"Signature Songs" of Singers or Groups-Part 2 Quiz

Answer: Michael Jackson

"Thriller" was produced by the legendary Quincy Jones. "MJ" was but a wee lad of 11 when he embarked on his magical music career, playing with four of his brothers as The Jackson 5. (They first started as The Jackson Brothers in 1964). "Thriller" (originally titled "Twilight") runs just two seconds short of six minutes on the album. In his amazing, sometimes controversial career, Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards. He had 13 songs hit Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, including "Billy Jean" (1983) which held the top spot for seven weeks.
Michael Jackson entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2002.

Interesting fact: At the time of his death (June 25, 2009) "Thriller" was the best-selling album of all time.

Answer: Barbra Streisand

Ms. Streisand has too many achievements to list here, so I'll just point out a few. She has won two Oscars, eight Grammy Awards, and made over 15 movies. She has recorded over 115 singles and 40 albums. "Babs" has sold over 240 million records worldwide, including over 70 million albums just in the U.S. of A.
"People" took over the top spot on the Billboard Pop Standards list and stayed there for three weeks in 1984 (June 27, July 4, July 11).
In 1998 she had the honor of being named the People's Choice Award winner of All-time Favorite Vocalist.

Interesting fact: While attending Erasmus High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. she sang in the same school choir as a guy named Neil Diamond.
eine more interesting fact: Striesand's lyrist Bob Merrill also co-wrote the words to the tasty novelty tune, "If I Knew You Were Coming I'd've Baked a Cake" (1950).

Answer: Danny & the Juniors

Prior to becoming Danny & the Juniors, the group had been called "The Juvenaires" and Danny Rapp was the leader of the quartet. The group had a couple of other popular songs such as "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay" (1958), and "Twistin' U.S.A." (1960). The original foursome disbanded in 1964 after recording over 30 singles. "Danny & the Juniors" were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.

Interesting (but sad) fact: Danny Rapp died as the result of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot in a Parker, AZ hotel, in 1983.

Answer: Nancy Sinatra

Dad (Frank) had the pipes but Nancy had the gams that were just perfect for those boots. Written by Lee Greenwood, "These Boots..." was track number five from her album, "Boots", which reached number five on the Billboard Album chart. As a single it sold well over a million copies and made it to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 list. While some people think of her as a "one-hit wonder", she had two other million selling tunes. In 1966 "Sugar Town", got to number five on the chart and when she sang a duet with her dad called "Something Stupid" (1967), she had another number one hit, in fact it was numero uno for four consecutive weeks. "Something Stupid" made history as the first father/daughter duet to achieve number one status in the U.S.
Nancy Sinatra has recorded more than 50 singles, but the one most folks remember is the one about the footwear.

Interesting fact: The daughter of the singing legend also made a movie with another iconic singer, when she appeared in "Speedway" (1968) with Elvis Presley.

Answer: The Righteous Brothers

Turns out they weren't really righteous brothers, or any other kind of brothers for that matter. The duo was made up of Bill Medley and Bobbie Hatfield, who had previously been part of a quintet called The Paramours. Between 1963-1975, the Righteous Brothers recorded over 20 tunes, including their first number one hit ("You're My) Soul and Inspiration" (1962). Later they had another song, "Unchained Melody" (1965) get as high as number four.

After their recording days were over, they continued performing until the demise of Bobby Hatfield in 2003. That same year the Righteous Brothers were righteously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Answer: The Temptations

"My Girl" became the first big hit for The Temptations when it reached Number One on both the Billboard Hot 100 list and Billboard's R & B chart in 1965. When the group first began in Detroit (1960), they were known as The Elgins. They changed their moniker to The Temptations the following year. In 2004 "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Hits of All Time, had "My Girl" ranked number 88. Over the course of more than 50 years, The Temptations have recorded in excess of 100 singles and earned Grammy Awards for three of them: "My Girl", "Cloud Nine" (1969) and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" (1972).

Interesting fact: When "My Girl" won the Grammy Award in 1964, The Temptations became the first group from Motown to earn that coveted prize.

Answer: Neil Diamond

In a career that has lasted over 50 years Neil Diamond has recorded over 200 singles, and sold more than 125 million records around the world. By the end of the 1970s he had three other songs reach Number One, "Cracklin' Rosie" (1970), "Song Sung Blue" (1972) and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (1978), in a duet with his old schoolmate, Barbra Streisand.

Interesting fact: Neil Diamond has said that the inspiration for writing his signature song came after he saw a picture of young Caroline Kennedy in full equestrian regalia, with her horse, "Macaroni". The daughter of our 35th President was just 11 years old when the picture was taken.

Answer: Petula Clark

"Pet" Clark has been entertaining fans around the world for over 70 years. As recently as 2012, she performed a show in New York City...now THAT'S downtown! Ms. Clark who was born in Surrey, England on November 15, 1932, has sold over 65 millions records world-wide. "Downtown" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock & Roll Song in 1965.* A couple of her other popular hits were "I Know a Place" (1965) and "Don't Sleep in the Subway" (1967).
Ms. Clark has done a bit of acting as well, appearing in "Finian's Rainbow" (1968) with Fred Astaire, and "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (1969) with Peter O'Toole.

*Interesting fact: When Petula Clark took "Downtown" to the top of the charts in 1965, she became the first female artist from across the pond to do so in the era of Rock & Roll.

Answer: Marvin Gaye

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" held onto the top spot for three weeks.
Creedence Clearwater Revival (1970), and Gladys Knight and the Pips (1967) also covered it, and the Isley Brothers recorded, but never released their version. Gaye had originally released it as track number four on his album, "In the Groove" (1968). The song later became popular again when it provided the musical theme for "California Raisins" TV commercials.
Marvin Gaye had two other Number One songs, "Let's Get It On" (1973) and "Got to Give It Up" (1977). A couple of his other best sellers were 1964's, "How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved By You"), and "Sexual Healing" (1982).

Interesting fact: Marvin Gaye's life was snuffed out a day short of his 45th birthday, when he was shot to death by his father during a family argument on April 1, 1984.

Answer: Bob Hope

Where to start? Well, "Thanks for the Memory" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and has been recorded by among others, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and, yes, even Jimmy Durante. Bob was born Leslie Townes Hope in jolly old England, yet spent over 45 years touring all corners of the globe to entertain American combatants during wartimes. He was often accompanied by his wife of 69 years, Dolores.
When we lost Hope at age 100, on July 27, 2003, he was one of only four luminaries to have four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Only Gene Autry has more (five). Hope was awarded five honorary Academy Awards and in fact he hosted the Awards ceremonies 14 times. He was made "the one and only honorary member of the U.S. Armed Forces" in 1996.
We were lucky to have him for a century. Thanks for the memories, Bob.

Interesting fact: In a TV interview with Soledad O'Brien, Bob's grandson Zach said that when asked on his deathbed where he wanted to be buried, Hope had told his wife, "Surprise me."