Classic Popular Music 1940s-1960s Quiz

Answer: Clara Ann Fowler

Clara Ann Fowler was a female pop singer popularly known as Patti Page. She had a stunning and successful career that spanned over five decades, that while peaking in the 1940s and '50s, continued on until just prior to her death on New Year's Day in 2013.

"Tennessee Waltz" became her signature song, staying in the number one position on the Billboard charts for 13 weeks.

She got the name Patti Page from the announcer on radio station KTUL in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The musical program on which she was a regular guest was sponsored by the Page Milk Company and the announcer began introducing her to his listening audience as "Patti Page".

(My personal favorite tune that she sang was a beautiful cover version of "Mockingbird Hill Waltz." I remember that one from when I was about six or seven years old. It was such a HAPPY sounding song!)

Answer: Harry Lillis Crosby

Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was a singer, actor and record producer who was born on May 3, 1903. He got the nickname "Bing" from a newspaper article published in a Seattle, Washington newspaper, the "Spokesman-Review". The humorous article was called "The Bingville Bugle" and a friend began calling him 'Bingo from Bingville'. Later, the name was shortened to simply 'Bing', and it stuck with him for life.

Bing's first number one hit was a 1928 rendition of "Ol' Man River", a song he performed with a group that he belonged to at the time, "The Rhythm Boys".

During the years of the Second World War, Bing Crosby made many appearances for the troops who were fighting in Europe. He also learned how to speak German and engaged in propaganda broadcasts that were aimed at German troops.

"Der Bingle" was the nickname given to him by his German radio audiences, and later this name was affectionately adopted by many of his English audiences as well. In a poll of U.S. troops at the conclusion of the war, he was declared to be the person who had helped more with the morale of the troops; exceeding even the efforts of then-U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, General Dwight Eisenhower, and fellow entertainer, Bob Hope.

Bing's biggest hit was "White Christmas", which was first introduced to audiences on Christmas Day in 1941.

Answer: Brenda Mae Tarpley

Brenda Lee was born Brenda Mae Tarpley, but her stage name became Brenda Lee because of Sammy Barton, an Augusta, Georgia television station producer. He had the idea that Tarpley would be difficult a name for people to remember and suggested that she shorten it to Lee.

In February 1956, Brenda got her first big break. She had been singing onstage since the age of five, but when she attended a Red Foley show in Augusta, she was allowed to perform on stage.

Red Foley later said of her performance, "I still get cold chills thinking about the first time I heard that voice."
He also recalled, "... I'd forgotten to get off the stage. There I stood, after 26 years of supposedly learning how to conduct myself in front of an audience, with my mouth open two miles wide and a glassy stare in my eyes."

John Lennon had an equally flattering comment to make about her performances; "She has the greatest rock and roll voice of them all."

As of January 2013, Brenda and her husband Ronnie continue to reside in Nashville, Tennessee, the city where they had initially met each other at a Jackie Wilson concert. (They were married in 1963 in Nashville.)

Answer: Pierino Ronald Como

Perry Como was born Pierino Ronald Como in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He was the 7th of the 13 children of Italian immigrant parents, the Pietro Comos. His original choice of careers was not to be a singer; rather his aspirations leaned towards being known as the best BARBER in Canonsburg! He had begun cutting hair at the age of ten, and in spite of his musical talent, that was the direction that he had initially chosen to pursue as a career.

Probably best known in his later years for his Christmas/Holiday music specials, Perry Como had a wide and varied repertoire of musical successes, performing in several different genres throughout his career as a crooner. A tiny, very tiny, sampling of his music include hits like:

"What Kind Of Fool Am I?"
"Pianissimo"
"Oh Marie"
"N'yot N'yow" (The Pussycat Song)
"Delaware"

Perry Como died in his sleep on May 12, 2001 and is buried alongside his wife, Roselle, near Palm Beach, Florida.

Answer: Connie Francis

Connie Francis was born on December 12, 1938. Her father, who was a construction contractor, gave her much encouragement, even though her singing career got off to a slow start. Her first major success was due to Dick Clark's promotion of her in 1958 on his television show, "American Bandstand". The tune "Who's Sorry Now?" was destined to become her first number one hit.

The British Invasion of the early '60s was largely responsible for the gradual decline in her career, as the "newer" sounds rapidly overwhelmed much of the music industry's standard performers.

