Carole King – Tapestry album art

Tapestry is the second album from singer/songwriter Carole King. The release was an unqualified success, winning several Grammys and eventually being certified 13 times platinum.

Being produced by Lou Adler for his Ode Records label, which was distributed by A&M, led to one of that company’s senior art directors, Chuck Beeson getting the design duties here. The cover photograph was taken by A&M staff photographer Jim McCrary and features King in her California home with her cat and some hand sewn bits of tapestry. An iconic, archetypal image for the early 70s “singer/songwriter” genre. The accompany titles are set in a somewhat condensed, old style type. The very distinctive uppercase C and the tail on the t and spiraling curves on the r and s are an indication that the type used was at least based on Grant No. 2, a late 19th century design by Charles E. Heyer for Barnhart Brothers & Spindler. Especially in the larger point samples of the specimen linked to on the Fonts in Use page (example), one can see the similarity in the aforementioned letter forms.

Staying with the simple aesthetic, the back cover features some of the knitting with titles, credits, and lyrics overlaid in Times.