That Old Jingly Jangly Trivia Quiz

Answer: Floyd Cramer

Floyd Cramer was a self taught pianist. After leaving school he worked for a while as a musician on the radio show "Louisiana Hayride", and in 1953 toured with a young Elvis Presley. By 1955 he was in Nashville where he became much in demand as a session musician, working with, among others, Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline and Don Gibson.

His piano playing, coupled with the addition of strings, became known as the "Nashville Sound", replacing the previous guitar and bass or banjo only backing on country music tracks.

He released solo records, but these were unnoticed until "Last Date" went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. He followed this with "On The Rebound" in 1961. He then balanced his session work with solo work and often went on the road with Chet Atkins and Boots Randolph as a member of the Million Dollar Band.

Answer: Oscar Peterson

Oscar Peterson was considered by many to be the greatest jazz pianist of all time. In a career spanning some 60 years he received eight Grammy awards. He was also the first recipient of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award from the Black Theatre Workshop.

Although known primarily for modern jazz his early training was for classical piano. However, it was jazz that captivated him, and from the 1940s that was what he was known for. He played with all the great jazz proponents, including Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Stephane Grappelli and Billie Holiday.

Answer: Bobby Crush

Bobby Crush, whilst still a teenager, won six consecutive shows of "Opportunity Knocks" in the early 1970s. His style was flamboyant and modelled on his idol, Liberace. The wins led to television appearances on variety and chat shows, as well as the 1972 Variety Club of Great Britain Award for "Best New Artist".

His success was short lived and he disappeared from view for a while. In 1980 he wrote "I Wish I Could Fly" for ventriloquist Keith Orville and his puppet, a green duck called Orville. From 1989 to 1991 he presented a day time game show, "Sounds Like Music".

In 2007 he appeared at the theatre on Blackpool's north pier with his "Tribute to Liberace" show.

Answer: Semprini

Alberto Semprini was born in Britain, although he was of Italian descent. He had studied composition and conducting at the Verdi Conservatory in Milan. It was however his radio show, "Semprini Serenade" that made him famous. It was a light music programme broadcast on the BBC. Starting in 1957 it became a firm early Sunday evening favourite with listeners and ran for 25 years.

He featured light classics, popular songs and tunes of the day, as well as his own compositions. The signature tune for the show, "Mediterranean Concerto", was one of his original compositions.

Answer: Neil Sedaka

Neil Sedaka's mother wanted him to become a classical pianist, but he discovered pop music instead. For many years he and Howard Greenfield were two of the most successful composers based in the Brill Building. He also had a solo recording career. "Oh Carol", "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" and "Calendar Girl" are just a few of his hit singles.

The piano has always remained important to him and he usually accompanies himself in his live shows. He has also returned to his classical roots performing at "Proms in the Park" in the UK in 2010.

Answer: Lang Lang

When he was nine Lang Lang's piano tutor decided he lacked talent. Four years later, at the age of thirteen, he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians and performed two Chopin etudes at the Beijing Concert Hall. At fourteen he was the featured soloist when the China National Symphony Orchestra played their inaugural concert.

Some critics have called his style over flamboyant, but despite this he became an international star much in demand for concerts all over the world.

He was the first Chinese musician ever to be invited to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Answer: Fats Waller

The "Stride" piano style came out of New York in the 1920s. The distinctive rhythm comes from the left hand. Fats Waller is one of the men credited with the invention of the style. He was a prolific composer, who became a professional pianist at the age of 15.

His compositions include "Ain't Misbehavin" and "Honeysuckle Rose". It is thought he composed hundreds of songs that he sold for very little money, only to have other songwriters claim them as theirs when they became popular.

Answer: Vladimir Horowitz

Vladimir Horowitz was born in Kiev in 1903. In 1925 he played a concert in Berlin, the first time he had ever played outside of Russia. He made his American debut at Carnegie Hall in 1928 and was an immediate success. In 1933 he played under the direction of Toscanini for the first time, and they went on to perform together many times.

He became an American citizen in 1944. Despite being widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century Horowitz often doubted his own ability and sometimes had to be almost pushed on stage.

He withdrew from public performance several times during his life, and during these periods concentrating on composition. Between 1968 and 1993 he received 26 Grammy Awards, including, in 1990, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Answer: Joe (Mr Piano) Henderson

Joe (Mr Piano) Henderson was taught piano by his mother. He started playing in dance bands when he was fifteen. He first met Petula Clark in 1947 when working at a music publishing company. In 1955 they had a BBC radio series together, and this was also the time they became romantically involved. Petula Clark's fame was growing, especially in France, and apparently Joe Henderson did not want to become "Mr Petula Clark" so the romance ended.

His biggest hit, "Trudie", was in 1958, when it reached number fourteen on the UK singles charts, but number one on the sheet music chart.

He continued to work through the 1960s and 70s, at one time having an afternoon show on BBC Radio. He presented this up until his death in May 1980.

Answer: Mickey Gilley

Mickey Gilly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart (another cousin) played piano together as children. Although he had a successful career playing country music clubs, and as a club owner, his recording career was overshadowed by his more famous cousin.

In 1974 he recorded "Room Full of Roses". That record shot to number one on the country charts and gave him the national attention he had not previously received. His success started to wane in the late 70s, but in 1980 his version of "Stand By Me" featured in the movie "Urban Cowboy", and this gave him a revival that lasted until the middle of that decade.