Wow! You Sing AND Play Drums? Quiz

Answer: Karen Carpenter

Karen Carpenter was part of the band "The Carpenters," whose other member was her brother, Richard. The two had a string of hits throughout the 1970s, including "We've Only Just Begun" and, of course, "Close To You." Though she served as the lead vocalist for the band, she also often played the drums for their songs on their recordings and in live performances.

However, as the Carpenters gained popularity, demand to see Karen (her position behind the drums obscured her from the audience during live performances) led her to stand and sing many of her songs, and by 1976, she no longer played the drums for the band at all.

Her brother, though, has noted that she always considered herself a "drummer who sang."

Answer: Phil Collins

Collins was part of the group "Genesis," whose highest charting US hit was the Billboard Hot 100 #1 song "Invisible Touch," on which Collins sang lead. Interestingly, Collins was not Genesis's first choice to replace lead singer Peter Gabriel when he left the band.

In fact, Genesis conducted a very lengthy search for a new lead vocalist, only settling on Collins after having auditioned over 400 potential replacements.

Answer: Don Henley

Henley was drummer and singer (sometimes lead, sometimes just backing vocals) for the band "The Eagles." He sings lead on their hit song "Witchy Woman." The Eagles are one of the most commercially successful bands of all time; "Their Greatest Hits" album, released in 1976, is currently tied with Michael Jackson's "Thriller" for the title of best-selling album in the United States, having sold 29,000,000 copies in the US alone.

Answer: Levon Helm

Levon Helm was a member of "The Band," whose best known song is probably "The Weight," which has been covered by everyone from Aretha Franklin to Diana Ross and The Supremes. While not as commercially successful as their peers, The Band was and remains influential among musicians of all ilks. As proof of their legacy, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Answer: Dave Grohl

Dave Grohl formed the band "The Foo Fighters" in the late 1990s, where he is lead singer and plays the guitar. While their most well known song is probably 1999's "Learn to Fly," many remember the Foo Fighters for their video to their song "Big Me," which parodied the Mentos ads that were popular at the time.

The Foo Fighters have also been very commercially successful; every studio album but 2007's "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" has been certified platinum by the RIAA.

Answer: Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz was lead singer of "The Monkees," whose biggest hit was the smash single "I'm a Believer." Dolenz was an actor cast to be part of the Monkees, and was originally given the role of lead singer. However, when it came time to assign instruments to Dolenz and the other three band members/actors, it was discovered that none of the men were experienced drummers. Dolenz ended up getting the part of drummer partially because he was tall enough for the camera to capture his face while seated behind the drum set.

Answer: Andy Sturmer

Sturmer was a forming member of Jellyfish, whose best charting hit was "Baby's Coming Back," which peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 1991. Since the band's split in 1994, Sturmer has kept busy appearing as a guest performer on other musician's records, including providing backing vocals on Mandy Moore's "Coverage" album and playing the drums on an album by The Merrymakers.

Answer: Debbi Peterson

Debbi Peterson is drummer and sometimes singer for the band The Bangles, which she helped form with her sister Vicki and Susanna Hoffs in the early 1980s. Though Debbi Peterson is a fine singer, the band's best known hits are those that feature Susanna Hoffs on lead vocals, and tension amongst the band members due to the media's singling out of Hoffs helped bring about their breakup in the late 1980s.

However, they have since reformed in a somewhat different configuration.

Answer: Georgia Hubley

Georgia Hubley and her husband, Ira Kaplan, formed the band Yo La Tengo in 1984. Since then, they have released over ten studio albums, including 1997's critically acclaimed "I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One."

Answer: Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr was drummer for The Beatles. After the Beatles broke up, Starr would go on to pursue a solo recording career, releasing several solo records and scoring two Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits, "Photograph" (in 1973) and "You're Sixteen" (in 1974). Interestingly, every former Beatle but Lennon (McCartney, Harrison, and Starr) scored solo #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 (McCartney with his new band, Wings) while every former Beatle but Harrison (McCartney, Starr, and Lennon) scored solo #1 hits in 1974.