E-40’s Music Trivia (2023 edition)
There are no wrong guesses.
The week before Memorial Day, for the past five years, I’ve canoed my way into the Boundary Waters with a group of friends. This year I thought it would be fun to come up with a bunch of music trivia. So I did. I read the following to my pals on a 74 degree day. A steady breeze and the scent of cedars filled the air. A cup of Boulevardier filled my hand and that lucky old sun was smiling down on us.
For a full recap of my time spent with people you don’t know, read this!
If you want to listen to a bazillion hour long playlist I made for the trip, click here.
TRIVIA TIME.
Two years before his COVID-related death in 2020, this artist released the album entitled, The Tree of Forgiveness.
A: John Prine
The Traveling Wilbury’s are a super group of five musical legends. Here are four: Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne, George Harrison. Who is the fifth?
A: Bob Dylan
This country artist has a guitar named after Roy Roger’s horse. Name the musician and name the horse his 1969 Martin N-20 is named after.
A: Willie Nelson and Trigger
Before Ringo joined the band, the Beatles had another drummer. He was dismissed immediately before they reached worldwide fame. What’s his name?
A: Pete Best
Jimi Hendrix, Dave Mathews, U2, Neil Young & Pearl Jam have covered this Bob Dylan song.
A: “All Along the Watchtower”
In his 2010 autobiography, this guitarist claimed to only sleep two nights per week during his band’s heyday — saying, “This means I have been conscious for at least three lifetimes.”
A: Keith Richards
This band’s video for their hit single, “Real World,” features its lead singer walking a camel in a bowling alley.
A: Matchbox Twenty
Bob and Jakob Dylan reference the same female Disney character in their songs, “One Headlight” and “Desolation Row.” Name that Disney character.
A: Cinderella
Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante (temporarily) quit the band in 1992 due to stress and drugs The band went on to record One Hot Minute with former Jane’s Addiction guitarist. What is this guitar player’s name?
A: Dave Navarro
This artist’s debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club, reached number 3 on the US Album Charts in 1994–95.
A: Sheryl Crow
Before they were the biggest band in the world, they were known as The Quarryman.
A: The Beatles
This band covered songs from David Bowie, The Meat Puppets and Leadbelly on their 1994 Unplugged album.
A: Nirvana
While John Lennon was recording his album, Rock and Roll, his erratic producer pulled a gun and fired a shot that missed Lennon’s head by a few inches. Lennon responded, “If you’re going to kill me, kill me. Don’t fuck with my ears. I need them.” Who was his oft-pistol-packing producer?
A: Phil Spector
True or False: Tom Waits has a song titled, “Drunk as A Ditchdigger on The 4th of July.”
A: False
Before launching his solo career, this singer-songwriter was a guitarist/vocalist in the band Drive-By Truckers.
A: Jason Isbell
The Bangles song, “Manic Monday,” was written by whom?
A: Prince
Before he launched Wilco, Jeff Tweedy was in which influential alt-country band?
A: Uncle Tupelo
She was the first solo female artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
A: Patsy Cline
Before she was married to country hunk Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani was wed to this band’s sexy lead singer?
A: Bush (Gavin Rossdale)
The band Ace of Base, and the car company Volvo, are from what country.
A: Sweden
Willie Nelson’s album of standards, Stardust, was on the Top Country Album charts for this many years.
A: TEN!
His dad was a star pitcher named Tug. He played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.
A: Tim McGraw
Two notable Canadians, one male, one female, made a lot of popular folk music in the 1970s. But both are absent from our playlists due to their leaving Spotify. Who are they?
A: Neil Young and Joni Mitchell
This female country artist who died in October, 2022, was born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky.
A: Loretta Lynn
According to Charlie Daniels, this went down to the Peach State.
A: The Devil
This mid-90s country super star was born Eilleen Regina Edwards. She is better known as?
A: Shania Twain
After drummer Stan Lynch, of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, left the band Petty turned to this long hair rocker to fill the seat on Saturday Night Live.
A: Dave Grohl
Still crazy after all these years, this artist gave us 50 ways to leave our lovers.
A: Paul Simon
Grateful in death, this legendary musician had his ashes scattered in the Ganges River in India.
A: Jerry Garcia
When the Beatles broke up, which member released a solo album first?
A: Paul
Don Henley and Glenn Frey were playing in whose band before forming the Eagles?
A: Linda Ronstadt
Between 1968 and 1972 Creedence Clearwater Revival released a staggering seven albums. How many of them peaked in the top 10 on the US charts?
A: Five (their last one hit 12)
The song “At Last” is an Etta James classic — who sang it at Obama’s inauguration?
A: Beyonce
On the BWCA Greatest Hits Compilation, one might find the song “Suddenly, Seymour.” Name the film this song is from.
A: Little Shop of Horrors
While on tour with the Beatles, this legendary artist left his thick eyeglasses on an airplane and wore his prescription Wayfarer sunglasses on stage. He preferred them and continued wearing sunglasses on stage until he passed away in 1988.
A: Roy Orbison
What song has reached #7 on the Billboard Charts in 1976, #2 in 1992 and in 2018 became the most streamed song in the 20th Century?
A: Bohemian Rhapsody
Before it was a band name, Steely Dan, was what in William S. Burroughs 1959 novel, Naked Lunch?
