesterday Once More. Others will follow.

We have received numerous inquiries as to the possibility of a second video release. As of this writing, there are no plans in the offing for such a video.

Fans requesting new items will be happy to learn we are now taking orders for sweatshirts. The shirts, which will sport the Carpenters logo, will come in adult sizes only small medium, large and extra-large. Choice of colors are red shirt with white embroidery, white with red embroidery, or navy blue with white embroidery. The price is $XX.XX each for U.S, Canada and Mexico and $XX.XX each for all other countries. When ordering please state size and color.

We are sorry we have already sold out of some of the items pictured in our new brochure items no longer available are T-shirts. Poster D, and photos C 23 and C 25. In limited supply are photos C 7, C 16, C 21, and CE26. Two new photos not pictured in the brochure are one of the Carpenters Star on Hollywood Boulevard and one of Mom and Dad Carpenter taken on their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Price is $X.XX each. We also have some new large posters from the Yesterday Once More album. A background of blue surrounds the Karen and Richard postcard picture, with the lovely Carpenters logo at the top. Price is $X.XX for U.S., Canada and Mexico and $X.XX for all other countries.

We have also unearthed another treasure in our store room - a lovely poster of the duo taken in 1973. There is a rosy tone to the poster. Karen wears a maroon and white print dress and has her elbows resting on Richard's left shoulder. Richard wears a pink shirt topped with a maroon and white sweater vest. The poster is signed by both Karen and Richard. The price is the same as all other posters.

There has been some confusion concerning the payment of annual membership fees. Charter members who joined before 1977 are not required to pay annually. At the time of their initial payment they were given a lifetime membership, if the back of your membership card is blank, or has only the date you joined, that indicates you are a Charter member. If the back of your card is printed it will state the length of your membership from the date you joined to the expiration date. Please check the back your card for the expiration date. Annual fees are $X.XX. Overseas members, please send an International Money Order for $X.XX in US dollars.

Many thanks to loving members for remembering Karen with floral gifts and contribution to her Memorial Foundation. Will rap again, EV.

Last changed: Thu Sep 15 15:45:33 EDT 2005