Classical
This composer of piano sonatas and symphonies lost his hearing while composing his famous 9th Symphony.
Who is Beethoven?
This musician well known for his dance moves and love of fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches rose to prominence in the 1950s with songs like "Love Me Tender", "Can't Help Falling in Love", and "Hound Dog". He also had a stint in the military and starred in several feature films. Not bad for a boy from Tupelo, Mississippi
Who is Elvis Presley?
This actress and singer was featured in such productions as Guys and Dolls and The Man Who Knew Too Much. She had hits with songs like "A Bushel and a Peck" and "Que Sera, Sera". She was known to take a "sentimental journey" to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California where she lived and owned a pet friendly hotel.
Who is Doris Day?
You might say "Hey Good Lookin'" to this Mount Olive, Alabama native. He had other famous songs such as "Move it On Over", "Jambalaya", and "Your Cheatin' Heart". His son, sometimes just known as Hank Jr, is an active country musician to this day.
Who is Hank Williams (Sr.)?
This "fab" group of four Liverpool natives were said to have "invaded America" when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.
This composer wrote more than 1,000 pieces of music including the Brandenburg Concertos, Well-Tempered Clavier, and Mass in B Minor. Several of his sons also became composers and they called their father "The Old Wig"
Who is Bach? (J.S. Bach)
This crooner from New Jersey became a household name singing songs like "Fly Me to the Moon", "That's Life", and "New York, New York". He was also known as the Chairman of the Board and Ol' Blue Eyes.
Who is Frank Sinatra?
This Rodgers and Hammerstein musical named for a mid-western state featured songs "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" and "People Will Say We're In Love".
What is Oklahoma!?
This singer was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in 1932. She would go onto have hits with songs like "Crazy", "I Fall to Pieces", and "Walkin' After Midnight". She tragically passed away in a plane crash when she was just 30 years old.
Who is Patsy Cline?
This holiday song originally sung by Bing Crosby is the biggest selling single in history with over 50 million copies sold world wide. The song inspired a musical of the same name that was the highest grossing film of 1954.
What is "White Christmas"?
This composer and pianist was a child prodigy and began to write music at age 5. His most well known work is known as "A Little Night Music" in English. He was also the subject of the movie Amadeus.
Who is Mozart? (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
This duo of brothers initially began singing country music, but had crossover success with songs like "Bye Bye Love", "All I Have to Do is Dream", and "Wake Up Little Susie". Their close vocal harmonies and acoustic guitar playing were influential on groups like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Simon and Garfunkel.
Who are the Everly Brothers?
This Leonard Bernstein musical tells a story about the rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks. In 1961 it was adapted in a film starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, and Rita Moreno. It produced classic songs like "Maria", "Somewhere", and "I Feel Pretty".
What is West Side Story?
This singer, songwriter, and actor was nicknamed "The Singing Cowboy" for his portrayal of Western characters beginning in the 1930s. In addition to his Western songs like "Back in the Saddle Again" and "At Mail Call Today", he sang many classic holiday songs including "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman".
Who is Gene Autry?
Cole Porter dreamt of "land lots of land" when he composed this song about the American west in 1934. It would almost immediately become associated with Roy Rogers who sang it in a film of the same name.
What is "Don't Fence Me In"?
This French composer was inspired by abstract painters like Claude Monet to create "impressionist" music. His most well known pieces are about nature such as "Clouds", "The Sea", "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" and hundreds of others.
Who is Debussy? (Claude Debussy)
This singer of R&B standards famously lost his sight when he was a child due to glaucoma. His love for his native state of Georgia inspired him to record the song "Georgia on My Mind", which became the state's official song in 1979.
Who is Ray Charles?
You might want to watch this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Some Enchanted Evening". It takes place in the midst of World War II and features two forbidden romance stories. The song "Bali Ha'i" first appears in this musical and was covered by many artists including Bing Crosby and Perry Cuomo.
What is South Pacific?
This red headed Texan has been releasing music for over 6 decades and has written several country standards including "Hello Walls", "Funny How Time Slips Away", "On the Road Again", and "Crazy". He is well known for his trademark bandana and braids, as well as his guitar "Trigger".
Who is Willie Nelson?
Johnny Cash said of this song, ""I wrote the song backstage one night in 1956 in Gladewater, Texas. I was newly married at the time, and I suppose I was laying out my pledge of devotion." It was Cash's first #1 hit on the Billboard chart. Decades later it would become the name of a film about Johnny Cash's life.
What is "I Walk the Line"?
This American composer is most well known for composing the orchestral suite "Appalachian Spring" and "Fanfare for the Common Man". He is lesser known for arranging American folk songs such as "Bought Me a Cat".
Who is Copland? (Aaron Copland)
This singer did not have to go "beyond the sea" to find chart topping success. He was able to quit his day job as a songwriter for Connie Francis after his single "Splish Splash" was released. He also had a #1 hit in 1959 with his recording of "Mack the Knife".
Who is Bobby Darin?
"Put on your Sunday clothes" and watch this 1964 musical about matchmaker Dolly Levi. The musical was also adapted into a movie in 1969 starring Barbara Streisand as the title character and Walter Matthau as "well-known, unmarried half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder.
What is Hello, Dolly!?
This song was written by Jimmie Davis in 1940. It has been recorded by more than 350 artists and translated into 30 languages. In 1977 it became the state song of Louisiana in honor Davis, who was twice governor of the state. It is a popular lullaby and begins (sing) "You are my...."
This song was used as a rallying cry for young men during and after World War II. It is most well know for the line in the chorus "The Yanks are Coming!". It was written in 1917 and originally sung by Nora Bayes.
What is "Over There"?