A: A dildo
What George Orwell novel informed much of the lyrical content of the Pink Floyd album, Animals?
A: Animal Farm
A favorite of Richard Nixon, this artist suffered from childhood glaucoma and was completely blind by the age of seven.
A: Ray Charles
Duke Ellington is the first-most recorded jazz composer. Who is the second?
A: Thelonious Monk
Five jazz musicians have been featured on the cover of Time magazine. Four of them are Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Wynton Marsalis. Name the fifth.
A: Louis Armstrong
She recorded over 200 albums. She performed at the 1972 Super Bowl in Miami. She was the first black woman to headline the Copacabana. She has been dubbed, “The First Lady of Song.”
A: Ella Fitzgerald
She starred in “Beaches,” sang “Wind Beneath My Wings” and a charming smokey barroom duet with Tom Waits called, “I Never Talk to Strangers.”
A: Bette Midler
As a child, this legendary singer (known as Maria, Eliza and Mary in films) was taken by her parents to be examined by a throat specialist — the doctor concluded that she had “an almost adult larynx.”
A: Julie Andrews
His real name was David Robert Jones.
A: David Bowie
The lesser-known members of this four-member band are Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.
A: U2
His 2011 album of hits is called The Singing Mailman Delivers — because before he was telling his stories while plucking his 1969 Martin D-28, he was a mail carrier.
A: John Prine
The Tom Waits song “Way Down In The Hole” was recorded for his album Frank’s Wild Years. The song was performed by various artists or groups and used as an intro theme for which HBO show?
A: The Wire
Dottie West, June Carter Cash and Loretta Lynn recalled this female country singer telling them she felt a sense of impending doom and did not expect to live much longer. Soon after, she died in a 1963 plane crash in Camden, Tennessee.
A: Patsy Cline
Michael Jackson was one of the Jackson Five. Name two of the other four.
A: Jermaine, Tito, Jackie, Marlon
Don Maclean’s song “American Pie” is about the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens. The bass player in Holly’s band at the time — who would go on to be a country music legend — was supposed to be on that plane, but gave up his seat and took a bus instead. Name the artist.
A: Waylon Jennings
(“When Jennings told Holly that he was going to take the bus, Holly jokingly told him he hoped the bus broke down, to which Jennings replied, “I hope your ol’ plane crashes.”)
Before Josh Tillman was Father John Misty, he was a drummer in this indie band.
A: Fleet Foxes
Justin Vernon, better known as Bon Iver, went to college at Eau Claire. What was his major?
A: Religious Studies (Minor: Women’s Studies)
In Nashville for the Johnny Cash Show, James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt were asked to stop by Quadrofonic Sound Studios to sing backing vocals on what legendary Neil Young song?
A: “Heart of Gold”
This Liverpool-based band got their start playing mostly covers in Hamburg, Germany in the early ‘60s.
A: The Beatles
This British band changed their name from On A Friday to a name inspired by a Talking Heads song off their album True Stories.
A: Radiohead
Her first big hit shares a name with Faith Hill’s husband.
A: Taylor Swift
He was found dead on his tour bus in Bloomington, Minnesota in 2015. His (most notable) band’s first album was released in 1992 and is called, Core.
A: Scott Weiland
TWO PARTER: To begin their ridiculous career that spanned 14 years, this band released albums in 1994, 1995 and 1997. The first one is called Definitely Maybe and the third is called Be Here Now. What is the band and what is the name of their 1995 release.
A: Oasis, Morning Glory
Johnny Cash, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis all worked with the same producer at the legendary Sun Studios. What was the producer’s name?
A: Sam Phillips
Best known for his song “Everybody’s Talkin’ from the film Midnight Cowboy, this 60s and 70s singer had a successful ten year career but never toured, rarely played anywhere live and his final performance was alongside Ringo Starr in 1992 — it was his only major concert appearance.
A: Harry Nilsson
Bob Dylan’s first album was released in 1962. In what year was he booed off the stage at The Newport Folk Festival for going electric?
A: 1965!
This iconic country musician (more than once) drove his riding lawn mower over an hour and a half to the liquor store when he couldn’t find the car keys his wife had hidden (so he couldn’t go to the liquor store).
A: George Jones
He produced Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Run DMC in the mid 80s. In the mid 90s he was producing albums from Joan Jett, Tom Petty and Johnny Cash.
A: Rick Rubin
Throughout the ’80s, John Mellancamp had a middle name that he ditched after that decade. What was it?
A: Cougar
They were their own band. They were also Bob Dylan’s band. Name that band.
A: The Band
He (along with Mick Jagger and Sting) was very close to playing the role of villain, Max Zorin, in the 1985 James Bond film, A View to A Kill. The role ultimately went to a young Christopher Walken.
A: David Bowie
From 1963–1971, Eric Clapton played in five notable bands. Name two.
A: Cream, Derek, Blind Faith, Yardbirds, Mayall and The Bluesbreakers
In 1988, the following musicians — Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits — came together to play a show called, Black and White Night in support of this legendary artist?
A: Roy Orbison
The lyrics
“Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby
And I’m a monster on the hill
Too big to hang out, slowly lurching toward your favorite city
Pierced through the heart, but never killed”
Comes from a song from what popular modern female artist?
A: Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”
