
Her songs with husband Gerry Goffin had been hits for talents as diverse as Aretha Franklin with “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman” and Little Eva with “The Locomotion,” but it took a push from James Taylor to get King to record a few herself. King’s voice has limits, range chief among them, and that’s a critical part of Tapestry’s charm; her take on “Natural Woman” feels more vulnerable than Franklin’s, her slowed down “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” more poignant than the Shirelles’. The warmth of those easy melodies drove Tapestry to sales of 10 million copies and created the archetype of the female singer-songwriter.