Death and Texas Trivia Quiz

Answer: Joe Tex

Joe Tex and James Brown performed together on many occasions until it was discovered that it was more than the stage that they shared. As in many instances, a woman came between the two performers and the relationship became soured. Joe Tex was born Joseph Arrington Jr. in the Baytown, TX area.

He was raised in Rogers, TX. Many people consider Joe Tex to be a pioneer of rap music as he frequently spoke over the music in a rhythmic pattern. He even used the term "rap" before the genre was born to describe his stylings.

After conversion to the Muslim religion, Tex juggled a life in show business with a more personal existence living on a farm. Sadly, Tex passed away at the age of 49 of a heart attack at his Texas farm.

Answer: The Big Bopper

The Big Bopper was one of the people who perished in the infamous plane crash in Iowa after a "Winter Dance Party" concert in 1959. Waylon Jennings could have easily have been in the plane in Richardson's place, but he gave his seat up to the ailing Big Bopper so he could get to the next venue a bit earlier for some rest and recuperation.
The Big Bopper will forever be known as the enigmatic singer/songwriter who penned the songs "Chantilly Lace", "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Bopper's Boogie Woogie". Richardson was born in 1930 in Sabine Pass, Texas.

Answer: Janis Joplin

Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Janis Joplin lived the true rock star life style. Sex, drugs and rock and roll were the three best words used to describe Joplin and her career. Joplin's one and only US number one hit was "Me and Bobby McGee". The song peaked at the top of the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1971, giving her a posthumous number one single. Joplin passed away on October 4, 1970.

Answer: Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings, the two time Grammy award winner, was probably best known to mainstream American audiences as the singer to the "The Dukes of Hazzard" theme song. Not only did he provide the theme song, he also was the narrator and even appeared in one episode titled "Welcome, Waylon Jennings". Waylon was one of the more popular country artists of the 1970s and was enshrined into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Waylon's last television stint with television was providing his voice for an episode of the animated series "Family Guy".

Answer: T-Bone Walker

Many people associate Muddy Waters with the advent of the electric guitar in blues music, but it was T-Bone Walker who really popularized the electric sound in the blues. Born Aaron Thibeaux Walker in Linden, TX, T-Bone Walker released his first recording in 1929 on the Columbia record label. "Wichita Falls Blues/Trinity River Blues" featured a 19 year old T-Bone and pianist Douglas Fernell. T-Bone Walker is often overlooked by the casual fan of the genre, but his reputation as a blues legend has lived on since his passing in 1975.

Answer: Paul McCartney

After several inaccuracies were found in the 1978 biographical movie, Paul McCartney wanted to rectify the falsehoods. He released "The Real Buddy Holly Story" in 1985. McCartney's version was more of a documentary which featured interviews with several artists close to Holly. McCartney's version may not have been nominated for any Academy Awards, but it does give a more accurate portrayal of the life of Buddy Holly. Holly, along with fellow Texas native The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, perished in the famous 1959 airplane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa. Holly was born in Lubbock, TX in 1936 and passed away in 1959 at the young age of 22.

Answer: Los Angeles Angels

Gene Autry was extremely popular and was instantly successful at whatever he attempted. Autry is the only person with five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Autry was a great businessman who dealt with radio and television stations as well as becoming a real estate mogul. Autry released nearly 100 television programs and over 600 records in his show business career, amassing a personal worth of over $320 million. Autry was born in Tioga, Texas on September 29, 1907.

Answer: Emmylou Harris

In addition to the duet with Harris, Roy Orbison won four other Grammy awards for his work. Orbison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the second class, and he is also in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Orbison was a member of the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys with Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Tom Petty.
Orbison was born Roy Kelton Orbison on April 23, 1936 in Vernon, Texas.

Answer: Ally McBeal

Barry White was born in Galveston, Texas on September 12, 1944. His list of hit songs includes "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up", "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" and "You're the First, the Last, My Everything". In addition to White's work on "Ally McBeal", he also made two voice appearances on the popular animated series "The Simpsons".

Answer: Stone Free

Stevie Ray had as varied an assortment of influences as any guitar player, but Jimi Hendrix was certainly one of his earliest. Hendrix, along with Albert King, Otis Rush and Lonnie Mack, became the backbone for Vaughan's playing style. In turn, Vaughan has become an influence to artists as varied as John Mayer, Mike McReady (Pearl Jam), John Petrucci (Dream Theater) and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Stevie Ray was born in Dallas, Texas in 1954.

He passed away at the age of 35 after a helicopter crash in East Troy, Wisconsin after leaving a concert in which he appeared at the Alpine Valley Music Theater along with Eric Clapton.