Dead Singers Society USA Vol. II Quiz

Answer: The Supremes

Mary Wilson was a founding member of The Primettes in 1959; they were Florence Ballard, Betty McGlown, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. McGlown left in 1960 and was replaced by Barbara Martin. In 1961 the group, now The Supremes, signed with Motown records. Barbara Martin left the group in 1962 and The Supremes became a trio.

Mary Wilson died in Henderson, Nevada, USA, on February 8 2021 aged 76. She died in her sleep of hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Two days earlier she had made an announcement about her new solo material and was hoping that it would be released before her birthday on March 6.

Answer: Marvin Gaye

On April 1 1984 Marvin Gaye intervened in a row between his father and mother and then became involved in an altercation with his father. He was then shot and killed by his father with the very gun that he had given to his father on an earlier occasion. This all happened on the day before Marvin Gaye's 45th birthday.

Sam Cooke died on December 11 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA, aged 33. He died of a gunshot wound inflicted by motel manager, Bertha Franklin. The coroner's jury later returned a verdict of justifiable homicide.

Bobby Fuller (leader of the Bobby Fuller Four) died on July 18 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA, aged 23. He died in mysterious circumstances, he was found dead in a car parked outside his Hollywood apartment. The autopsy report stated that his face, chest, and side were covered in petechial hemorrhages, possibly caused by gasoline vapors and the summer heat. The boxes for accident and suicide were checked, with added question marks. Some people still think that he was murdered.

Otis Redding died on December 10 1967 in Madison, Wisconsin, USA, aged 26. He died when the airplane he was traveling on crashed into Lake Monona in Wisconsin.

Answer: Eddie Cochran

Eddie Cochran died on April 17 1960 in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, aged 21. He died as a result of injuries received when the taxi he was a passenger in, crashed into a concrete lamp post. He was on a tour of the UK and had just finished a gig at the Bristol Hippodrome on Saturday, April 16. Traveling with him were his girlfriend, songwriter Sharon Sheeley, singer Gene Vincent and tour manager, Patrick Tompkins.

Jim Reeves died on July 31 1964 near Brentwood, Tennessee, USA, aged 40. He died when the plane he was flying crashed, en route to Nashville. His business partner, manager, and pianist of Reeves's backing group, (The Blue Boys), Dean Manuel, also died in the crash.

Ricky Nelson died on December 31 1985 in De Kalb, Texas, USA, aged 45. He died in a plane crash en route to Dallas. Six other passengers also died but the two pilots survived. Rick had just put the y back in his name for a comeback tour with Fats Domino.

John Denver died on October 12 1997 in Monterey Bay, California, USA, aged 53. He died of multiple blunt force trauma which resulted from the crash of the airplane he was flying. He should not have been flying because his medical certificate had been revoked because of his alcohol-related arrests; however, no alcohol was found in his system after the crash.

Answer: Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin died on October 4 1970 in Los Angeles, California, USA, aged 27. She died of a heroin overdose which was compounded by alcohol consumption. Her death was ruled accidental.

Jimi Hendrix died on September 18 1970 in Notting Hill, London, UK, aged 27. He died of asphyxia while intoxicated with barbiturates, an open verdict was declared.

Mama Cass Elliot died on July 29 1974 in Mayfair, London, aged 32. She died of heart failure and no drugs were found in her system.

Gene Pitney died on April 5 2006 in Cardiff, Wales, UK, aged 66. He died of a heart attack. He was found dead in his hotel room following a concert in Cardiff.

Answer: Al Martino

Al Martino died on October 13 2009 in Springfield, Pennsylvania, USA, aged 82. He died of a heart attack at his home, six days after his 82 birthday.

Johnny Ray died on February 24 1990 in Los Angeles, California, USA, aged 63. Suffering from ill-health he checked into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and he died there of hepatic encephalopathy resulting from liver failure.

Guy Mitchell died on July 1 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, aged 72. He died in the Desert Springs Hospital of complications from cancer surgery.

