Carole King weaves together Tapestry for throng in London's Hyde Park
Carole King has performed her hit album Tapestry in its entirety for the first time - 45 years after it was released.
The 74-year-old singer songwriter, who penned hits including Natural Woman and Will You Love Me Tomorrow, performed the four-Grammy-winning 1971 album, to a crowd of 50,000 adoring fans at Barclaycard British Summer Time in Hyde Park.
"So, this is what 74 looks like," King said following a sharp exhale as she returned to the piano after dancing on the stage playing guitar.
The petite star was met with cheers from the crowd, who seemed to sing every lyric of her songs with her as the sun set. Sir Elton John and Tom Hanks were among the famous faces who paid tribute to her in a video before she came on stage.
Sir Elton said: "She's the quintessential singer songwriter. I can't thank her enough because without her I would have never wanted to write songs. I always wanted to write songs like Gerry Goffin and Carole King."
Hanks added: "There wasn't a woman on the planet earth that, sometimes even your mum, who didn't take Tapestry and hold the album to their heart and say 'this is real'."
As she sang the album from start to finish, King mouthed "thank you" to the audience, duetted with a video of her younger self and invited her daughter Louise Goffin on stage for three songs.
She also wiped back tears after singing Natural Woman.
After singing Tapestry she asked her band to leave the stage, saying: "I need a moment alone with the audience."
She continued: "So before Tapestry I had this other career in which I wrote a lot of songs with Gerry Goffin and we wrote for other artists. I would like to do a medley of bits and pieces."
She paid tribute to her former husband and songwriting partner who died in 2014: "It's been two years. He's with us tonight. He's still with us, isn't he?"
The crowd cheered "Yes" before King sang hits made famous by other artists including It Might As Well Rain Until September recorded by Helen Shapiro and I'm Into Something Good recorded by Herman's Hermits.
During the encore she sang The Loco-Motion, the 1962 hit made famous by Little Eva, before the cast of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical joined her to sing I Feel The Earth Move.
King hugged and held hands with Cassidy Janson, who plays Carole at the Aldwych Theatre, before the cast left the stage.
She said: "I am so grateful. It has been a wonderful evening. Thanks so much."
Alone on the stage for the final song, King revisited You've Got A Friend, changing the lyrics for the London crowd.
She sang: "Thanks for coming out to see me. And thanks for welcoming my friends and family. I love you London. Thank you London. You've got a friend."
King blew a kiss to the crowd and left the stage.
