Retired Stars and Stripes graphic artist Kenichi Ogasawara discusses the rare Carpenters records in his collection during an interivew at Akasaka Press Center in Tokyo, Jan. 28, 2026. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
For a devoted record collector, the discovery felt like uncovering buried treasure.
When former Stars and Stripes graphic artist Kenichi Ogasawara came across an unfamiliar record labeled with Richard Carpenter’s name on an online marketplace in 2022, he did not hesitate. He bought it without knowing exactly what it was, drawn only by its connection to one half of his favorite group, the Carpenters.
What he had found, he later learned, was an acetate disc recorded in 1967 — years before the Carpenters rose to international fame. The recording features a young Richard Carpenter on piano accompanying a high school friend singing “The Lord’s Prayer.”
The record, which Ogasawara bought for roughly $500, has never been officially released. Acetates are fragile, lacquer-coated discs typically used for immediate playback and test recordings before a record’s mass production.
Retired Stars and Stripes graphic artist Kenichi Ogasawara discusses the rare Carpenters records in his collection during an interivew at Akasaka Press Center in Tokyo, Jan. 28, 2026. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
Retired Stars and Stripes graphic artist Kenichi Ogasawara discusses the rare Carpenters records in his collection during an interview at Akasaka Press Center in Tokyo, Jan. 28, 2026. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
This acetate disc of "The Lord's Prayer" recorded in 1967 – years before the Carpenters rose to international fame – features Richard Carpenter on piano. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
At the time of the recording, Carpenter was still a college student. The Carpenters — the brother-and-sister duo of Richard and Karen Carpenter — would later become one of the most recognizable acts of the 1970s, known for hits such as “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Top of the World.”
Ogasawara, a Tokyo resident who retired from Stars and Stripes two years ago, has spent decades building a vast collection of Carpenters records. He owns more than 1,000 items, including rare and unreleased recordings.
His discovery of the acetate has drawn recent attention from Japanese media, but for Ogasawara, it was part of a lifelong pursuit.
Curious about the acetate, he sought confirmation from Richard Carpenter himself. When the musician visited Japan for concerts in 2023, Ogasawara attended a question-and-answer session and asked about the recording.
At first, Carpenter said he did not remember it. But seeing the disc backstage jogged his memory. He was surprised to see the record and said he didn’t even own one himself, Ogasawara said.
“I could not believe it,” he told Stars and Stripes in a recent interview. “I was also surprised that he didn’t have one.”
Among retired Stars and Stripes graphic artist Kenichi Ogasawara’s prized items is a recording of a 1970 U.S. Navy radio program featuring interviews and live performances by the Carpenters. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
The acetate is not the only rarity in Ogasawara’s collection. Among his prized items is a recording of a 1970 U.S. Navy radio program featuring interviews and live performances by the Carpenters, including an unreleased rendition of the Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
He also owns a recording of “Battle of the Bands,” a 1966 contest won by a jazz trio that included Karen and Richard Carpenter. The record was distributed only to participants and audience members.
For Ogasawara, each discovery carries the thrill of a hunt that began in adolescence. He became a Carpenters fan at 13 after hearing “Top of the World” on the radio.
“I was drawn into their voices and the harmony,” he said. “I was shocked and got goose bumps.”
Now 66, he still searches daily for rare recordings.
“There is a possibility that something I have never seen pops up,” he said.
