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1950s Rock'n'Roll Trivia Quiz

If you thought my rockabilly quiz was difficult, try this.

A multiple-choice quiz by procrastinador. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
procrastinador

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
299,644

Updated
Jul 11 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
1787

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 87 (9/10), Guest 136 (3/10), Guest 68 (6/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Who recorded the original version of the song "Hound Dog"? Hint

Elvis Presley

Willa Mae Thornton

Freddy Bell & the Bell Boys

Bill Haley & his Comets

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. "Rock Around the Clock" is one of the most famous songs of all time. Who recorded the very first version of it? Hint

Bill Haley & His Saddlemen

Jerry Lee Lewis

Bobby Charles

Sonny Dae & His Knights

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Who was marketed by her record company as the "female Elvis" (a gimmick that didn't please Elvis Presley's female fans very much)? Hint

Wanda Jackson

Janis Martin

Connie Francis

Laura Lee Perkins

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Which 1950s rocker played the piano and made some of the greatest rock'n'roll tunes ever, like "Bony Moronie" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"? Hint

Little Richard

Larry Williams

Esquerita

Frankie Lymon

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. The Shadows had some instrumental hits in the early 1960s with tunes like "Apache", "F.B.I." and "Wonderful Land". Who was the lead guitar player in The Shadows? Hint

Hank Marvin

Duane Eddy

Cliff Richard

Link Wray

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Who was J.P. Richardson better known as? Hint

The Fat Man

The Lonesome Drifter

The Big Bopper

The Blonde Bombshell

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. What is Bo Diddley's original name? Hint

Alfred Diddley

Ellas McDaniel

Ellas Otha Bates

Bo Armstrong

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Which band played behind Wanda Jackson in her legendary Capitol recordings like "Let's Have A Party" and "Mean, Mean Man"? Hint

The Sparkletones

The Rock'n'Roll Trio

The Tennessee Two

The Poe Kats

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Who killed himself playing Russian Roulette in 1954 while his song "Pledging My Love" was on the top of the charts? Hint

Ray Charles

Little Willie John

Guitar Slim

Johnny Ace

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. How did Eddie Cochran die? Hint

car crash

assassination

plane crash

drowning

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 25 2024 : Guest 87: 9/10
Apr 22 2024 : Guest 136: 3/10
Apr 12 2024 : Guest 68: 6/10
Apr 11 2024 : Guest 72: 4/10
Apr 11 2024 : Guest 166: 4/10
Apr 07 2024 : Guest 94: 5/10
Apr 05 2024 : Guest 31: 3/10
Mar 30 2024 : Guest 170: 6/10
Mar 30 2024 : Guest 65: 6/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who recorded the original version of the song "Hound Dog"?

Answer: Willa Mae Thornton

"Hound Dog" was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as a blues song and was first recorded by Willa Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. Elvis Presley heard the song in Las Vegas in 1955, being performed by Freddy Bell & the Bell Boys, who had it in their repertoire, and decided to cover it. Bill Haley has never recorded the song as far as I know.

2. "Rock Around the Clock" is one of the most famous songs of all time. Who recorded the very first version of it?

Answer: Sonny Dae & His Knights

"Rock Around the Clock" was first released by Sonny Dae & His Knights on Arcade label from Philadelphia. Their version has been re-released in Europe on the album "Rockaphilly! Philadelphia Rock'n'Roll".

Bill Haley's version became a hit when it was featured in the movie "Blackboard Jungle" in 1955.

3. Who was marketed by her record company as the "female Elvis" (a gimmick that didn't please Elvis Presley's female fans very much)?

Answer: Janis Martin

RCA tried to push Janis Martin as a female counterpart to their golden boy Elvis. She made some fine rockabilly recordings like "Drugstore Rock'n'Roll", "Bang Bang" and "My Boy Elvis" (really!), but never had a big hit. Her recordings have been re-released by Bear Family Records of Germany.

4. Which 1950s rocker played the piano and made some of the greatest rock'n'roll tunes ever, like "Bony Moronie" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"?

Answer: Larry Williams

Larry Williams was a piano player who had some brilliant hits on the Specialty label, like "Short Fat Fannie", "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", "Slow Down" and "Bony Moronie".

5. The Shadows had some instrumental hits in the early 1960s with tunes like "Apache", "F.B.I." and "Wonderful Land". Who was the lead guitar player in The Shadows?

Answer: Hank Marvin

The Shadows started out as the backing band behind Cliff Richard, and definitely made their mark from the beginning. Listen to the metallic guitar sound on Cliff Richard's first single "Move It" from 1958... that's Hank Marvin.

6. Who was J.P. Richardson better known as?

Answer: The Big Bopper

J.P. Richardson was a deejay who first recorded for the Mercury label (his "Crazy Blues" is a favorite among rockabilly people). Then he took the name "The Big Bopper" and had a monster hit with the novelty rocker "Chantilly Lace". He was killed in 1959 in the same plane crash that also took the lives of Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens.

7. What is Bo Diddley's original name?

Answer: Ellas Otha Bates

Bo Diddley (1928-2008) was born as Ellas Otha Bates. He changed his name to McDaniel later, after his mother's cousin who raised him. So, Ellas McDaniel is also his name, but not the original name.

8. Which band played behind Wanda Jackson in her legendary Capitol recordings like "Let's Have A Party" and "Mean, Mean Man"?

Answer: The Poe Kats

The Poe Kats played behind her. They consisted of Bobby Poe (lead guitar), Vernon Sandusky (double bass) and "Big" Al Downing (piano).

9. Who killed himself playing Russian Roulette in 1954 while his song "Pledging My Love" was on the top of the charts?

Answer: Johnny Ace

Johnny Ace played a game of Russian Roulette that tragically ended his life on the Christmas Day in 1954.

10. How did Eddie Cochran die?

Answer: car crash

Eddie Cochran was killed in a car crash while he was on a tour in the UK with Gene Vincent in 1960.

Source: Author procrastinador

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