In 1974, Connie Francis was raped in her hotel room in New York, during which she was nearly suffocated to death. She filed for and WON a two and half million dollar lawsuit that led to increased security measures throughout the hotel and motel industry that included dead-bolts on doors, improved lighting and camera installations.

Answer: Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams

Although the song "Moon River" became legendary as Andy Williams' theme song, it never actually charted as a hit for him.

In 1938, Andy and his three older brothers began singing together as "The Williams Brothers", (not very creatively named). Later he hosted a television variety show; "The Andy Williams Show".(Another title sadly lacking in innovation).
He often hosted Christmas specials on television as well, and one of his most popular Christmas tunes was "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year", (a song that appeared on all of his Christmas albums).

The song "Moon River" had been co-written by Georgia native, Johnny Mercer, and Ohio native, Henry Mancini.

Andy Williams died on September 25, 2012 at the age of 84.

Answer: Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Although Robert Goulet's parents were both of French Canadian ancestry, Robert himself was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1933.

Robert Goulet appeared in 1960s Broadway performances of "Camelot". In his role of Lancelot, his most notable rave reviews were for his romantic rendition of "If Ever I Would Leave You", a tune which would later become his signature song. After "Camelot" had run its course on Broadway, he appeared on television on both "The Danny Thomas Show" and "The Ed Sullivan Show", which aided his career considerably.

Some of his musical successes include hits like "What Kind Of Fool Am I?", "If I Only Had A Heart" and "I'd Rather Be Rich". His biggest hit, however, was 1965's "My Love, Forgive Me", which topped out at the number 16 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Robert Goulet died on October 30, 2007.

Answer: Ethel Agnes Zimmermann

After deciding that her name was too long to fit on the marquee lights, Ethel simply shortened her last name, from Zimmermann to Merman. In one of her earliest singing jobs, she met performer Jimmy Durante, who was the headliner of the show, and the two became pals for life.

Later, George and Ira Gershwin heard her auditioning for the musical "Girl Crazy" and immediately cast her when they heard her rendition of "I Got Rhythm".

After many performances on stage and a large repertoire of successful songs, theater critic, Brooks Atkinson once said after one of her performances that she was "as brassy as ever, glowing like a neon light whenever she steps on the stage."

In what is most likely her best remembered performance, "Gypsy", she played the part of Gypsy Rose Lee's domineering mother, Rose Hovick.

Ethel Merman died in her sleep on February 15, 1984.

Answer: Baby

Judy Garland went through her earlier childhood years answering to the family-given nickname of "Baby".

Ironically perhaps, her first professional version of the song "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," was performed the day before her father died. Many other tragedies, both circumstantial as well as self-inflicted, were to follow her throughout life.

Probably best known for her role as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz", Judy Garland's rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" will forever remain her trademark song; a song whose very name conjures up visions of a sweet young girl from Kansas.

Judy passed away on June 22, 1969, when she was found dead in the bathroom of the home that she and her fifth husband shared. The couple had gotten married in March of that year, and less than three months later Judy was dead of an accidental drug overdose.

Read the book "Get Happy: Life of Judy Garland" by Gerald Clarke to gain more stark and painful insights into how Judy was abused and mistreated by others; sometimes by those who loved her, sometimes by those who despised her, and indeed often by her own hands throughout her sad, sad life.

Answer: Steubenville, Ohio

Born as Dino Paul Crocetti on June 7, 1917 in Steubenville, Ohio, this versatile entertainer stayed busy in the world of film, music, and comedy.

"Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", and "Volare" were just a few of his signature songs.

While his early beginnings had their roots in the nightclub business, Dean longed to be in the movies, and eventually got his wish. "Some Came Running", "Rio Bravo" and "The Sons of Katie Elder" were some of the films in which he landed roles.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis formed a tight friendship for a while, with each of them performing in the other's stage acts, which led to the formation of their music and comedy duo.

Performing at New York's Copacabana Club, each of them observed that their secret to success lay in essentially ignoring the audience and playing to one another.

(As Dino himself might ask, "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?")

Dean died on December 25, 1995 at the age of 78, and perhaps fittingly, his tombstone features the title of one of his biggest hit recordings as an epitaph; "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime".