Sing Me '50s Rock and Roll Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson, born Eric Hilliard Nelson in 1940, was a singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. Between 1957 and 1973 he had nineteen top-ten hits. When Billboard Magazine's "Hot 100 Chart" was created, "Poor Little Fool" was its first number one song.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He, and seven others, were killed when his plane crashed in Texas in December 1985.

Answer: Bill Haley and his Comets

"Rock Around the Clock" is considered to be the song that brought rock and roll to the world. On the "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", it is ranked at 158. Bill Haley and his Comets came together as a group in 1952 and continuously performed until 1981, when Bill Haley died. The group had nine singles in the Top 20 from 1954 until 1956 and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1982.

Answer: Wilbert Harrison

Although "Kansas City" had been a minor hit for Little Willie Littlefield in 1952 under the title "KC Lovin'" the best known version was by Wilbert Harrison in 1959. It was number one on both the R&B chart and the Billboard Hot 100. The song has been recorded many times by artists including Little Richard, Frank Zappa, The Beatles, Sammy Davis Jr. Peggy Lee and Fats Domino, just to name a few.

In 2005 Kansas City adopted "Kansas City" as its official song. Wilbert Harrison was born in 1929 in Carolina and died in 1994.

He was a singer, and played the piano, guitar and harmonica. In 2001 his recording of "Kansas City" was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was also named as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Answer: Gene Vincent

Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps recorded "Be-Bop-A-Lula" in 1956. On the US Billboard it reached number 7 and made number 16 in the UK. Jerry Lee Lewis, David Cassidy and the Beatles, among others, have covered this song. Vincent Eugene Craddock was born in 1935 and died in 1971. In 1998 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Answer: Buddy Holly and the Crickets

Buddy Holly was one of the writers of "Peggy Sue" and it was originally performed, recorded and released as a single by Buddy Holly and the Crickets in early 1957. The song is ranked number 194 on the "Rolling Stone" magazine's 2004 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". The song was number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957.

Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in 1936. He was a singer/songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll. His career only lasted eighteen months as he was killed in a plane crash in 1959. He was only 23 years old. "Rolling Stone" ranked Buddy Holly as number thirteen of "The Fifty Greatest Artists of All Time.

Answer: The Big Bopper

"Chantilly Lace" was written and originally performed by The Big Bopper in 1958. The song is a one-sided telephone conversation with a man talking to his girlfriend:

"Chantilly lace and a pretty face
And a pony tail hangin' down
A wiggle in the walk and a giggle in the talk
Makes the world go' round . . "

The song reached number six on the US pop charts.

The Big Bopper was born Jiles Perry "JP" Richardson in 1930. He was a singer/songwriter and a disc jockey. He wrote "White Lightning" and "Running Bear". On 3 February 1959, now known as "The Day the Music Died", he was killed in a small plane crash with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens.

Answer: The Everly Brothers

"Wake Up Little Susie" as recorded by the Everly Brothers reached number one on the Billboard Pop chart and the Cash Box Best Selling Records chart. The song was ranked number 31 on the "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". The Everly Brothers are the most successful duo on the US Hot 100.

They had 26 Billboard Top 40 singles and 35 Billboard Top 100 singles. In 1986 they were among the first ten artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1997 they were awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2001 were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. "Rolling Stone" magazine has ranked the Everly Brothers number 33 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". They wrote such hits as "Till I Kissed You", "Cathy's Clown", and "When Will I Be Loved".

Answer: Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis recorded "Great Balls of Fire" in Memphis, Tennessee in October 1957. It reached number two on the US Billboard pop charts, number three on the R&B charts, and number one on the country charts. It also reached number one on the UK pop charts. Jerry Lee Lewis's rendition was ranked as the 96th Greatest Song Ever by "Rolling Stone".

Jerry Lee Lewis was born in 1935 and was one of the early pioneers of rock and roll music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2004 "Rolling Stone" Magazine ranked him on their list of "The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" as number 24.

Answer: Little Richard

"Tutti Frutti" was Little Richard's first hit record. The song as sung by Little Richard is number 43 on the "Rolling Stone" list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

Little Richard, was born Richard Wayne Penniman in Georgia in 1932. He has received many awards and honours during his career, only a few of which are: In 1986 he was one of the first group of recording artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; in 1990 he was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; in 1990 he received an Honorary Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and in 2003 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Answer: Chuck Berry

"Maybellene" was adapted by Chuck Berry from the traditional fiddle tune "Ida Red". It was Berry's first single release and his very first hit. The song is considered one of the pioneer rock and roll singles. In 1988 "Maybellene" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It is included in the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame List of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" The song has been covered many times by such artists as Elvis Presley, Simon and Garfunkel, Carl Perkins, Gerry and the Pacemakers and Chubby Checker..

Chuck Berry was born Charles Edward Anderson Berry in 1926. His hits have included "Roll Over Beethoven", "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johhny B Goode". He was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He is ranked fifth on a "Rolling Stone" List in 2004 of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".