Silver Tongued Sirens (Top Female Vocalists) Quiz

Answer: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1942. She was dubbed "The Queen of Soul". By the age of five her family had moved to Detroit, Michigan. Aretha died of pancreatic cancer in 2018 at the age of 76. The sample song was "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman".

Answer: Adele

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born in London, England in 1988. In little over a decade she has become one of the world's greatest selling artists, as well as one of the most critically acclaimed. The sample song was "Someone Like You".

Answer: Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1963. Whitney had quite the musical family tree. Her mother, Cissy, was a world renowned gospel singer, and her first cousin was Ms. Dionne Warwick. Tragically, at age 48, Whitney died of accidental drowning.

It occurred at The Beverly Hills Hilton in the bathtub of her suite. Addiction to various drugs were attributing factors in her death. The sample song was "Greatest Love of All".

Answer: Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey was born in Huntington, New York in 1969. She became known as "The Songbird Supreme". She parlayed that moniker into charting a number one U.S Bill board single for 11 straight years. The sample song was "I Don't Wanna Cry".

Answer: Karen Carpenter

Karen Anne Carpenter was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1950. By the age of 13 she and her family had moved to California. Karen and her brother Richard comprised the duo called The Carpenters. In 1983, Karen died of heart failure due to the complications of anorexia nervosa at the age of 32. The sample song was "Close to You".

Answer: Etta James

Jamesetta Hawkins was born in Los Angeles, California in 1938. She transformed her first name into her stage name, Etta James. Most music critics say her voice helped bridge the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll during the 1950s. Etta died of leukemia in 2010 at the age of 73. The sample song was "At Last".

Answer: Billie Holiday

Eleanora Fagan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1915. She was known professionally as Billie Holiday, but her close friends called her "Lady Day". Many in the music business say she changed jazz forever. She died in 1959 at the age of 44 from pulmonary edema. This was a caused by complications of cirrhosis of the liver. The sample song was "Lover Man".

Answer: Ann Wilson

Ann Dustin Wilson was born in San Diego, California in 1950. With banshee screams and operatic vocals she and her sister, Nancy, formed the band Heart. With nearly four decades of hits, Heart was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. The sample song was "Magic Man".

Answer: Patsy Cline

Virginia Patterson Hensley was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1932. Her middle name was shortened, and using the last name of her first husband, Patsy Cline came to be. She was one of the first country music stars to have crossover success on the pop charts. Patsy died at the age of 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The sample song was "She's Got You".

Answer: Barbra Streisand

Barbara Joan Streisand was born in New York City in 1942. She shortened her first name to Barbra early on in her career. She is one of a select few to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and Academy award. The sample song was "Evergreen".

Answer: Gladys Knight

Gladys Maria Knight was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1944. She became known as "The Empress of Soul". Her success with her group The Pips spanned three decades. The sample song was "Neither One of Us".

Answer: Diana Ross

Diana Ross was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1944. She was lead singer of the group The Supremes. She also had a very successful solo career, as well. As of 2021 The Supremes are the greatest selling female group of all-time, and Diana is also the only female artist to have a number one hit as a duet, member of a trio, as a solo act, and as part of an ensemble.

The sample song was "Back in My Arms Again".

Answer: Christina Aguilera

Christina Maria Aguilera was born in New York City in 1980. She got her start as a Mouseketeer in the Mickey Mouse Club. She went on to become known as "The Voice of a Generation" in some music circles. Time magazine named her one of the Top 100 most influential people of the 2000's. The sample song was "Ain't No Other Man".

Answer: Linda Ronstadt

Linda Maria Ronstadt was born in Tucson, Arizona in 1946. She was one of the most multi-dimensional singers of all-time. She began her career as lead singer in the group The Stone Poneys. As a solo artist she had success in various genres of music, and became the most profitable and durable female artist of the 1970s. The sample song was "When Will I Be Loved?".

Answer: Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Brianne Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1982. She is a solo artist who rose to fame after winning the first season of "American Idol". She was the first artist to ever have a number one hit on Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, country, and dance charts. The sample song was "Because of You".