Really Old Country Music Trivia Quiz

Answer: Faron Young

"Alone With You" was number one for thirteen weeks in 1958 for Faron Young. Faron had his first number one on the Billboard Country chart in 1955, "Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young". His best known number one hit, "Hello Walls" in 1961, was written by future country star, Willie Nelson.

His last number one was in 1971 and considered to be his best recording, "It's Four In The Morning" In all, Faron Young charted almost 90 singles on the Billboard Country Chart between 1953 and 1989.

Answer: Hank Snow

Known as "The Singing Ranger", Canada's Hank Snow sent "I'm Movin' On" to the top of the charts in 1950 for an amazing 21 weeks. This song spent 44 weeks on the on the Billboard Country Chart all of them in the top ten. Hank snow charted 89 singles on the country charts and recorded over 60 studio albums in his long career. Hank was instrumental in helping both Hank Williams and Elvis Presley, in the early part of their careers.

Answer: Tennessee Ernie Ford

"The Old Pea Picker" himself, "Tennessee" Ernie Ford First hit the number one spot on the Billboard country chart in 1949 with his version of "Mule Train", this recording made it to number ten on the pop chart. He followed it up the next year with "Shotgun Boogie" which stayed at number one for thirteen weeks. Written and originally recorded by Merle Travis in 1946, "Sixteen Tons" became Ernie's best known and signature song making it to number one on the pop and country charts in 1955.

Answer: Lefty Frizzell

Lefty Frizzell hit the number one spot on the Billboard Country Chart in 1950 with a double sided hit, "I Love You A Thousand Ways" b/w "If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time". In 1951 he spent 26 weeks on the top of the country chart with, "I Want To Be With You Always" "Always Late (With Your Kisses)" and "Give Me more More More (Of Your kisses)".

He charted a number of top ten hits in the 1950's and reached number one again in 1964 with "Saginaw, Michigan". Lefty was an inspiration to many young country and rockabilly stars, among them, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison and John Fogerty"

Answer: Red Foley

Red Foley started recording in 1933 and became a popular recording artist very quickly. In 1944 with the advent of the "Folk" chart in the Billboard magazine Red managed a number one with the patriotic "Smoke On The Water". His recording of "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" in 1950 topped the Billboard Country chart for thirteen weeks. Red Foley was instrumental in popularising country music after the Second World War, along with contemporaries like, Webb Pierce, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Ernest Tubb. Red charted 65 singles between 1944 and 1969 with 10 number ones.

He is also famous as Pat Boone's father-in law and Debby Boone's grandfather.

Answer: Hank Thompson

"You wouldn't read my letter if I wrote you" is the opening line of "Wild Side of Life". The song was a number one for fifteen weeks on the Billboard Country chart for Hank Thompson and his biggest hit. Hank enjoyed a career that spanned seven decades and his prime charting period was 1948-1985. His life was loosely used as the basis of the novel "Crazy Heart".

Answer: Kitty Wells

In answer to Hank Thompson's "Wild Side Of Life", Kitty Wells recorded "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels". The record released in 1952 was the first by a female solo artist to top the Billboard Country chart. Kitty was one of country music's first female superstars along with Maybelle Carter of the Carter Family and Patsy Montana. "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" is a rarity in that answer songs don't often succeed and rarely outsell the original song.

Answer: Jim Reeves

A 1956 number one on the Billboard Country chart for Jim reeves, "Bimbo" was the story of a little boy. Jim Reeves had several hits in the 1950's, then in 1960 Jim had a million selling crossover hit with "He'll Have To Go". This song established Jim as a worldwide star.

He was especially popular in Europe where his records enjoyed great success. In 1964 Jim was sadly killed when his private plane crashed in Tennessee. After his death he was still a major force on the charts, in 1966 his "Distant Drums" was number one for five weeks in the UK, holding back the Beatles from the top spot.

Answer: Carl Smith

"Loose Talk" was Carl Smith's last of five number one records. Carl charted 21 consecutive top ten singles between 1952 and 1954 on the Billboard Country chart. Carl continued to chart up until the late seventies. Because of slow record sales and being tired of touring Carl retired to his horse farm in the late 1970's. He is the father, with June Carter, of country star Carlene Carter.

Answer: George Jones

Written by Jones and JP (The Big Bopper) Richardson in 1958, originally recorded by The Big Bopper, "White Lightning" was the last chart entry for the Bopper. George Jones' recording of the song was his first number one. Jones went on to chart of 150 times on the billboard country singles chart and made number one spot on ten occasions.