That Musician Comes From Alabama? Quiz

Answer: Nat "King" Cole

Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery. He trained as a piano player and, after relocating to LA, he became known as one of the premier jazz pianists on the club circuit. He formed a trio, but didn't require a drummer because his left hand kept excellent time. Eventually Nat began to sing between instrumental tunes. "Nature Boy", "Mona Lisa" and "Unforgettable" became hits in the early fifties for Nat.

He appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" six times and then got his own television show. Nat appeared in over twenty movies between 1943 and 1965.

He recorded his final LP, "L-O-V-E", just before entering the hospital for treatment of lung cancer in 1965. He is an inductee into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990. Tony Bennett was born Anthony Benedetto in, Queens, New York. Jones is a Hollywood, California, native and Como was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

Answer: Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris was the class valedictorian of her high school class. She attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on a scholarship and studied music. Influenced by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, she left school and pursued a musical career. After performing for a while in coffeehouses she secured a record contract in 1970.

After attending one of her concerts, Chris Hillman of the Byrds referred her to Gram Parsons, and Harris and Parsons forged a musical alliance until Parsons' sudden death at age 26.

After a brief regrouping process she formed a band comprised of some of the best talent available and dubbed the group The Hot Band, continued to record and tour and became known as one of the better interpreters of other artists' material. Since 1976 she has been awarded over a dozen Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Patty Griffin hails from Old Town, Maine, and has done stage work with Harris. Wells was born Ellen Muriel Deason in 1919 in Nashville and Harris joined Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair festival.

Answer: Lionel Richie

When Lionel Richie attended Tuskegee Institute in the late sixties, he was involved with several R&B groups before becoming becoming the lead singer and sax player for The Commodores. After recording one album for Atlantic Records the group moved to the Motown label and began working as the lead act for the Jackson Five.

They become known for funky songs such as "Brick House", but when Ritchie began composing their material he opted for ballads such as "Easy" and "Three Times a Lady". After the success of "Endless Love" with Diana Ross in 1981 he felt confident enough to pursue a solo career and released his debut solo album the following year.

His following album, "Can't Slow Down", contained "All Night Long", won two Grammy Awards and began a string of hits for Lionel. Peabo Bryson is from South Carolina, Green was born in Forrest City, Arkansas, and White was born in Galveston.

Answer: When a Man Loves a Woman

Sledge worked locally with a vocal combo, when he wasn't working as an orderly for a hospital in the early sixties. After a chance encounter with a record producer, he recorded his first song for their label, "When a Man Loves a Woman". It became a number one hit in 1966.

It was tracked at the Muscle Shoals studios Alabama. He followed with the number 11 hit, "Take Time to Know Her". His success faded until the eighties, when "When a Man Loves a Woman" was used in a jeans' commercial. His career took off again. Michael Bolton did a number one cover version of "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1991. Percy Sledge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. O.C. Smith recorded "Little Green Apples", Wilson Pickett did "Midnight Hour" and "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted" was sung by Jimmy Ruffin.

Answer: Toni Tennille

Cathryn Antoinette "Toni" Tennille is from Montgomery, Alabama, and was raised by a musical family. LA native Daryl Dragon was known as The Captain because he wore a captain's hat while performing. He was working as a backup musician for The Beach Boys when Toni Tennille asked him to join her band.

He was committed to touring so she became part of the touring ensemble for The Beach Boys. When the tour was over the duo started performing at a regular venue in Encino and Captain and Tennille. Before long they recorded a local hit composed by Toni titled "The Way That I Want to Touch You".

The song came to the attention of A&M Records and before long they enjoyed a string of hits including their breakout hit "Love Will Keep Us Together", composed by Neil Sedaka.

The pair married in 1975. Die hard Toni Tennille fans may know that she sang backing vocals on Pink Floyd's "The Wall". Jill King is a Country singer from Arab, Alabama. Sheffiel, Alabama, native Donna Jean (Thatcher) Godchaux-MacKay is known for her work with Grateful Dead. Rose Maddox was the singer for the Hillbilly band Maddox Brothers and Rose.

