The Astonishing Outrageous Amazing Gary Paxton Quiz

Answer: Coffeyville, Kansas

Paxton was born in 1939. His parents were aged 14 and 15 when he was born. By the time Gary was a year old, he weighed just seven pounds and had rickets.

Answer: Larry Wayne Stevens

As a result his health problems, Paxton was adopted at a young age. He was brought up in a house without electricity or running water. He later described his boyhood as "crippled and withdrawn".

Answer: Betty Jean

He was 17 and Betty Jean Brown was 14 when they married. He left her two years later.

Answer: It Was I

Battin, of course, went on to be a part of the Byrds. Their pop duo Skip & Flip toured with Chuck Berry. They had another hit with "Cherry Pie" but split up after Paxton suspected Battin of having an affair with his wife.

Answer: Alley Oop

The song was credited to The Hollywood Argyles, but Paxton said: "There were NO Hollywood Argyles at the very beginning. I was the only lead singer. Kim Fowley helped me produce it, because we were partners in Maverick Music International/BMI at the time... The drummer was Ronnie Silico (Lloyd Price's road drummer). The piano player was Gaynel Hodge of the Penguins. The bass player was Harper Cosby, a jazz bassist in L.A. Sandy Nelson (of "Teenbeat" fame) played the garbage can and screamed on the record. The background singers were: Dallas Frazier...Buddy Mize, Scotty Turner, Diane ?? (A friend I knew), and [myself].
"It was recorded at American Recorders, next door to Lawrence Welk's Palladium, and across from the Moulin Rouge on Sunset Blvd. near Sunset and Vine Street. A little bitty street (Argyle Street) was next door to the studio, so I said, 'Let's call ourselves The Hollywood Argyles!'" [Source: garsyspaxton.net]

The song was inspired by the V. T. Hamlin comic strip of the same name. It was written and first recorded by Dallas Frazier in 1957.

Answer: The Monster Mash

Behind Pickett's vocals you can hear Paxton adding sound effects with a hairspray can, a glass of water and an electric razor, among others.
The song topped the Billboard charts in the USA.
At this stage, Paxton's life remained zany. He had a reunion with Betty Sue and she became pregnant to him for a second time (they already had a son). Their reunion was brief, for Gary was allegedly engaged to two other women. Typically, he left them all.

Answer: Elephant

The song was called "Elephant Game" by Renfro & Jackson. Included in that protest were 15 cheerleaders. The elephant pulled a Volkswagen convertible.
The elephant left its calling card in the street. Paxton was arrested.

Answer: Jim Bakker

Paxton worked with the Association and Paul Revere and the Raiders, among others. He later said he had "lost it all" through drugs and alcohol.
Paxton wrote songs for Tammy Faye Bakker, and she was said to be besotted with him.
Jealousy of their friendship was, some say, the reason behind the affair Bakker had with a secretary at his church.
Paxton made Gospel music his genre for several years and earned two Grammys. In 1973 he wrote and produced "L-O-V-E" for The Blackwood Brothers, (Best Gospel Performance) and in 1975, he won the Best Inspirational Grammy for the album "The Astonishing, Outrageous, Amazing, Incredible, Unbelievable, Different World of Gary S. Paxton."

Answer: Vern Gosdin

Paxton was beaten up and sustained a broken shoulder and collarbone. He was shot in one hand, but managed to grab the gun and shoot his assailant. He was shot twice in the back.
The attack kept Paxton out of the music business for some years. He later visited his attackers in prison and forgave them.
The claim was made by the men who were convicted of attacking Paxton. Gosdin, who died in 2009, denied involvement and was never convicted of an offence in relation to the incident. [Sources: "The Hour" newspaper, Norwalk Ct, May 1987 and "The Times", September 2016.]

Answer: When I Die, Just Bury Me at Wal-Mart (So My Wife Will Come Visit Me)

Paxton died from complications after heart surgery. He was survived by his fourth wife, Vicki Sue Roberts, and five children from among all his marriages.
In his later years he performed as Grandpa Rock, wearing a mask, gold boots and a red leather coat.
(By the way, I did not make up any of those 'wrong' answers.)