1950s and '60s Instrumental Hits [Vol. 4] Quiz

Answer: Santo & Johnny

Santo & Johnny had a number one record for two weeks on the US pop chart in 1959. It reached number 22 on the UK chart the same year. Santo played steel guitar and Johnny played rhythm guitar.

Phil & Don/The Everly Brothers had a number four hit on the US pop chart with "('Til) I Kissed You" in 1959. It reached number two on the UK chart the same year. Jan & Dean/Jan & Dean had a number ten hit on the US pop chart with "Baby Talk" in 1959. It did not chart in the UK. Tom & Jerry/Simon & Garfunkel had a number 49 hit on the US pop chart with "Hey, Schoolgirl" in 1958 as Tom & Jerry. It did not chart in the UK.

Answer: Torquay

The Fireballs had a number 39 hit on the US pop chart with "Torquay" in 1959. It did not chart in the UK.

Jimmy Gilmer was introduced to The Fireballs by Norman Petty in 1960. They became Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs and had a number one hit for five weeks on the US pop chart with "Sugar Shack" in 1963. It reached number 45 on the UK chart the same year. Norman Petty used The Fireballs to overdub stereo backings to various Buddy Holly tracks such as "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" and "Bo Diddley". They became top ten chart entries on the UK chart in 1963.

Answer: Hit And Miss

The John Barry 7 + 2 had a number ten hit on the UK chart with "Hit And Miss" in 1960. It did not chart in the US.

"Juke Box Jury" ran from 1959 until 1967, it was based on a US TV show from the '40s. It had a panel of four celebs who voted on various records and was hosted by DJ David Jacobs. On one show in 1963 The Beatles were the panelists and on a show in 1964 The Rolling Stones were the panelists. Sometimes the performer on whose record the panel had just voted would appear to surprise them.

Answer: F.B.I.

The Shadows had a number six hit on the UK chart with "F.B.I." in 1961. It did not chart in the US. The Shadows never had any chart hits in the US ever.

The Shadows were the top UK instrumental group not only of the '60s but of all time and unlikely to be surpassed. Not only did they have five UK number one hits but they also found time to be Cliff Richard's backing group on record, on stage and in movies. Although the majority of their hits were in the '60s, they managed to hit the UK Top 20 on a regular basis from 1960 to 1980.

Answer: Tchaikovsky

B. Bumble & The Stingers had a number 23 hit on the US pop chart with "Nut Rocker" in 1962. It was number one for one week on the UK chart the same year. It replaced "Wonderful Land" by The Shadows at number one. This was the first time an instrumental had been replaced by another at number one on the UK chart.

The story of "Nut Rocker" and B. Bumble & The Stingers is somewhat confused. It was produced by Kim Fowley; Ernie Freeman was supposed to play piano but never turned up so the piano was played by Hal Hazan. Even though Hazan was not happy with the first take, that was the one released. A touring group was needed after "Nut Rocker" was a hit and this group was led by R. C. Gamble as Billy Bumble. To confuse matters more, there is an original version again produced by Fowley with H. B. Barnum playing piano who recorded as Jack B. Nimble & The Quicks.

Answer: Texas

Duane Eddy had a number 78 hit on the US pop chart with "Deep In The Heart Of Texas" in 1962. It reached number 19 on the UK chart the same year.

Duane Eddy was the top solo instrumentalist (guitar) during the Rock and Roll era in the '50s & '60s. He had 28 hits on the US pop chart between 1958 and 1986 and 23 hits on the UK chart between 1958 and 1986.

Answer: Jet Harris

Jet Harris had a number 12 hit on the UK chart with "Main Title Theme From Man With The Golden Arm" in 1962. It did not chart in the US.

Bass player Jet Harris was the first member of The Shadows to leave the group. He left at the height of their fame but still managed to make the UK chart. He had two solo hits and then joined up with the second member of The Shadows to leave the group, drummer Tony Meehan. They had three UK Top ten hits including the number one hit "Diamonds".

Answer: Joe Meek

The Tornados had a number one hit for five weeks on the UK chart in 1962. It was number one for three weeks on the US pop chart the same year.

Joe Meek was the composer and he produced the record in his independent home studio above a leather goods store in London UK. His studio doubled as his apartment and he had pieces of equipment and musicians in various parts of the apartment while recording. Joe Meek was before his time, he was also interested in the occult and fitted the epithet "Mad Genius" very well. He killed his landlady and then himself with a shotgun he obtained from the Tornados former bassist Heinz Burt. This happened on the 3rd February 1967, the eighth anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly.
Among others, George Martin produced The Beatles.
Among others, Andrew Loog Oldham produced The Rolling Stones.
Among others, Tony Hatch produced Petula Clark.

Answer: Memphis

Lonnie Mack had a number five hit on the US pop chart with "Memphis" in 1963. On re-release as a double A-side, it finally made it to number 47 on the UK chart in 1979 when it was coupled with "Let's Dance" by Chris Montez.

Chuck Berry wrote "Memphis Tennessee", it was on the B-side of his US number 37 hit "Back In The U.S.A." in 1959. It reached number six on the UK chart as a double A-side with "Let It Rock" in 1963. All the singers in the question have recorded "Memphis Tennessee" except Cher who was "Walking In Memphis".

Answer: Cry For A Shadow

"Cry For A Shadow" (The Beatles, Pete Best drums) written by Harrison/Lennon never made the UK or US chart. It was the B-side of "Why" (Tony Sheridan vocals, Pete Best drums) which reached number 88 on the US pop chart in 1964. It never charted in the UK.

"My Bonnie" (Tony Sheridan vocals, Pete Best drums) reached number 48 on the UK chart in 1963. It reached number 26 on the US pop chart in 1964. "Ain't She Sweet" (The Beatles, Pete Best drums) reached number 29 on the UK chart in 1964. It reached number 19 on the US pop chart the same year.