The 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards is this Sunday, April 1st, so we thought it was time to pull together a country music knowledge challenge. Compiled by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Michael McCall, John Rumble, and Paul Kingsbury — authors of The Encyclopedia of Country Music — we begin the first of a three-part quiz on the twang of guitars and accents today. How much do you know about the music of “three chords and the truth”?
Which country artist is married to Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman?
(a) Clint Black
(b) Kenny Chesney
(c) Brad Paisley
(d) Keith Urban
Which former Beatle had a hit duet with Buck Owens?
(a) George Harrison
(b) John Lennon
(c) Paul McCartney
(d) Ringo Starr
Which country singer served two terms as governor of Louisiana?
(a) Jimmie Davis
(b) Doug Kershaw
(c) Sammy Kershaw
(d) Jimmy C. Newman
What California town earned the nickname “Nashville West” during the 1960s?
(a) Los Angeles
(b) Bakersfield
(c) San Diego
(d) San Francisco
Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox, and Joe Don Rooney are known collectively by what name?
(a) Rascal Flatts
(b) Diamond Rio
(c) Sawyer Brown
(d) Lonestar
Crystal Gayle is the younger sister of what Country Music Hall of Fame member?
(a) Brenda Lee
(b) Dolly Parton
(c) Loretta Lynn
(d) Emmylou Harris
Which country singer was briefly married to actress Julia Roberts?
(a) Keith Urban
(b) Kenny Chesney
(c) Kenny Rogers
(d) Lyle Lovett
Which artist debuted his song “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” at the 2001 CMA Awards?
(a) Alan Jackson
(b) Toby Keith
(c) Brad Paisley
(d) Trace Adkins
Which Texan rose to prominence after finishing third in the inaugural (2003) season of Nashville Star.
(a) Kellie Pickler
(b) Carrie Underwood
(c) Miranda Lambert
(d) Jennifer Nettles
Which folk and bluegrass group appeared as the Darling Family on The Andy Griffith Show?
a) The Gosdin Brothers
b) The Country Boys
c) The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers
d) The Dillards
Which fictitious pop singer did Garth Brooks create for a 1999 album?
(a) Brandon Brown
(b) Terry Smith
(c) Chris Gaines
(d) Billy Smith
Which of the following stars did NOT die in a car wreck or airplane crash?
(a) Patsy Cline
(b) Jim Reeves
(c) Ira Louvin
(d) Roy Acuff
What was Uncle Dave Macon’s primary musical instrument?
(a) Guitar
(b) Banjo
(c) Accordion
(d) Fiddle
Who were the four artists who comprised the supergroup The Highwaymen?
(a) Willie Nelson, Faron Young, Guy Clark, and Ricky Skaggs
(b) Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Ronnie Milsap, and Kenny Rogers
(c) Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson
(d) Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Kenny Rogers, and Eddy Arnold
Which country artist was briefly married to Renée Zellweger?
(a) Kenny Chesney
(b) Lyle Lovett
(c) Trace Adkins
(d) Toby Keith
Which country-rock group recorded the album that gave Sweethearts of the Rodeo their name?
(a) The Byrds
(b) Poco
(c) The Flying Burrito Brothers
(d) The Eagles
Which Grand Ole Opry member was voted World’s Sexiest Vegetarian by PETA in 2005 and 2007?
(a) Kellie Pickler
(b) Miranda Lambert
(c) Carrie Underwood
(d) Emmylou Harris
ANSWERS BELOW…
Which country artist is married to Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman?
(d) Keith Urban
Which former Beatle had a hit duet with Buck Owens?
(d) Ringo Starr (“Act Naturally,” 1989)
Which country singer served two terms as governor of Louisiana?
(a) Jimmie Davis
What California town earned the nickname “Nashville West” during the 1960s?
(b) Bakersfield
Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox, and Joe Don Rooney are known collectively by what name?
(a) Rascal Flatts
Crystal Gayle is the younger sister of what Country Music Hall of Fame member?
(c) Loretta Lynn
What country singer was briefly married to actress Julia Roberts?
(d) Lyle Lovett
Which artist debuted his song “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” at the 2001 CMA Awards?
(a) Alan Jackson
Which Texan rose to prominence after finishing third in the inaugural (2003) season of Nashville Star?
(c) Miranda Lambert
Which folk and bluegrass group appeared as the Darling Family on The Andy Griffith Show?
(d) The Dillards
Which fictitious pop singer did Garth Brooks create for a 1999 album?
(c) Chris Gaines
Which of the following stars did NOT die in a car wreck or airplane crash?
(d) Roy Acuff
What was Uncle Dave Macon’s primary musical instrument?
(b) Banjo
Who were the four artists who comprised the supergroup The Highwaymen?
(c) Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson
What country artist was briefly married to Renée Zellweger?
(a) Kenny Chesney
Which country-rock group recorded the album that gave Sweethearts of the Rodeo their name?
(a) The Byrds
Which Grand Ole Opry member was voted World’s Sexiest Vegetarian by PETA in 2005 and 2007?
(c) Carrie Underwood
Remember to look for “Quiz on country music, Level two: Ring of fire” tomorrow!
Immediately upon publication in 1998, the Encyclopedia of Country Music became a much-loved reference source, prized for the wealth of information it contained on that most American of musical genres. Countless fans have used it as the source for answers to questions about everything from country’s first commercially successful recording, to the genre’s pioneering music videos, to what conjunto music is. This thoroughly revised new edition includes more than 1,200 A-Z entries covering nine decades of history and artistry, from the Carter Family recordings of the 1920s to the reign of Taylor Swift in the first decade of the twenty-first century. Compiled by a team of experts at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the encyclopedia has been brought completely up-to-date, with new entries on the artists who have profoundly influenced country music in recent years, such as the Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban. The new edition also explores the latest and most critical trends within the industry, shedding light on such topics as the digital revolution, the shifting politics of country music, and the impact of American Idol (reflected in the stardom of Carrie Underwood). Other essays cover the literature of country music, the importance of Nashville as a music center, and the colorful outfits that have long been a staple of the genre.
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[…] Paul Kingsbury — authors of The Encyclopedia of Country Music. You can still go back and take “Quiz on country media, Level 1: Walk the line.” All this is running up to the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards is this Sunday, April […]
[…] Paul Kingsbury — authors of The Encyclopedia of Country Music. You can still go back and take “Level 1: Walk the line” and “Level 2: Ring of fire”. Tonight is the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music […]