Great Soul Groups of the 60s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone were a rock band from San Francisco. Together from 1967 to 1983, they were pioneers, combining elements of funk, soul, and rock music as no band had before. Headed up by Sly Stone, along with several of his friends and family members, they were the first important multicultural rock band. Sly and his brother Freddie, saxophonist Jerry Martini, drummer Gregg Errico, trumpeter Cynthia Robinson, and bass player Larry Graham comprised the lineup; singer and keyboardist Rose Stone joined soon after.

They recorded five top ten hits and four albums. In 1993 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Answer: Jackson Five

The Jackson Five was an quintet of brothers from Gary, Indiana. They performed together from 1962 to 1990. They were one of the hottest acts in the music business, due in no small part to the talent and charisma of Michael Jackson, the group's lead singer.

The songs were great, the group sang beautifully, and their choreography was spectacular. They had a string of hits including "ABC", "I'll Be There", "The Love You Save" and "Dancin' Machine".

Answer: Martha and the Vandellas

Martha and the Vandellas were one of the most successful Motown groups, their music combined blues, pop, doo-wop, rock and roll and soul. They produced a long string of hits throughout the 60s and were much admired for their sound, which was soulful and gospel-oriented.

Their second release, "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave," was a big hit for the group, topping the charts for several weeks. Hits such as "Nowhere to Run", and their signature song "Dancing in the Street", kept them on top. As time went on, Reeves began to feel that Berry Gordy was neglecting the group for Diana Ross and The Supremes, especially since Gordy was romantically involved with Diana Ross.

She became depressed and addicted to painkillers; she has since recovered. The group broke up not too long after that, after performing together from 1960 to 1972.

They are considered to be one of the most influential groups of the 60s era, and have inspired many younger groups, such as Destiny's Child and En Vogue.

Answer: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

They started out as the Matadors. After signing with Motown Records, the Miracles began to turn out successful records. They were one of the few male groups that included a girl singer, in this case Claudette Robinson, then the wife of Smokey Robinson. (They divorced in 1986.) He was the driving force behind the Miracles, writing most of their music.

The Miracles' 1960 single, "Shop Around", became their first Motown hit, and the first Motown song to reach number one on the charts, followed by "You Really Got a Hold on Me", "Going To A Go-Go", "The Tracks Of My Tears" and "Ooo Baby Baby".

The group changed their name to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles in 1965. After scoring a few more major hits such as "I Second That Emotion", " If You Can Want " and "Baby Baby Don't Cry", their popularity began to wane. Smokey Robinson eventually left the group in 1972 for a successful solo career.

Answer: Supremes

The Supremes sang doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelia and disco. Founded in Detroit in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. The group was made up of members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and Betty McGlown, young women who came from the public housing projects in Detroit.

In 1960 there was a shake-up within the group, and Ross, Ballard and Wilson became a trio, eventually signing with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. One of Motown's top acts, The Supremes were the most successful girl group of the 1960s, recording twelve number-one hits between 1964 and 1969.

Many of their hits were written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, the label's top songwriting team. Among their many hits: "Where Did Our Love Go" "Baby Love", "Come See About Me", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again".

After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross and The Supremes in 1967 and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Diana Ross left the group to pursue a solo career in 1970.

After that, The Supremes' lineup changed often, before the group broke up for good after eighteen years.

Answer: Junior Walker and the All-Stars

Walker's unmistakable sax style was the base for the band's funky sound. The other members of the group were drummer James Graves, guitarist Willie Woods, and keyboardist Vic Thomas. Junior Walker and The All Stars became members of the Motown Records family, and their first hit was "Shotgun", written by Walker and produced by Berry Gordy. "Shotgun" reached number one on the charts and was followed by many other hits, such as "(I'm A) Road Runner" and "Shake and Fingerpop".

In 1969 the group had another hit: "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" (my personal favorite). Junior Walker went solo, but he wasn't as successful as he had been with the All Stars in his Motown period.

He died of cancer in 1995, while drummer James Graves died in 1967 in a car accident, and in 1997 guitarist Willie Woods passed away at age 60.

Answer: Sam and Dave

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Samuel Moore and David Prater were a great soul duo, also famous for their live performances. Both men grew up with strong gospel music influences. They met in a Miami nightclub in 1961, and began working together soon after.

They developed a rollicking and uproarious act that drew large crowds wherever they performed. Sam and Dave signed with the Stax record label, and began working with two songwriters, Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Their collaboration, along with the Stax house band Booker T and the MG's, made for some mighty fine music.

They quickly become a big recording act, one of the most successful of the time. Their hits included "Hold On! I'm Comin'""You Got Me Hummin'" "Soul Man" and "I Thank You".

They won a Grammy for best R and B recording in 1967 for "Soul Man", and the song was also voted into the Grammy Song Hall of Fame.

Answer: Four Tops

The Four Tops were a Motown musical quartet, whose repertoire included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R and B, and disco. They began as the Four Aims, renamed the group the Four Tops, and remained together for over forty years. They were the principal artists for the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who wrote many songs for the group, including two number-one hits: "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Reach Out I'll Be There".

Answer: Gladys Knight and the Pips

Gladys Knight and the Pips were from Atlanta, Georgia. Gladys was the lead singer, and backup singers The Pips were her brother Merald Knight and cousins Edward Patten and William Guest. (There would be several Pip personnel changes throughout the years.) Their first hit was the 1961 tune "Every Beat of My Heart." They became famous for their great live performances, with polished dance routines that became their signature.

After signing with Motown Records, their 1967 single "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", provided a big break for the group.

The record sold two and a half million copies. Their other hits included "Friendship Train", "If I Were Your Woman" and "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)", which won a 1973 Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance. Knight and the Pips departed Motown for Buddah Records in 1973, and went on to great success with records such as "I've Got to Use My Imagination", and "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me".

The most notable hit of their career was the wonderful "Midnight Train to Georgia", which won the Grammy for Best R and B Performance in 1973. Gladys Knight and the Pips worked together for nearly forty years.

Answer: The Temptations

The Temptations were a Motown group whose repertoire included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, and R and B. They began in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as the Elgins. They have sold over twenty-two million albums by 1982, and are considered to be one of the most successful groups in music history. They were certainly the top male vocal group of the 1960s, and recorded for Motown for forty years. The original group featured Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams. Future members of the group would include lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards. The Temptations' roster has changed many times over the years. The group has released many number-one singles, and they have several Grammy wins to their credit. Their hits include "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "All I Need", "Ball of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)", "Don't Look Back", "Get Ready", "I Can't Get Next To You" and "I Wish It Would Rain".

All of the acts mentioned in this quiz were real acts, no made-up names. They were all wonderful artists.