Don't Cry Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chuck Jackson

From 1961, this was Jackson's first hit, co-written with his mentor and partner Luther Dixon. He followed it in 1962 with "Any Day Now," a Burt Bacharach/ Hal David tune which became his signature song and most successful single. He started his career singing for the Del-Vikings a 50s group unusual at that time for being racially integrated.

Answer: The Four Seasons

Along with the Beach Boys, The Four Seasons were one of the only American groups with enough staying power to keep cranking out hit records throughout the British Invasion of the mid sixties. Also indicative of their immediate popularity, their first two charting records, "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry," both went to number one.

In fact, between 1962 and 1976 they had 31 straight hits crack the Billboard top 40. Their formula for success was catchy tunes penned by group member Bob Gaudio and producer Bob Crewe, solid backup harmonies, an airtight rhythm section, and of course Frankie Valli's signature falsetto. "Big Girls Don't Cry" was inspired by "Tennessee's Partner," a 1955 western movie in which actress Rhonda Fleming gets slapped and responds with the phrase (of the song title) when pressed for a reaction. Gaudio heard it on the television and voila, a hit song was born. Future US president Ronald Reagan also appeared in the movie, although he did not do the slapping.

Answer: Roy Orbison

One of the most amazing vocal performances of the rock and roll era (or any era), Roy Orbison's "Crying" hit Billboard's Hot 100 in August of 1961 and peaked at number two. As his voice soars upward to crescendo and holds the final "over you," the purity and clarity of the sound is unmatched.

The other reason Orbison created so many memorable hits was the legendary session men behind him. These included Floyd Cramer on the ivories, himself a stellar hit maker of solo piano recordings, and guitarist Boudleaux Bryant, who wrote many hit songs for the Everly Brothers and others.

Answer: Solomon Burke

Solomon Burke was a soul singer of great power who was very much under appreciated for most of his career. He performed professionally for 55 years, and earned a Grammy award for his album "Don't Give Up On Me" in 2003 when he was 63 years old. He was also a preacher. "Cry To Me" from 1962 was his best known tune, and it received a big boost and another life as part of the soundtrack to the popular 1987 movie "Dirty Dancing." It played prominently during the big love scene between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.

Answer: Ray Charles

They called Ray Charles "The Genius" and it's easy to see why when you listen to his perfectly crafted songs. He controlled every aspect of production, and whether performing his own extensive catalogue of material or interpreting other people's songs, he moved effortlessly between genres and stamped them all with his inimitable, soulful phrasing. "Crying Time" was written by country singer/songwriter Buck Owens, who had a minor hit with it in 1964. But, Charles' 1966 version was the definitive one, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1966. Proving Charles' crossover ability, it also was a number two R&B chart hit and reached number one on the Billboard easy listening chart.

Answer: The Everly Brothers

This 1961 song was written by Carole King and Howard Greenfield, two of the stable of songwriters who operated out of the now legendary Brill Building in Manhattan's music district. It was to be their only collaboration. The facility, where numerous now famous songwriting partnerships were born and shared space, was a beehive of musical activity.

It produced a long string of pop hits in the late 1950s and the 1960s, transforming how popular music was made. King's normal songwriting partner was her husband, lyricist Gerry Goffin, but one day Goffin decided to work with Greenfield's music partner, Jack Keller, resulting in the one-time partnership which created "Crying in the Rain." The song was typical of the Everly Brothers' slow ballads; close, perfectly blended harmonies caressing intense, heart-wrenching emotional sentiment.

These boys could really sing. "Crying in the Rain" reached number six on the US pop charts.

Answer: Garnet Mimms

Garnet Mimms is another of many tremendously gifted R&B/soul singers from the 1960s who never got his just due. "Cry Baby" did break through to the mainstream, hitting number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963 after topping the R&B chart for several weeks. Mimms, like Sam Cooke and many other great R&B crooners from this time, was heavily influenced by his immersion in the Gospel music central to church services during his youth. Mimms was born in Ashland, West Virginia and grew up in Philadelphia, where he still lives.

He is presently( 2017) 83 years old, active as a minister, and still belting out Gospel music in church.

Answer: The Box Tops

The Box Tops achieved instant success with release of their debut single "The Letter" in 1967. It rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, stayed there for four weeks, and sold over four million copies. Not bad for a group with a sixteen year old lead singer, Alex Chilton.

Their follow up was the moderately successful "Neon Rainbow," but their third release, "Cry like a Baby," made it all the way to number two in spring of 1968. The group members hailed from Memphis, Tennessee, and had lots of musical influences in their families. By 1970, Chilton became dissatisfied with the group's manager, Dan Penn, and the mediocre material given them, and they disbanded soon after.

He reformed a group called "White Star" which developed a loyal cult following and a respected reputation as one of the leading practitioners of so-called "Blue Eyed Soul."

Answer: Buddy Holly

Yeah I know Holly wrote this tune in 1958 and recorded it by himself with just his guitar. Then after he died in the plane crash is February of 1959, the first studio version was released in 1959. Producer Jack Hansen took charge of Holly's recordings and backed some of them with studio musicians.

In this case, he also hired Ray Charles' back up singers to augment the Holly vocals. It's a good version, but I like the 1964 overdubbed version even better. Holly's vocals stand alone with the backing orchestra's deep thumping bass and slamming drums driving it with such force, you'd swear they were all in the studio together. So you see, it is a 60s song and it rocks...hard. Any woman who made this guy wait, cry and hope had to be amazing, or crazy.

Answer: Sam Cooke

This is another song first prominent in the 1950s. Arthur Hamilton wrote it in 1953, originally for jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, for the movie "Pete Kelly's Blues," but it didn't make the cut. Ella eventually recorded it in 1961, but meanwhile, Julie London got hold of it and got it released in 1955.

When she performed it in the Rock & Roll movie "The Girl Can't Help It" in 1956, it became a hit gold record which reached number two on the Billboard chart and number 22 in England. Sam Cooke took it to another level with his 1963 version on the Album "Mr. Soul." His dulcet tones and incomparable phrasing take full ownership of the song.

The song itself is one of the subtlest, most intelligent answers to a lover who 'done you wrong' that you will ever hear.