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Singer/Songwriters Trivia Quiz

This quiz is all about singers who are also songwriters. It focuses primarily on modern singer/songwriters, with a few classics thrown in.

A multiple-choice quiz by wmshipman. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
wmshipman

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
222,820

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
845

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. This woman is a modern rock favorite from the 1990s and 2000s whose albums include "Rid Of Me" and "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea". Who is she? Hint

Joni Mitchell

Kim Deal

P.J. Harvey

Jesse Winchester

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Question 2 of 10

2. This gentleman has written and recorded many great songs, often with his associate Steve Malkmus (of Pavement fame), under the name of The Silver Jews. What is his name? Hint

Spiral Stairs

David Berman

Richard Youngs

Joey Santiago

3. This songwriter has recorded a multitude of albums despite repeated marriages, divorces, jail time, drug addiction and adopting multiple social causes. His first album, "Guitar Town," is a classic and he gained fleeting fame with his song "Copperhead Road". Who is this artist? Hint

Steve Earle

Kris Kristofferson

Tom Waits

Greg Andres

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Question 4 of 10

4. After playing with the Pixies, this singer/songwriter went on to a successful career as a solo artist. Who is the artist behind such albums as "Teenager Of The Year" and "Black Letter Days"? Hint

Frank Black

J Mascis

Joey Santiago

Thomas Kovacs

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Question 5 of 10

5. This songwriter has swung from bizarre to country/western without missing a beat. Breaking into popular consciousness with his "Mellow Gold", he has had follow-up hits with albums "Odelay" and "Mutations". Who is he? Hint

Andy Gibb

Beck

David Sando

David Lyle

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Question 6 of 10

6. After putting in time with alt-rock favorites Dinosaur Jr., this songwriter found success with bands Folk Implosion and Sebadoh. Who is this artist? Hint

J Mascis

Lou Barlow

Murph

Yape

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Question 7 of 10

7. My all-time favorite singer-songwriter used to work with computers, before taking the post-punk world by storm with his debut album -- "My Aim Is True". What rock n' roll stage name did Declan MacManus adopt? Hint

Tom Waits

Christopher Haid

Jonathan Richman

Elvis Costello

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Question 8 of 10

8. This songwriter wrote a brilliant solo album shortly before passing away. The only additions to this artist's masterpiece were a few piano notes added after he died to the title track, "Pink Moon." Who is he? Hint

Gram Parsons

Nils Lofgren

John Lennon

Nick Drake

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Question 9 of 10

9. An out-of-the-ordinary hit in the 1980s from the U.K., this artist found an audience for his popular album "Talking With The Taxman About Poetry" and became known to a new generation of listeners by doing covers of old Woody Guthrie tunes. His name is? Hint

Billy Bragg

Sean Owens

Robert Zimmerman

Arlo Guthrie

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Question 10 of 10

10. After working with Buffalo Springfield, and before that the ill-fated Mynah Birds, this artist went on to work with a famous rock n' roll quartet, and a successful solo career with albums like "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere". Who is he? Hint

David Crosby

Stephen Stills

Neil Young

Graham Nash

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This woman is a modern rock favorite from the 1990s and 2000s whose albums include "Rid Of Me" and "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea". Who is she?

Answer: P.J. Harvey

P.J. Harvey's "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea" is one of my favorites, and includes vocal contributions from Radiohead's Thom Yorke. She plays bass and guitar, as well as singing. Kim Deal sang and played bass with the Breeders and the Pixies. Jesse Winchester is a (male) folk-singer. Joni Mitchell is well-known for her many recordings, including "Blue" and "Court And Spark".

2. This gentleman has written and recorded many great songs, often with his associate Steve Malkmus (of Pavement fame), under the name of The Silver Jews. What is his name?

Answer: David Berman

The Silver Jews have recorded some great albums, but my favorite is "American Water" (1998). Berman and Malkmus met when both attended the University of Virginia, but Malkmus went on to more commercial success with his (also wonderful) band Pavement -- which was made up primarily of fellow Californians, but also included former UVA classmate Doug Nastanovich.

Answer: Steve Earle

Steve Earle's early work is great, but I much prefer his later albums. Particularly, "Transcendental Blues" (which I think is a classic) and "I Feel Alright".

4. After playing with the Pixies, this singer/songwriter went on to a successful career as a solo artist. Who is the artist behind such albums as "Teenager Of The Year" and "Black Letter Days"?

Answer: Frank Black

Better known as Black Francis during his time with the Pixies, Frank Black has issued a ton of good stuff since that band broke up. His self-titled debut album includes some great songs, including "Los Angeles", "Fu Manchu", and the instrumental track "Tossed".

Answer: Beck

I'm a big Beck fan, but I much prefer his more recent stuff. I am a particular fan of his (primarily) acoustic "Sea Change" album. Check out "Paper Tiger" -- what a great track.

6. After putting in time with alt-rock favorites Dinosaur Jr., this songwriter found success with bands Folk Implosion and Sebadoh. Who is this artist?

Answer: Lou Barlow

While I love Dinosaur Jr., I don't know that J Mascis would have let Lou Barlow find his stride the way he did with Sebadoh, Folk Implosion and Deluxx Folk Implosion. I particularly like his work on Sebadoh's "Harmacy", and on the compilation disc "School House Rocks Rocks" -- where he does a rockin' version of "I'm Just A Bill."

Answer: Elvis Costello

Yup, I love Elvis Costello. His first album is a classic (and still his best, in my opinion). But I'll go to bat for his later stuff too. "Imperial Bedroom"? Great. "King Of America"? Great. That album he cut with Burt Bacharach? That's great too. I'm hooked. Good for you, Diana Krall!

Answer: Nick Drake

It remains unclear whether he committed suicide. What a loss. What a genius. His producer placed a few sparse piano notes into the song "Pink Moon," but left the recording untouched other than that. What an amazing album.

Answer: Billy Bragg

Bragg's passionate delivery carries a lot of his songs, and many new fans have discovered him after he recorded some Woody Guthrie tunes with Wilco as his backing band on albums like "Mermaid Avenue."

Answer: Neil Young

Neil Young started out with a group that was signed to Motown Records, called the Mynah Birds. But that deal fell through when his compatriot, future-Superfreak Rick James, was arrested for draft evasion. Luckily he met Stephen Stills, formed Buffalo Springfield and went on to a blockbuster career as one of the all-time great rock and roll singer/songwriters.

Source: Author wmshipman

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
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