A Satisfied Mind: The Music Of Porter Wagoner Multiple Choice Quiz | Music

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1. For more than 50 years, Porter Wagoner was a leading light in country music. Where was he born?

Answer: West Plains, Missouri

Porter Wayne Wagoner was born on August 12, 1927 in West Plains, Missouri, and died on October 28, 2007 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Wagoner was the son of a farmer. His first band, the Blue Ridge Boys, performed on radio station KWPM-AM from a shop in his native West Plains, Missouri, where Wagoner worked.

2. What was the name of Porter Wagoner's first number one hit on Billboard Hot Country Songs?

Answer: A Satisfied Mind

"How many times have you heard someone say
"If I had his money, I could do things my way?"
But little they know that it's so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind..."

Written by Joe "Red" Hayes and Jack Rhodes, it was a number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs list in 1955.

Hayes explained the origins of the song in an interview: "The song came from my mother. Everything in the song are things I heard her say over the years. I put a lot of thought into the song before I came up with the title. One day my father-in-law asked me who I thought the richest man in the world was, and I mentioned some names. He said, 'You're wrong, it is the man with a satisfied mind.'"

Among those to cover the song were Jeff Buckley, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, Sarah Lee Guthrie, Ella Fitzgerald and Joan Baez.

'Misery Loves Company' became Wagoner's second country number one, in 1962.

In 1967, Wagoner duetted with Dolly Parton to make Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing On My Mind" a Billboard Country number seven hit.

3. In 1955, Porter Wagoner got a taste of television when he joined the regular cast of a popular programme that showcased the best in country music. What was the show called - at that time?

Answer: Ozark Jubilee

'Ozark Jubilee' was an entertainment show that was broadcast live from Springfield, Missouri.

Hosted by Red Foley, each show featured a top star, including the likes of Patsy Cline, Eddy Arnold, and Johnny Cash

As well as Wagoner, the regular cast in the early years included Brenda Lee, then aged 11, Sonny James, Leroy Van Dyke, Norma Jean, and Carl Smith.

The show was renamed 'Country Music Jubilee' in 1957 and 'Jubilee USA' in 1958, the last of its six seasons.

4. Although primarily known as a country singer, in which genre did Porter Wagoner win three Grammy awards?

Answer: Gospel

He won the 'Best Gospel Performance' Grammy in 1967 and again in 1969.

He also won a 'Best Sacred Recording' Grammy in 1966.

5. Throughout his years of performance, what nickname was given to country singer and songwriter Porter Wagoner?

Answer: Mr. Grand Ole Opry

In May 2007, Wagoner celebrated his 50th year of performances at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

"It's the greatest place in the world to have a career in country music," he said in 1997.

Wagoner was there to see Hank Williams make his debut appearance at the Grand Ole Opry June 11, 1949 and was said to have reinvented himself in his image.

6. He wore it well: What satirical elegance was country singer Porter Wagoner known for?

Answer: Rhinestone suits

At one time he possessed 60 handmade rhinestone suits. They were designed by the renowned Hollywood tailor Nudie Cohn.

7. In 1965, Porter Wagoner had a US Billboard country number four with a song that a Welsh singer was to take to the top of the UK pop charts a year later. What was it called?

Answer: The Green Green Grass Of Home

Curley Putnam wrote the song in 1964, inspired by a crime scene in the film 'The Asphalt Jungle'. The song referred to a prisoner longing to escape to the green, green grass of his home town. It was first recorded by singer Johnny Darrell.

Porter Wagoner, meanwhile, loved doing recitations and had the idea to recite rather than sing the last verse. All subsequent versions copied that narration on the last verse.

The 'wrong' answers were all UK number ones by Welsh solo singers or bands. Tom Jones was the singer who took "Green Green Grass Of Home" to the top of the UK pop charts.

8. Which 21-year-old blonde songbird was given her big break with an appearance on TV's 'The Porter Wagoner Show'?

Answer: Dolly Parton

'The Porter Wagoner Show' aired from 1960 to 1981. Each show featured songs by Wagoner and duets with a regular co-star, initially Norma Jean, as well as comedy sketches and appearances by guest stars.

A young Dolly Parton first appeared on the show in 1966 and started a professional relationship that earned them five 'Vocal Duo of the Year' awards.

They did have a professional fall-out after Parton left the show, but patched up their relationship and became good friends again.

In a magazine interview, Wagoner's daughter, Debra, spoke about Parton's influence on her father: "She helped reignite his songwriting and rejuvenate his career.

"Dolly was determined. She had dreams of Hollywood. She had dreams of crossing over to pop."

While Parton was only obligated to stay on the show for five years, she ended up staying seven.

She wrote the song "I Will Always Love You" for Wagoner.

Debra recalled: "It brought him to tears. He said, 'That's the prettiest song I ever heard. And you can go, providing I get to produce that record.' And he did, and the rest is history.

"She came to our dad's bedside two hours before he passed away. It meant everything in the world to us as family for her to share that time."

9. In 1974, a song written about Porter Wagoner became a country music number one. What was it called?

Answer: I Will Always Love You

It was written by Dolly Parton, who was a regular performer on Wagoner's TV show. Initially she had been contracted to play for five years, but stayed for seven.

After they parted ways professionally, Parton said: "I wrote that song to say, 'Here's how I feel. I will always love you, but I have to go.'"

Elvis Presley wanted to record the song on the understanding that he be given a share of the publishing rights. Parton refused.

She told 'Mojo' magazine in 2004. "People said I was stupid. I cried all night. I would have killed to hear him sing it. But, eventually, when Whitney [Houston] recorded it, I was glad I held out."

Houston's version became an international pop number one after it featured in the movie 'The Bodyguard' (1992).

10. A year before his death from lung cancer in 2007, Porter Wagoner recorded an album in which he looked back at his childhood. It was to bring him to the attention of a new generation of fans. What was it called?

Answer: The Wagonmaster

Marty Stewart, for whom Wager had been a childhood hero, persuaded the ageing and frail star back into the studio.

Joey Turner, who engineered the album, later recalled: "[it was] open mics, with everybody playing live on the floor and taking the old-school approach.

"It is very much a 21st-century Wagonmasters [the name of Wagoner's classic band] sound. To me, they were one of those bands like The Troubadours or The Broncos or The Strangers. They were really a great band. To me, they were the sound that catapulted Porter Wagoner into being Porter Wagoner. So we have honored that sound and freshened it up."

Wagoner wrote most of the songs on the album, but it also included 'Committed to Parkview', which Johnny Cash had written. Cash had given a cassette of the song to Marty Stuart and asked him to give it to Wagoner.

'Committed To Parkview' was released as a single, with an accompanying video that can be watched on YouTube.

Source: Author darksplash

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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A Satisfied Mind: The Music Of Porter Wagoner Quiz

Porter Wagoner was a consummate country singer who transcended concert performances to host the longest-running country music variety show on US television. Along the way he scored dozens of hits and recorded 80 albums.

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