| Made in America | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | The Carpenters |
| Cover: | 81madeusa.jpeg |
| Released: | June 16, 1981 |
| Recorded: | 1978–1981 |
| Studio: | A&M Studios, Los Angeles; mixed at Sound Labs and A&M Studios, Los Angeles[1] |
| Genre: | Pop, adult contemporary |
| Length: | 40:22 |
| Label: | A&M |
| Producer: | Richard Carpenter |
| Prev Title: | Christmas Portrait |
| Prev Year: | 1978 |
| Next Title: | Voice of the Heart |
| Next Year: | 1983 |
Made in America is the tenth studio album by the American music duo The Carpenters, released in June 1981. Karen Carpenter died less than two years later, making it their final album released in her lifetime. It reached number 52 in the US and number 12 in the UK.
Karen played drums in the studio for the first time since Horizon, on the song "When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)", albeit in unison with veteran Nashville session drummer Larrie Londin, and she also played percussion on "Those Good Old Dreams" in tandem with Paulinho da Costa.
The album yielded their last Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hit, "Touch Me When We're Dancing", which peaked at #16. The album's other four singles, "I Believe You," "(Want You) Back In My Life Again," "Those Good Old Dreams," and "Beechwood 4-5789," were only minor hits, peaking at #68, #72, #63, and #74 respectively.
In 1985, Richard Carpenter said "that was Karen's favorite album and is mine, out of all our projects".[2]
To promote Made in America, Karen and Richard Carpenter appeared on several talk shows in 1981,[3] including America's Top Ten on July 11, The Merv Griffin Show on October 2 performing "(Want You) Back in My Life Again", and Good Morning America on October 12.[4]
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[5] | 50 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[6] | 44 |