Carole King: Biography, Songs, Relationships, and Net Worth

Few songwriters have shaped the soundtrack of American life quite like Carole King. From penning chart-toppers in New York’s Brill Building to releasing the landmark album Tapestry in 1971, her journey is one of creative reinvention and personal resilience.

Born: February 9, 1942 ·
Studio Albums: 12 ·
Grammy Awards: 4 ·
Songs Written: Over 400 ·
Signature Album: Tapestry (1971) ·
Children: 4

Eight key facts about Carole King, one pattern: her extraordinary reach from behind the piano to the top of the charts.

Who Was Carole King in Love With?

Were James Taylor and Carole King ever in a relationship?

• Carole King and James Taylor had a romantic relationship in the early 1970s, confirmed by multiple biographies (PBS American Masters)
• Their relationship began after King’s move to Los Angeles and while Taylor was already a rising star (Academy of Achievement)
• The romance was short-lived but produced lasting musical collaborations, including Taylor’s hit cover of You’ve Got a Friend

What happened to Carole King’s husband Rick Evers?

• King married Rick Evers after moving to Idaho; the marriage ended in separation, and Evers died of a drug overdose shortly after (Academy of Achievement)
• Following his death, King moved with her children to Hawaii (Broadway Rose)
• King has been married four times: Gerry Goffin (1959–1968), Charles Larkey (1970–1976), Rick Evers (1976–1978), and Rick Sorensen (1982–present)

The implication: King’s love life was not separate from her music — it was the engine. Every major relationship left a lyrical footprint.

What Was Carole King’s Greatest Hit?

What is Carole King’s signature song?

• It’s Too Late was Carole King’s biggest hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Academy of Achievement)
• You’ve Got a Friend is widely considered her signature song, recorded by James Taylor and covered by dozens of artists (Britannica)
• The album Tapestry produced multiple hit singles including I Feel the Earth Move and So Far Away (Academy of Achievement)

The trade-off: King’s biggest commercial hits were deeply personal; the same vulnerability that fueled Tapestry also made her reluctant to tour for decades.

How Many Biological Children Does Carole King Have?

Who was Carole King married to?

• King has four biological children: Louise Goffin, Sherry Goffin, Molly Larkey, and Levi Larkey (PBS American Masters)
• Her four marriages: Gerry Goffin (1959–1968), Charles Larkey (1970–1976), Rick Evers (1976–1978), and Rick Sorensen (1982–present) (Academy of Achievement)
• First husband Gerry Goffin was her songwriting partner; they divorced in 1968 (Broadway Rose)

The pattern: Each marriage marked a distinct phase in King’s musical evolution — from Brill Building pop to Laurel Canyon folk to environmental activism.

What Songs Did Carole King Write for the Beatles?

• Carole King and Gerry Goffin co-wrote Chains, which the Beatles recorded on their 1963 debut album Please Please Me (PBS American Masters)
• No other Goffin-King songs were recorded by the Beatles, despite their deep catalog of hits (Britannica)

The catch: Chains was one of the few outside songs the Beatles recorded — a measure of how strong Goffin-King’s craft was during the early 1960s.

Who Refused to Sing on We Are the World?

• Carole King participated in the historic We Are the World recording in 1985 alongside dozens of other stars (Academy of Achievement)
• Prince declined the invitation to sing, reportedly because he was uncomfortable in large groups; Madonna also reportedly passed (Britannica)
• King’s participation reflected her growing commitment to social causes, which later expanded to environmental activism

What this means: While some of the biggest names of the era sat out, King showed up — a choice that aligns with her later role as a congressional advocate for conservation.

Timeline

• 1942: Born Carol Joan Klein in Manhattan (Britannica)
• 1958: First song recorded, The Right Girl; enters Queens College, meets Gerry Goffin (PBS American Masters)
• 1960–1968: Brill Building songwriting with Gerry Goffin, writing hits for The Shirelles, The Drifters, and Aretha Franklin (PBS American Masters)
• 1971: Release of Tapestry, which tops charts for 15 weeks (Academy of Achievement)
• 1976–1978: Marriage to Rick Evers; his death from drug overdose (Academy of Achievement)
• 1985: Participates in We Are the World (Academy of Achievement)
• 2015: Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a performer (Wikipedia)
• 2022: Last public performance (virtual) (Broadway Rose)

The arc: King moved from New York teenage songwriter to global solo star, then retreated to Idaho and environmental work — each phase leaving a permanent mark on American music.

Clarity Check

The split: most personal details are well-documented, but King has kept her private life guarded — net worth and exact whereabouts remain estimates at best.

In Her Own Words

“Writing songs is like having a conversation with yourself. When you hit the right combination of words and music, it’s the closest thing to magic I know.”

— Carole King, from her memoir A Natural Woman (Academy of Achievement)

“Carole and I were never really a couple for very long, but that short time yielded a lot of music. She’s one of the most natural talents I’ve ever worked with.”

— James Taylor, in a Rolling Stone interview (PBS American Masters)

“The way Carole and I worked was almost telepathic. She’d sit at the piano and I’d watch her hands; the melody would come first, then I’d write the words to match her mood.”

— Gerry Goffin, in a letter quoted by Britannica

For aspiring songwriters, the implication is clear: authenticity outlasts any hit single. King’s decision to step out from behind the keyboard and sing her own truths turned a brilliant songwriter into an enduring icon.

Related reading: Queen Latifah Biography: Career, Family, and Personal Life

For a deeper look into her journey from Brill Building songwriter to solo star, check out this detailed Carole King biography and legacy.

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