What's In A Name: US Singers of the '50s Quiz

Answer: Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee was born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota, U.S.A., on May 26, 1920. She became a jazz and popular music singer/songwriter/composer and actress, over seven decades. She sued the Disney Company for unpaid royalties for her performance and singing in the 1987 VHS release of the (1955) animated movie "Lady and the Tramp" and won.

"Lady and the Tramp" was first released in America on VHS cassette and Laser Disc in 1987. Peggy Lee was asked to promote the release and was paid $500. After the release she asked for performance and singing royalties. The Disney company CEO Michael Eisner refused, so Peggy Lee sued in 1988 after the VHS release had grossed $100,000,000. In 1992 she received $3,200,000 plus $600,000 for legal fees.

Peggy Lee died of complications from diabetes and a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., on January 21, 2002 aged 81.

Marilyn Monroe is Norma Jeane Mortenson
Julie London is Julie Peck
Judy Garland is Frances Ethel Gumm

Answer: Francesco Paolo LoVecchio

Frankie Laine had hits long before the '50s; he had three number one hits in the U.S.A. in the '40s.

He had the most Top Ten hits on the UK Singles Chart in the '50s with 21; he even beat Elvis Presley who had 18. This included four number one hits, "I Believe" (18 weeks in 1953), "Hey Joe" (2 weeks in 1953) "Answer Me" (9 weeks in 1953) and "A Woman In Love" (4 weeks in 1956).

He is also remembered for the western theme tunes he sang such as "High Noon" (although he didn't sing it in the movie "High Noon" in 1952), "Gunfight At the O.K. Corral" 1957 and "Rawhide", the theme tune to the TV series "Rawhide", 1959 - 1965.

Frankie Laine died of heart failure in San Diego, California, U.S.A., on February 6, 2007 aged 93.

Francesco Stephen Castelluccio is Frankie Valli
Francis Thomas Avallone is Frankie Avalon
Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr. is Freddie Cannon

Answer: Mary Francis Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds was born Mary Francis Reynolds in El Paso, Texas, U.S.A., on April 1, 1932. Her movie career started with "June Bride" in 1948 and in 1951 she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award as the New Star of the Year - Actress, for her role in the 1950 movie "Three Little Words". Her breakout role came with her first leading role as Kathy Selden, in the 1952 movie "Singin' in the Rain". She was married to singer Eddie Fisher from 1955 to 1959 and they were the parents of actors Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher.

She sang the song "Tammy" in the 1957 movie "Tammy and the Bachelor" in which she starred as Tambrey "Tammy" Tyree with Leslie Nielsen and Walter Brennan. "Tammy" written by Jay Livingston/Ray Evans was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Top 100 for Debbie Reynolds in 1957. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart the same year.

Debbie Reynolds died of an intracerebral hemorrhage, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., on December 28, 2016 aged 84.

Julie Peck is Julie London
Doris Mary Kappelhoff is Doris Day
Frances Rose Shore is Dinah Shore

Answer: Bobby Darin

Bobby Darin was born Walden Robert Cassotto in New York, New York, U.S.A., on May 14, 1936. His music career started when he met Don Kirshner and began a songwriting partnership with him in 1955. Darin was introduced to singer Connie Francis and they began a romantic relationship but her father disapproved and it ended. Darin, later, married actress Sandra Dee.

"Splish Splash" written by Bobby Darin/Murray Kaufman peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for Bobby Darin in 1958. It peaked at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart the same year.

"Splish Splash" was the first of 14 Top 20 hits for Bobby Darin on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1958 and 1973. Ten of those were Top Ten hits of which one, "Mack The Knife" was number one for nine weeks.

Bobby Darin died after open-heart surgery at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., on December 20, 1973 aged 37.

Answer: Brenda Mae Tarpley

Brenda Lee was born Brenda Mae Tarpley in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in 1944. She got the name Brenda Lee from a DJ named Peanuts Fairclough; he shortened her name and told her that it would be easier to remember when she became famous.

