Totally Rad Staff
7. Karen Carpenter
Singer/drummer Karen Carpenter found fame in the 1970s with The Carpenters, her soft pop duo with brother Richard. The pair sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, notching hits with songs like “(They Long to Be) Close to You” and “We’ve Only Just Begun.” Carpenter struggled with anorexia for many years, but appeared to be on the mend when, in 1983, she collapsed and later died from heart failure related to her illness. She was 32.