Answer: Jim Nabors

James Thurston "Jim" Nabors was born in Sylacauga, Alabama. He is also a graduate of the University of Alabama. After hearing his high-pitched voice on "The Andy Griffith Show" listeners were surprised to hear his rich baritone voice when he sang. Jim actually got his start on TV doing hillbilly skits and singing opera on "The Steve Allen Show".

After Andy Griffith heard him and cast him in his show, he soon started getting roles in movies and appeared in theater productions. Alabama native Ray Sawyer was the singer and front man for Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show.

Sherrill was a record producer, known for working with many artists including Johnny Cash, George Jones, Johnny Paycheck and Tanya Tucker. Montgomery, Alabama, son Clarance Carter was known for the song "Strokin'".

Answer: Dinah Washington

"Evil Gal Blues" was released in 1943. It was Dinah Washington's first hit record. Others followed and in 1959 "What A Difference A Day makes" hit the Top Ten and earned her a Grammy. There are conflicting and various stories about how she came by the name Dinah Washington. Dinah became a big influence on Rhythm and Blues artists who followed, such as Aretha Franklin.

She is remembered primarily as a torch singer and she refused to sing any Gospel music in her jazz and pop repertoire out of respect for Gospel music.

She battled weight issues and died unexpectedly at age 39, from taking sleeping pills on an empty stomach while dieting. In 1986 she was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and in 1993 the US Postal Service issued a Dinah Washington stamp. Carroll was born Carol Diahann Johnson in The Bronx. Della Reese was born in Detroit and Ketty Lester was born Revoyda Frierson in Hope, Arkansas.

Answer: Cliff Nobles

Cliff Nobles was born in Grove Hill, Alabama, and grew up singing in local bands as a teen. He relocated to Philadelphia where he released some unsuccessful recordings. He later formed a band he called Cliff Nobles and Company. After getting tight the group recorded a single for Soul records called "Love Is All Right".

The flip side was the same song without the vocals which was dubbed "The Horse". Nobles sang the song and was not on the instrumental track side at all. The song started getting major airplay and reached number two in July, 1968.

Another instrumental occupied the number on spot and kept "The Horse" from topping the charts. The other instrumental was "Grazing in the Grass" by Hugh Masekela. Having instrumental releases at both number one and number two is extremely rare in Billboard history. Kenny Ball's hit was "Midnight in Moscow". "Love is Blue" was Paul Muriat's hit.

Answer: Sonny James

Sonny James was born James Loden and grew up in a musical farming family. The family was so successful that they traveled the south performing, until the older sisters got married. After his discharge from the service, Sonny got work as a fiddle player for Slim Whitman.

He eventually left the group and stayed in Nashville, hoping to begin a solo singing career. By a coincidence he knew an up and coming guitar player and producer named Chet Atkins. Chet gave him a shot and before long Sonny James was charting Country hits.

He received generous airplay which landed him spots on "Ozark Jubilee" and "The Ed Sullivan show". He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1962 and charted over 15 number one Country songs. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Country greats Ferlin Husky and Hank Williams were both Alabama born and raised. Conway Twitty was born in Mississippi.

Answer: Eddie Kendricks

Union Springs, Alabama, was where Eddie was born. After singing in choirs during his youth, Kendricks and some friends formed a local group called The Cavaliers. The group relocated to Cleveland and eventually migrated to Detroit where they renamed themselves The Primes. Several of the members relocated elsewhere, but by reforming with members of other disbanding groups the Temptations were formed and signed with the fledgling Motown label. Kendricks became the group's vocal arranger and after doing backing vocals for other Motown groups the band started cranking out hits such as "Just My Imagination" and "Get Ready" and earning Grammy Awards.

In 1971 Eddie became a solo artist with Motown. Although his solo career started with a bang, it didn't endure.

He was losing his voice due to heavy smoking and after occasional reunion appearances with the Temptations, Kendricks succumbed to lung cancer in Birmingham at age 52. Fellow Temptations founders Paul Williams and Dennis Edwards are also from Alabama. Georgia native Arthur Lee Conley is best known "Sweet Soul Music". James Ingram was born in Akron, Ohio and singer Rufus Thomas, Jr. is from Memphis, Tennessee.

He is singer Carla Thomas' father.