Carole King's hooky, humanistic songwriting is a touchstone for pop artists who want to bring deeply personal emotions into their work. Billy Joel's tender open-heartedness on “She's Always a Woman” echoes King's ‘70s standard “You've Got a Friend”; artists like Tori Amos and Ben Folds updated the piano-driven balladry that made the stunning album Tapestry a massive hit for the alt-rock era.