Country Crossover Groups, Vol. 3 Quiz

Answer: Elvira

In Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit", Elvira is the dead wife of Charles Condomine, whom she comes back to haunt. Cassandra Peterson began playing Elvira in 1981's "Elvira's Movie Macabre", a female version of the show "Fright Night" starring Larry Vincent. From there she appeared in movies and other TV shows.

The Oak Ridge Boys released "Elvira" as a single from their album "Fancy Free". It was written by Dallas Frazier. It was Number One on two charts and a Top Ten on two others.

Chart performance:
Number/chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (May 30, 1981)
1 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks (June 20, 1981)
5 - US Billboard Hot 100 (Aug. 1981)
8 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
13 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks
13 - New Zealand Singles
26 - Canadian RPM Top Singles

The song was certified double Platinum by the RIAA, a rarity at the time. In fact, for years only "Elvira" and "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton held this distinction. It was preceded on the US Country chart by Rosanne Cash's "Seven Year Ache" and succeeded by Razzy Bailey's "Friends". On the Canadian Country chart it was preceded by Janie Fricke's "Pride" and succeeded by Anne Murray's "Blessed Are the Believers".

Answer: The Statler Brothers

The Statler Brothers released "Flowers On the Wall" in 1965 as the title single from their album of the same name. It was written by group member Lew DeWitt. It became an international and crossover hit.

Chart performance:
Number/chart
1 - Canadian RPM Top Singles
2 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks
2 - New Zealand Singles
4 - US Billboard Hot 100
38 - UK Singles

Eric Heatherly covered the song in 2000 and took it to number six on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and number three on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks. In both "Pulp Fiction" and "Die Hard with a Vengeance", Bruce Willis' character sings or says the line "smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo" from the song.

Answer: Alabama

Alabama released "The Closer You Get" as the second single from their album of the same name. It was written by J.P. Pennington and Mark Gray of the group Exile. Exile recorded the song first but had little success with it. The song was a US and Canadian Country hit then crossed-over onto the adult contemporary charts in both countries.

Chart performance:
Number/chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (July 16, 1983)
1 - Canadian RPM Country Tracks (July 30, 1983)
1 - Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks
9 - US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
38 - US Billboard Hot 100

The song was named the Single of the Year for 2003 by the RPM Country Tracks chart. On both Country charts it was preceded by Ricky Skaggs' "Highway 40 Blues" and succeeded by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's "Pancho and Lefty".

Answer: The White Knight

Jay Huguely was the voice and force behind Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band. Under that name he released "The White Knight" as the title single to an album of the same name. The album cover features Jay dressed as the different characters featured on the album.

The song hit Number One on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on Feb. 14, 1976. It also became a Top 40 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 by reaching number 19 on that chart. It reached number eight on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart and number 50 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles.

It was preceded by Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner's "Sometimes" and succeeded by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson's "Good Hearted Woman" on the US Country chart.

Answer: Diamond Rio

Diamond Rio released "I Believe" as the second single from the album "Completely". The first single from the album, "Beautiful Mess", also went to Number One on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. "I Believe" was written by Skip Ewing and Donny Kees.

It reached Number One on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on May 31, 2003 and stayed there for two weeks. It also became a Top 40 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 31. It was the group's fifth Number One and third Top 40.

It was preceded by Randy Travis' "Three Wooden Crosses" and succeeded by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson's "Beer for My Horses".

Answer: Lonestar

Lonestar released "My Front Porch Looking In" as a single from their album "From There to Here: Greatest Hits". It was written by Richie McDonald, Frank J. Myers, and Don Pfrimmer. It reached Number One on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on July 26, 2003.

It reached number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 to become a crossover hit. It was named the Single of the Year for 2003 on the Country chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA. It was preceded by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson's "Beer for My Horses" and succeeded by Brooks & Dunn's "Red Dirt Road".

Answer: Zac Brown Band

The Zac Brown Band released "Toes" as a single from their album "The Foundation". Many critics compared it favorably to Jimmy Buffett's style musically with its references to relaxing on the beach and taking it easy. It was written by Zac Brown, John Driskell Hopkins, Shawn Mullins, and Wyatt Durette.

It reached Number One on the US Hot Country Songs chart on Nov. 7, 2009 and stayed there for two weeks. It was the second of their first three songs to reach Number One, a feat that had not been accomplished since the Dixie Chicks in 1998.

It also crossed-over onto the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a Top 40 hit by reaching number 25. It also reached number 60 on the Canadian Hot 100. It was preceded by Keith Urban's "Only You Can Love Me This Way" and succeeded by Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova".

It was certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Answer: Lady Antebellum

Lady Antebellum released "Just a Kiss" as the lead single from their third album "Own the Night". Band members Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood collaborated with Dallas Davidson to write the song. The song was a crossover and international hit.

Chart Performance:
Number/chart
1 - US Billboard Hot Country Songs (Aug. 20-27, 2011)
1 - US Billboard Adult Contemporary
4 - US Billboard Adult Pop Songs
7 - US Billboard Hot 100
13 - Canadian Hot 100
21 - Japan Hot 100
21 - US Billboard Pop Songs
72 - Australia (ARIA)
73 - Slovakia (IFPI)
78 - UK Singles

The song has been certified double Platinum in the US by the RIAA and Platinum in Canada. On the Country chart, it was preceded by the Zac Brown Band's "Knee Deep" and succeeded by Dierks Bentley's "Am I the Only One".

Answer: Alabama

Alabama released "Feels So Right" as the title single to the album of the same name. It was written by Alabama's lead singer Randy Owen when he was 18, 22 years before it became a Number One. The song hit Number One on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on July 18, 1981 and stayed there for two weeks.

It was also Number One on the Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, number five on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart and number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it a crossover hit.

It was preceded by Earl Thomas Conley's "Fire and Smoke" and succeeded by Hank Williams, Jr.'s "Dixie on My Mind". It was the fourth in a line of 21 consecutive Number One's on the US Country chart for the group and the first of four Top 40 hits on the US Hot 100.

Answer: Mr. Mom

Lonestar released "Mr. Mom" as the second single from their album "Let's Be Us Again". It was written by Ron Harbin, Richie McDonald, and Don Pfrimmer. The song spent two weeks atop the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart beginning on Nov. 20, 2004. It crossed-over onto the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 33. It was certified Gold by the RIAA. It was preceded by Phil Vassar's "In a Real Love" and succeeded by Gary Allan's "Nothing On but the Radio".

The movie "Mr. Mom" starred Michael Keaton, Terri Garr, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, and Martin Mull. Keaton's character loses his job so he has to stay home with the kids when his wife (Garr) gets a job.