Charles Larkey Is a Musician - Facts about Carole King’s Ex-husband
Charles Larkey and Carole King worked together before becoming an item. The two were married in 1970 but eventually parted ways in 1976. Their different lifestyles significantly contributed to their split.
Carole King's ex-husband, Charles Larkey, was a musician who was once part of the rock band called The Fugs. In due course, Charles and Danny Kooch, who was his fellow bandmate at the time, departed from The Fugs and joined forces with Carole to form another group in Los Angeles.
Charles did not leave The Fugs immediately as Danny did. Instead, he waited until after the band completed its Scandinavian spring tour. Even though Charles and Carole enjoyed playing music together, he was fully immersed in living the life of a musician, something that led to their marriage drifting apart.
Inside Charles Larkey and Carole King's Marriage
Charles Larkey initially crossed paths with Carole King when she was still married to her first husband, Gerry, a lyricist who wrote songs for prominent artists like Whitney Houston and Rod Stewart. During that period, Charles served as a bass player in Carole and Gerry's band. Following the separation of Gerry and Carole, she and Charles began living together.
During this period, Charles proposed the idea of forming a band, which Carole initially resisted, as she was reluctant to engage in live performances. However, Charles convinced her by suggesting that the band would primarily focus on recording rather than live shows. During this collaborative phase, they came up with the name "The City" for their band.
Carole King and Charles Larkey attending the American debut of London's freaky hit, 'The Rocky Horror Show,' on March 22, 1974, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
While Charles and Carole's son, Levi, lives a low-key life, he once pursued a career in Hollywood.
Charles Larkey and Carole eventually got married and welcomed their two children. Their daughter, Molly Larkey, was born in 1970, and their son, Levi Larkey, was born in 1974.
Carole revealed during an interview that their marriage was great, and they loved creating music together. The acclaimed musician disclosed during an interview that, over time, their marriage started to experience a growing distance.
This was primarily due to Charles' deep passion for playing music and performing in bands, often leading him to be away for extended periods. Carole acknowledged that this lifestyle didn't align with her preferences.
Although both Carole and Charles shared a mutual love for each other, they recognized that their marriage didn't thrive because Charles was fully immersed in the life of a musician while Carole was a domestic housewife.
Charles Larkey's Children Live a Low-Key Life
Charles and Carole's daughter, Molly, who uses the pronoun they/them, lives their life off the spotlight. They pursued an art career, and per their IG page, they described themselves as an artist, writer, and organizer. Molly is successful in their own right, and many of their creations have been displayed in exhibitions and galleries worldwide.
While Charles and Carole's son, Levi, lives a low-key life, he once pursued a career in Hollywood. Per IMDb, he worked in the sound department as a boom operator in the 2007 film, "44." He has also been credited as a performer on the soundtrack of "The Care Bears Movie" in 1985.
Following Charles Larkey and Carole's divorce, she found love again. She tied the knot with Rick Evers in 1977, but their marriage ended after one year when Evers died in 1978. The "You've Got a Friend" singer's fourth and final marriage was with Rick Sorenson; the two were married from 1982 to 1989.