Let's Play 'Name That Band'! Trivia Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. An important figure in country music was the great musician and songwriter, Hank Williams. What was the name of the band he played with?

Answer: Drifting Cowboys

The Drifting Cowboys also backed up other great singers such as Lefty Frizzell, Marty Robbins and Ray Price.

Hank Williams wrote many songs and a lot of them crossed over to pop. Some examples are "Half as Much", "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Take These Chains from My Heart" - all classics.

2. Ernest Tubb was a very popular country star of the '40s through 1982. His band shared the same nickname as Tubb, himself. What was the band's name?

Answer: The Texas Troubadors

Through Ernest Tubb's long career, his band members sometimes changed, but they were always the best musicians for Tubb's style. As well as personal appearances and recordings, they also appeared with him in movies and television.

Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadors had many hits, two of the best remembered are "Walkin' the Floor Over You" and "Waltz Across Texas".

3. Bob Wills and his band were among the first to play a new kind of music. What was the name of his band which was equally as famous as Bob Wills?

Answer: The Texas Playboys

Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys was known for being the co-founders of western swing, a new kind of music in their day. The band was started by Bob Wills in 1934 and they stayed with him until about 1963. Bob was famous for inserting "Ah-Ha" into his songs.

Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1968 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

4. Roy Acuff and his band played at the Grand Ole Opry in 1938, and soon became the symbol of the show. Roy's band was at first called the Crazy Tennesseans, then the Tennessee Crackerjacks. After some adjustments by Roy, they got their third and lasting name, which was what?

Answer: The Smoky Mountain Boys

At his first Grand Ole Opry appearance, Roy had been convinced to sing in a crooning style, by some of the band members. That did not go over, so soon Roy revamped his band, traded in some old members for more typical hillbilly musicians, gave up the crooning and became a big hit in the Hillbilly style. The band became an old-time string band, but made an important innovation in Country sound, the use of the Dobro Guitar.

Two of their greatest hits were "The Great Speckled Bird" and "The Wabash Cannonball".

5. Jerry Lee Lewis is not really known for his band, it's all Jerry Lee, all the time. He played some appearances alone, some with a band that had success before Jerry Lee. They had a hit in 1967, "Let It All Hang Out" and recorded with Elton John and Billy Joel, among others. Who are they?

Answer: The Hombres

Having seen Jerry Lee many times in his personal appearances, I happened to know he had a faithful backup band with the same members through the years.
With the death of a band member in 2012, B. B. Cunningham, the headlines told us that he was a member of Jerry Lee Lewis' band, The Hombres.

6. Porter Wagoner graced the stage of the Grand Ole Opry for 50 years. He and his band had many hits, his last album had their name. Who were they?

Answer: The Wagonmasters

The Wagonmasters got their name about 1961, and the name stuck with Porter, although the band members changed through the years. Perhaps staying with the band longest was fiddle player, Mack Magaha. Porter, with his band, had a TV show from 1960 to 1981.

One of Porter's memorable hits was 1955's "A Satisfied Mind". He had a longtime professional relationship with Dolly Parton.

7. Superstar, Johnny Cash, was backed over 25 years by his band, The Tennessee Three. But many will never forget that he started his fabulous career with a band with another name. What was the original name?

Answer: The Tennessee Two

The Tennessee Two was formed in 1955 by Johnny Cash and began recording with him at Sun Records in Memphis. The members were Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant. Another original player was Red Kernodle, who dropped out. In 1960, W. S. Holland joined the band and they became the Tennesse Three.

Who can ever forget the first time they heard Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two's first big hit, "I Walk the Line"!

8. Roy Rogers was always associated with this group of singers and players. Roy went on to great fame as "King of the Cowboys" and this group was a big part of his movies and appearances. Who were they?

Answer: Sons of the Pioneers

In 1931,because of the depression, Leonard Slye (Roy Rogers) came to California seeking work - he met others with the same interests. He, along with Bob Nolan and Slumber Nichols with Hugh Farr as a fourth, started the group known as Sons of the Pioneers. This early group worked in pictures with Gene Autry and others. They became, through the years, the top of all western groups, known for the best harmonies and arrangements.

Some of the members of the group through the years included: Roy Rogers -Guitar, Bob Nolan - Baritone Sax, Ken Curtis (Festus) - Vocals, Tim Spencer - Tenor, Pat Brady - Bass, Shug Fisher - Bass, and others.

Some of their great songs were "Tumbling Tumbleweeds", "Cool Water", "Strawberry Roan", and many more.

9. Buck Owens was a popular singing star starting in the 1950s. He was backed by an award-winning band. What was Buck's band called?

Answer: The Buckaroos

Buck and the Buckaroos were a big part of what became known as the Bakersfield Sound, a Country music genre which was a reaction against the Nashville Sound which was slickly produced and too orchestrated for many Country fans.
The Buckaroos received many honors and American awards including Grammys and CMAs (Country Music Awards). They were also only the second Country band to play a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
We can be pleased that this band recorded many excellent albums.

10. On December 4, 1956, there was an impromptu jam session in Memphis Tennessee by four young musicians that would change music history. They were Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. This momentous event was one time only, and the group was only together once. The group became known as what?

Answer: The Million Dollar Quartet

On that December 4, Carl Perkins was in the Sun Records studio recording what he hoped would be his next hit record. Accompanying him on piano was Jerry Lee Lewis, working for a mere $15. Johnny Cash was there to hear his friend Carl, when who should arrive but Elvis Presley (some say Elvis arrived before Johnny), already a 'name'. They all got together to sing gospel songs, a genre they all knew well, still with Jerry Lee playing, (although the newspaper photo shows Elvis at the piano). A technician taped the session, and a photographer was called to take their picture. The picture appeared in a Memphis newspaper the next day with the caption, Million Dollar Quartet.

Years later, the tape was found and released as an album, "The Million Dollar Quartet", two more slightly different albums were also released.

Source: Author mpkitty

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Many bands/groups playing with country artists have interesting names, some, not so much. See how many you can identify.

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