Robert Goulet died on October 20 2007 in Los Angeles, California, USA, aged 73. He died of pulmonary fibrosis at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center while waiting for a lung transplant.

Answer: Del Shannon

Del Shannon died on February 8 1990 in Santa Clarita, California, USA, aged 55. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while suffering from depression.

Gene Vincent died on October 12 1971 in Newhall, California, USA, aged 36. He died when visiting his father in Saugus, California, of internal hemorrhaging and heart failure.

Ben E. King died on April 30 2015 in Hackensack, New Jersey, USA, aged 76. He had played concerts in the UK in 2013 and in the USA in 2014 but had a history of coronary problems; he died after a short illness.

Little Richard died on May 9 2020 in Tullahoma, Tennessee, USA, aged 87. He died after a two-month illness from a cause related to bone cancer.

Answer: Bobby Hebb

Bobby Hebb died on August 3 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, aged 72. He died of lung cancer while being treated at TriStar Centennial Medical Center, Nashville. His biggest hit was "Sunny" which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.

Bobby Darin died on December 20 1973 in Los Angeles, California, USA, aged 37. After six hours of surgery at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles to repair his damaged heart, he died in the recovery room without regaining consciousness. His biggest hit was "Mack The Knife" which was number one for nine weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959.

Bobby Vee died on October 24 2016 in Rogers, Minnesota, USA, aged 73. He died from complications of Alzheimer's disease which he had suffered from since it was diagnosed in 2011. His biggest hit was "Take Good Care Of My Baby" which was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961.

Bobby Lewis died on April 28 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, aged 87. He died after contracting pneumonia. His biggest hit was "Tossin' And Turnin'" which was number one for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961.

Answer: Johnny Horton

Johnny Horton died on November 5 1960 in Milano, Texas, USA, aged 35. He died on the way to hospital as the result of injuries received in a car crash. He had a number one hit for six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 with "The Battle Of New Orleans" in 1959 and a number four hit with "North To Alaska" in 1960.

Johnny Ace died on December 25 1954 in Houston, Texas, USA, aged 25. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He shot himself in the head thinking the gun wasn't loaded.

Johnny Paycheck died on February 18 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, aged 64. After contracting emphysema and asthma he suffered a lengthy illness and died at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Johnny Cash died on September 12 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, aged 71. He died of complications from diabetes after being hospitalized at Baptist Hospital in Nashville less than four months after the death of his wife, June Carter.

Answer: Let's Dance

David Bowie died on January 10 2016 in New York, New York, USA, aged 69. He had been diagnosed 18 months earlier but had not gone public. He died of liver cancer in his New York apartment, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of his album "Blackstar".

"Let's Dance" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on March 26 1983 and was number one for one week. It entered the UK chart on March 26 1983 and was number one for three weeks.

"Ashes To Ashes" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. It entered the UK chart on August 16 1980 and was number one for two weeks.

"Fame" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on June 28 1975 and was number one for one week. It entered the UK chart on August 2 1975 and peaked at number 17.

"Space Oddity" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on January 27 1973 and peaked at number 13. It made its second UK chart re-entry on October 11 1975 and was number one for two weeks.

Answer: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. She died on August 16 2018 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, aged 76. She had been receiving hospice care and died at her home of a malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor.

LaVern Baker was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. She died on March 10 1997 in New York, New York, USA, aged 67. She died of cardiovascular disease and was buried in an unmarked grave, in Maple Grove Cemetery, Kew Gardens, New York. Later, local historians raised the funds for a headstone, and it was erected on May 4 2008.

Ruth Brown was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. She died on November 17 2006 in Henderson, Nevada, USA, aged 78. She died from complications following a heart attack and stroke that she had suffered following surgery a month earlier.

Etta James was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. She died on January 20 2012 in Riverside, California, USA, aged 73. She had been hospitalized in 2010 with an infection caused by MRSA, she had earlier been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. In 2011 she was diagnosed with leukemia and died of it five days before her 74th birthday.