Female Folkies Trivia Quiz

Answer: "Mother" Maybelle Carter

Maybelle Carter was born in Virginia in 1909. The Carter Family began recording in 1927, and when the Carter Family disbanded in 1944, she began performing with her daughters, Anita, June, and Helen. June eventually married Johnny Cash. Maybelle was known for her unique style of guitar playing, and her use of the autoharp helped to popularize the instrument.

In addition to "Wildwood Flower," her popular songs included "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes," "Keep On the Sunny Side," and "The Church in the Wildwood." Maybelle Carter died in 1978. Several of her grandchildren are still recording music today.

Answer: Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1947. After dropping out of college, she moved to New York City and began performing in folk music clubs there. She entered into a relationship with Gram Parsons in the 1970s, and, after his death, began branching into country music.

She had her first hit song in 1975 with "If I Could Only Win Your Love," which was quickly followed by two successful albums, "Elite Hotel" and "Luxury Liner." She performed the classic folk ballad "Barbara Allen" on the soundtrack of of the 2000 film "Songcatcher," and "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby" with Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Answer: Sandy Denny

Sandy Denny was born in London in 1947. At the age of 19, she wrote what was to be her most famous song, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" which was to become a major hit for Judy Collins. In 1968 she joined the popular band, Fairport Convention, but left the following year to start her own band, called Fotheringay.

After pursuing a solo career, she returned to Fairport Convention in 1974, only to leave again in 1975. In March 1978, while visiting her parents, Denny fell down some stairs and hit her head on a concrete landing.

She died of a brain hemorrhage a few weeks later on April 18, 1978, possibly as a result of mixing alcohol and painkillers prescribed for headaches after her fall.

Answer: Joan Baez

Joan Baez was born on Staten Island, New York in 1941 to a Scottish mother and a Mexican father. She became interested in folk music at a young age and gave her first concert when she was 17. Her first album was released when she was only 19, and almost from the beginning of her career she enjoyed a great deal of commercial success. She was active in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, and later in the anti-war movement. She continues to support a number of liberal causes.

Her relationship with Bob Dylan has been the subject of much speculation. Her song, "Diamonds & Rust," is said to be about him.

Not everyone has been enamored with Baez. The famous cartoonist, Al Capp, made fun of her as "Joanie Phoanie" in his comic strip, "Li'l Abner," and criticized her for riding in limousines and charging very high fees for concerts where she sang about the poor and downtrodden. When Baez threatened to sue him, Capp responded: "Joanie Phoanie is a repulsive, egomaniacal, un-American, non-taxpaying horror. I see no resemblance to Joan Baez whatsoever, but if Miss Baez wants to prove it, let her."

Answer: Iris DeMent

Iris DeMent was the youngest of 14 children, born in northeastern Arkansas in 1961. Although she has not enjoyed the commercial success of some of the other artists featured in this quiz, she has been an influential songwriter and has a devoted fan following.

Her song, "Let the Mystery Be" appeared in the movie "Little Buddha," and her version of "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" was included on the soundtrack of the 2010 remake of "True Grit." Merle Haggard said "She's the best singer I've ever heard," and recorded two of her songs, "No Time To Cry" and "The Shores of Jordan." She has recorded duets with Emmylou Harris, John Prine, and Josh Turner, and has been twice nominated for a Grammy Award.

Answer: Mary Black

Born in Dublin in 1955, Mary Black came from a musical family and knew she was destined to be a singer at a young age. After touring with various bands, she released her first solo album, "Mary Black," in 1983, and it was very popular. In 1984, she replaced Maura O'Connell in the popular Irish folk group, De Danaan, and recorded two albums with them.

Her biggest success came with her 1989 album, "No Frontiers." She continued to tour and record music, and in 1992 teamed with her sister, Frances, Eleanor McEvoy, Dolores Keane, Sharon Shannon, and Maura O'Connell to produce "A Woman's Heart," which became the best-selling album in Irish history up to that point in time.

Her daughter, Róisín, is also a singer.

Answer: Kate Wolf

Kate Wolf was born in California in 1942. Her career did not follow the usual path for a folk singer. Married at an early age, Kate did not start singing professionally until she was in her late 20s, and did not release her first album until she was 34. She began by performing at local clubs in Sonoma County, California and began touring in 1977. Her second marriage ended in 1979, and she began devoting more of her time to music and songwriting. She began working with a very talented guitar and mandolin player named Nina Gerber, who would remain her accompanist for the rest of her career.

Her first big success came with her album, "Give Yourself To Love," which won the National Association of Independent Record Distributors and Manufacturers (NAIRD) award for "Best Folk Album of 1983." She began appearing on the radio program, "A Prairie Home Companion," and in 1985 was featured on the PBS television show, "Austin City Limits." Her 1986 album, "Poet's Heart," won her another NAIRD award.

In April 1986 she was diagnosed with acute leukemia, and, despite a bone marrow transplant, died on December 10. Her reputation continued to grow after her death as more and more people discovered her music. In 1998 a tribute album, "Treasures Left Behind: Remembering Kate Wolf," was released, which featured performances by such noted artists as Eric Bogle, Nanci Griffith, Emmylou Harris, and Lucinda Williams. The Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival is held each year in Laytonville, California to honor her memory.

Answer: Maddy Prior

Maddy Prior was born in 1947 in Blackpool, England (1947 seems to have been a good year for female folk singers). Maddy began singing as a professional while still in her teens, and in 1966 became one of the founding members of the famous folk-rock group Steeleye Span. In addition to her success with that group, she has had a stellar solo career, and has collaborated with many other artists. She continues to perform and tour; her daughter, Rose Kemp, is also a talented singer, and sometimes performs with her mother.

Answer: Buffy Sainte-Marie

Buffy Sainte-Marie was born in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1941. She is a member of the Cree Nation. She was orphaned at a young age, and adopted and raised by relatives in the United States. Many of her songs reflect her Native American heritage.

Her first album, "It's My Way," was released in 1964 and contains what may be her most well-known song, "Universal Soldier," which has been covered by many other artists. She was active in the anti-war movement during the Vietnam Era, and was a frequent guest on "Sesame Street" from 1975 through 1981. In 1982 she help to write the song "Up Where We Belong," which won the Academy Award for Best Song."

Buffy Sainte-Marie continues to be active in her support for various liberal causes. In addition to being a singer, she is a celebrated artist, and has had several exhibitions of her artwork; her paintings are included in the collections of the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, the Walter Phillips Gallery, and many other prestigious institutions.

Answer: Mary Travers

Peter, Paul, and Mary were one of the most successful folk music groups of the 1960s; after breaking up in 1970, the group reformed in 1981 and continued performing until Mary Travers' death in 2009.

Mary Travers was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1936, but grew up in New York City. She began singing professionally while still in high school. In 1961 folk music entrepreneur and manager Albert Grossman chose Travers to be a member of a new act he was forming; he paired her with Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow. Their first album, "Peter, Paul, and Mary" propelled the group to instant stardom, and included the hits "Lemon Tree", "500 Miles", "If I Had a Hammer," and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" The group continued to have much success in the following years, although their only number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Top 100 Chart came in 1969 with "Leaving on a Jet Plane."

When the group disbanded in 1970, Mary Travers pursued a solo career without much success. Peter, Paul, and Mary reunited in 1981, and toured to packed houses over the next three decades, although they never repeated their previous chart success. Mary Travers was diagnosed with leukemia in 2004. She eventually died of the disease on September 16, 2009.