Known as "Little Miss Dynamite" she had 19 Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the '60s. 12 of those Top 20 hits made it to the Top Ten and two made it to number one: "I'm Sorry", number one for three weeks in 1960, and "I Want To Be Wanted", number one for one week in 1960.

Between 1960 and 1965 Brenda Lee had seven Top Ten hits on the UK Singles Chart. Her biggest UK hit was "Speak To Me Pretty" which peaked at number three in 1962.

Anna Mae Bullock is Tina Turner.
Brenda Gail Webb is Crystal Gayle.
Virginia Patterson Hensley is Patsy Cline.

Answer: Conway Twitty

Conway Twitty was born Harold Lloyd Jenkins in Friars Point, Mississippi, U.S.A., on September 1, 1933. He moved to Helena, Arkansas, when he was ten years old. There he formed his first singing group, the Phillips County Ramblers. While serving in the Army in the far east he formed another group to entertain the troops called The Cimmerons.

In the mid '50s after writing rock-and-roll material he went to the Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, and worked with Sam Phillips. None of his recording with Sun records were released at the time. In 1957 he changed his name and chose Conway after Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty after Twitty, Texas, from a road map.

"It's Only Make Believe", written by Conway Twitty/Jack Nance was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Conway Twitty in 1958. It was number one for five weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1958/59. In 1965 he started to record country music but had a slow start when some DJs on country music stations would not play his music. He later went on to have 55 number one hits on the Billboard country chart.

Conway Twitty died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in Cox South Hospital, Springfield, Missouri, U.S.A., on June 5, 1993 aged 59.

Answer: Guy Mitchell

Guy Mitchel was born Albert George Cernik in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., on February 22, 1927. He was signed by Warner Brothers Pictures just before becoming a teenager but that career never took off and after leaving school he became a saddle-maker. He served in the United States Navy for two years during World War II.

He joined Columbia Records in 1950 and was given his stage name by producer, conductor and A&R man Mitch Miller. He had his first hit song with "My Heart Cries for You" which peaked at number two on the Billboard pop chart. He had two number one hits on the Billboard Top/Hot 100 and four number one hits on the UK Singles Chart in the '50s.

Guy Mitchell died of complications from cancer surgery in the Desert Springs Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., on July 1, 1999, aged 72.

Answer: Danny Rapp

Danny Earl Rapp was the lead singer of Danny and The Juniors who had their only US number one hit with "At The Hop". It was number one for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958. It peaked at number three on the UK Singles chart the same year.

Danny and The Juniors were Danny Rapp (lead singer), David White (first tenor), Frank Maffei (second tenor) and Jo Terranova (baritone). They did have one more Top 20 hit when "Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay" peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958. They had seven more minor hits but their chart career ended in 1963 with "Oo-La-La-Limbo", which peaked at number 99.

Danny Rapp died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the Yacht Club Motel in Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A., on April 3, 1983 aged 41.

Answer: Dinah Washington

Dinah Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.A., on August 29. 1924. She became a renowned jazz-blues singer and pianist. She first recorded in 1943 for Keynote records and had 30 hits on the Billboard R&B chart between 1944 and 1955.

Her two biggest hits on the Billboard Hot 100 were duets with singer Brook Benton. "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)", a number five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960 and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)", a number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. Both of these records were number one hits on the Billboard R&B chart.

Dinah Washington died of a combination of secobarbital and amobarbital, that contributed to her death in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., on December 14, 1963 aged 39.

Answer: Benjamin Earl Nelson

Ben E. King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson in Henderson, North Carolina, U.S.A., on September 28, 1938.

He came to prominence as the lead singer with The Drifters on the Billboard Hot 100 number two hit "There Goes My Baby" in 1959. He also sang lead on The Drifters' only Billboard Hot 100 number one hit "Save The Last Dance For Me" in 1960.

Later in 1960 he left The Drifters for a solo career. That year he had his first Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Spanish Harlem" which peaked at number four. The same year he had his biggest hit with "Stand By Me" which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart in 1961 but 26 years later it was number one for three weeks on the UK Singles Chart.

Ben E. King died following a brief illness in Hackensack University Medical Center, New Jersey, U.S.A., on April 3, 2015 aged of 76.