Charles Larkey is an American bassist who is famed as one of the 4 husbands, the singer-songwriter Carole King was married to. The pair got married in 1970 and remained together until 1976 when they parted ways. Aside from their several projects together, their marriage also saw the birth of two children, Molly Larkey, and Levi Larkey.
Despite the successes Charles recorded as a musician, his marriage to Carole is what often puts him in the spotlight and it’s not hard to see why. His ex-wife was established in the 20th century as a successful singer-songwriter with over 400 songs for a career that spanned 5 decades. Aside from her numerous awards and honors, she has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Among her popular songs are “You’ve Got a Friend”, “Its Too Late” and “So Far Away”.
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A Brief Biography of Charles Larkey
Aside from the fact that Charles Larkey was raised in New Jersey, not much information has been established on his early years. What is known however is that his father owned a chain of local men’s clothes stores and was also involved in several businesses in Newark. It was a family business that had been passed down across several generations and even celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1951.
As for his education, he attended the Governor Livington High School but that’s all that has been established. As such, it is not known if he had any formal education before picking up the bass guitar.
Carole King’s Ex-husband is a Bassist
At the time Carole met Charles, he was playing bass in a New Jersey-based garage rock that was known as “The Myddle Class”. He remained with the group for a while before moving to Los Angeles and was part of the trio band called “The City” with Carole who was on piano and vocals and Danny Kortchmar on guitar. With the band, they recorded an album called “Now That Everything’s Been Said” in 1968 and the following year, “The City” disbanded since their album was not a commercial success.
Around this time, Charles went back to playing bass for other bands including “Fugs” and Carole admitted that they may have shared the same passion for music but he love playing in bands and was living the life of a musician.
Charlie later left music briefly and juggled into acting. He also got to work for an aerobatic airplane dealer as an aerobatic pilot and flight instructor. He returned to music and recorded a few more albums before embracing a quiet life in Austin, Texas.
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Charles and Carole were Married for 6 Years
As hinted earlier, Charles and Carole shared six years as a couple before parting ways. The pair first met sometime in the 60s, and their passion for music got them on the same path. At the time, Carole was married to her first husband Goffin, and they needed to collaborate with a band for their song. It turned out that after their collaboration and a few years after their divorce, Charles started a relationship with the “Tapestry” singer.
The pair maintained a relationship that saw them start a band together and even released an album two years before getting married in 1970. Their marriage ceremony was held in Los Angeles and witnessed by a few friends and family members.
Together, they would record other songs until their marriage hit the rock in 1976, ultimately leading to their divorce. Carole would later clear the air that though everything between them was cool, they shared different lifestyles. Notably, her husband was really into music and hanging out. While he was living the life of a musician, she was left feeling like a domestic housewife.
Despite their split, the one-time couple remained close as friends and co-parents of their two children.
The Pair are Proud Parents of Two
Charles and Carole shared two children while they were married. Their first child Molly Larkey was born in 1971, a year after her parents got married while Levi was born in 1974.
Their first child Molly is an artist and writer. She focuses on creating portraits of famous writers who have committed suicide. On the other hand, Levi had something going on for him in the entertainment industry and secured a few Hollywood credits before embracing a quiet life.
Charles Larkey Wasn’t the first Man in Carole’s Life; Meet the Three Other Men She Married
Gerry Goffin
The songwriter, Gerry Goffin had already taken the spot of Carole’s first love several years before she met Charles. The pair were college sweethearts and at the time they met at Queen’s College, the singer-songwriter was just 16 years old. They continued dating until Carole eventually got pregnant at 18 and this prompted their marriage which saw them write several songs together and also welcomed another child. However, they parted ways in 1968 after 10 years together.
From the reports, Gerry’s frequent infidelity was what led to their separation. He even fathered a child in 1964 with Jeanie Reavis and was involved with other women. Though their split wasn’t on a good note, the two later reunited at the Carnegie Hall where Gerry apologized for mistreating her. Together, they worked on 4 songs on her album “Thoroughbred” as well as other projects.
Following his unfortunate demise in 2014, Carole noted that he was a good man with a dynamic force. She explained that his creative influence did not just impact her life but the rest of the world as well.
Rick Evers
Shortly after Charles and Carole separated, she met Evers at a party organized by the Eagles singer, Don Henley. Since they shared the same passion for writing songs, it wasn’t so hard to get talking already. Together, they worked on Carole’s eighth album “Simple Things” and by 1977, they had exchanged vows.
Following the wedding, they relocated to a remote cabin as it had been Carole’s dream to leave city life behind. Unfortunately, Evers became very abusive as she recalls in her memoir “A Natural Woman”. By the following year, the singer-songwriter decided to leave the marriage and a few months later, Evers died from cocaine overdose.
Rick Sorensen
The last man Charle’s ex-wife Carole got married to was Rick Sorensen. The pair met through a friend and soon got along. They soon started a relationship that saw them get married in 1982. Unlike the other men in Carole’s life, her fourth husband was a carpenter who lived in a teepee and moved with it following the season.
While Carole’s other marriages would have left one thinking she had a thing for songwriters, her union with Sorensen was a prove that love could find you anywhere. The pair were married for 6 years before praying ways in 1987. However, details on what led to their divorce have not been established.
