Since performing the music of The Carpenters with her seven member “Top of the World” band in 2017, singer Debbie Taylor of Coral Springs has been so popular that she sold out each of her annual Aventura Arts and Cultural Center shows over the years and has toured across the United States as often as 40 weeks annually.
Taylor and “Top of the World” will again perform a tribute to the music of The Carpenters next Saturday November 23 at Aventura Center before another anticipated sold out concert..
“It has always been a dream of mine to sing and tour with a band and it never ever gets old. You feel the enthusiasm of the fans on stage and the reaction of the audience just makes me want to continue singing the music of The Carpenters for as many years
as possible,” said the 61-year-old Taylor in a phone call from Palm Springs, CA where she finished performing another Carpenters tribute concert before over a thousand fans..
Taylor discovered many years ago that she sang in the same contralto range as Karen Carpenter. The late singer teamed with her musician brother Richard for a short 14 year career cut short by Karen Carpenter’s death at age 32 in 1983 after suffering for many years with anorexia.
From 1969-83, The Carpenters became one of the best loved musical groups in the world, with hit songs showcasing Karen Carpenter’s mellow contralto voice such as “Close to You”, “For All We Know”, “Rainy Days and Mondays” and “We’ve Only Just Begun” among other songs that sold millions of records over their short career.
“Like so many other Carpenters fans, I loved their songs, stirring passionate emotions that tug at the heart. It feels like the love of their music will never die even though Karen has been gone from us for over 40 years.”
As with many other musicians who have become successful on tour playing the music of The Carpenters, Taylor draws from her own unique interpretation of The Carpenters, starting with her phrasing and playing the music with the same orchestrations as Richard Carpenter created with his arrangements.
What Taylor does not do is to try and be a clone of Karen Carpenter as other tribute artists do.
“My idea of recreating the music of The Carpenters is to bring back the emotions, the sentiment of how Karen phrased and vocalized the songs rather than physically becoming Karen. The idea of being an impersonator by wearing wigs and costumes just doesn’t work. Rather, I stir strong memories by singing and vocalizing as Karen Carpenter would if she was alive and on stage today.”
Taylor has her own unique arrangement to Karen Carpenter’s favorite song “I Need To Be In Love” teaming with her music director Paul Stewart on guitar in an acoustic arrangement that is distinct from the original Richard Carpenter arrangement.
“The duet with Paul (Stewart) and I really brings the audience to tears and it is a highlight of the show”.
Given that the November 23 concert is within one month of Christmas, Taylor and “Top of the World” will also recreate some of the Carpenters unique interpretations of
famed Christmas songs, such as the jazzy “Santa Claus is Coming to Town: as well as the beloved original Carpenters’ Christmas hit song “Merry Christmas Darling”. Because many in the Aventura Center audience live in South Florida, many of Taylor’s family, friends and patients will congratulate Taylor personally after the concert. When she is in South Florida, Taylor has a demanding life, touring 40 weeks on the road while also working full time as a dental hygienist and part time as a pet therapist with her dog Cash at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood. “The smiles and laughter that I hear from children in the hospital who look forward to seeing Cash and his son are unforgettable.”
Taylor is the mother of three children and two grandchildren.
Raised in Miami Beach, Taylor as a teen performed in musical theater before working in a South Florida based dance band in which she was the featured singer. Within a short period of time, Taylor became one of the first South Florida women to form her own band, the Debbie Taylor Band for over 20 years, performing popular music at many corporate parties, weddings and bar mitzvahs.
“All those years helped me where I am today. At weddings, I involved the families in selecting the music and besides singing, I went on the floor and danced with the couples. The interaction I had then is so important in recognizing the value of the audience to the shows,” said Taylor.
Singer Debbie Taylor and her “Top of the World” seven member band perform the music of The Carpenters on Saturday, November 23 at 8 p.m. at Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 NE 188 Street in Aventura. Tickets range from $37.38-46.73. For tickets, go to aventuracenter.org or call 305-466-8002.
