A US Gazetteer in Song - J to R Quiz

Answer: Johnny Cash/June Carter Cash

The song was written and initially performed by by Billy Edd Wheeler in 1963. (Jerry Leiber got a co-writing credit under a pseudonym.)
Johnny and June's version reached number two on the Billboard Country charts in 1968 and won them a Grammy for 'Best Country & Western Performance Duet, Trio or Group.'

Answer: Glenn Miller Orchestra

This was a chart topper in the USA for Glenn Miller and his Orchestra in 1942 - back in the days when records were played at 78RPM. According to 'Billboard' magazine, it was the best selling record of the year.
Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton and The Modernaires were the vocalists, backed by Miller's orchestra.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman wrote the song for Presley's movie of the same name. In the movie, Elvis played a racing driver working as a hotel waiter to pay off a debt.
It was to be Presley's most successful film - he starred in 31 - returning $5m at the box office.
In 1964, the song was the B-side to "What'd I Say?", which reached number 21 on the Billboard pop charts. "Viva Las Vegas" reached number five in the UK pop charts.
Trivia note: Despite what some claim, Glen Campbell did not play lead guitar on "Viva Las Vegas"; Billy Strange did. However, Campbell did play lead guitar on "What'd I Say?"

Answer: Bobby Bare

"How I Got to Memphis", originally known as "That's How I Got To Memphis", was written by Tom T. Hall.
In 1970, Bobby Bare took it to number three on the Billboard Hot Country charts.
The song has been covered by numerous artists. Actors Jeff Daniels and John Gallagher Jr. sang it in the series finale of "The Newsroom" in December 2014.

Answer: Billy Joel

Appearing on the 'Howard Stern Show' in 2010, Joel said that he started to write the lyrics "New York State of Mind" on a Greyhound bus on the Hudson River Line on the day he moved from California to New York.
It appeared on the 1976 album "Turnstiles", though was not released as a single.
Joel was later to sing the song on the 2001 "Tribute To Heroes" telethon in aid of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US.

Answer: Waylon Jennings

"Omaha" was a track on the 1976 Waylon Jennings album "Honky Tonk Heroes."
The album met with mixed critical success, though it reached number 14 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

Answer: Bruce Springsteen

In 1993, director Jonathan Demme needed songs for his movie "Philadelphia" about a lawyer who contracted AIDS.
Neil Young wrote "Philadelphia", which was used at the end of the movie. Demme asked Bruce Springsteen for an opener, and "Streets of Philadelphia" was written. It won the Oscar for 'Best Original Song' in 1994 and also won four Grammy awards.
It was a chart-topper in nine countries outside the USA, and reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: David Mead

The 'Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge' is also known as the '59th Street Bridge' and was immortalised in a Simon and Garfunkel by that name.
The bridge crosses the East River and connects the borough of Queens with Manhattan.
David Mead was born in 1973 and was a Nashville-based pop singer-songwriter.
He toured with many leading country artists and was held in high regard by his contemporaries.
"Uncut" magazine said of hm: ""Mead makes blue-collar rock of the most delicate kind, his soaring but unshowy falsetto and luscious harmonies far above the ordinary."
He produced seven albums between 1999 and 2011. Mead songs were featured in a number of movies.
"Queensboro Bridge" was on the 2004 album "Indiana."

Answer: R.E.M.

"All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)" was a single from R.E.M.'s 2001 album "Reveal".
It dd not reach the charts in the USA, but was a UK Pop charts number 24.

Answer: Liza Minnelli

"New York, New York" was the theme song from the 1977 Martin Scorsese film of the same name. It was written by John Kander and Fred Ebb. Liza Minnelli sang it on the soundtrack.
Frank Sinatra also sang the song, on a 1979 album, and also duetted with Minnelli in concert and with Dean Martin on a 1993 album.