Questions and Answers about
Classic Rock
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in Classic RockWhat was the cause of Mama Cass’s death, as clarified by her daughter?
Answer: Mama Cass Elliot, famously a member of the Mamas and the Papas, died in 1974 at 32. Contrary to the popular myth that she choked on a ham sandwich, her death was caused by a heart attack, confirmed by an autopsy. Her daughter, Owen Elliot-Kugell, has worked to correct this misconception, explaining that the…
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in Classic RockWhich artist is immortalized on this Royal Mint collectible coin?
Answer: In a shimmering tribute that’s music to our ears and a feast for the eyes, Britain’s Royal Mint has rolled out its latest bling in the Music Legends series – a coin celebrating the legendary George Michael. Capturing the essence of his “Faith” era, complete with those swanky aviator sunglasses and his signature cross-shaped…
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in Classic RockWho is this Barbie doll holding a tambourine modeled after?
Answer: This Barbie is modeled after Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac. Unveiled on Oct. 1, 2023, during a performance at Madison Square Garden, this miniature rock icon, which was available for $55 and rapidly sold out, is a nod to Nicks’s look from the 1977 “Rumours” album cover. Mattel went to great lengths to ensure…
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in Classic RockWhich band belted out the iconic tune “All Star” in the late ’90s?
Answer: The catchy tune “All Star” that had us all humming, “Hey now, you’re an all star,” was the masterpiece of the band Smash Mouth. This Grammy-nominated pop rock band. led by Steve Harwell, made waves in the late ’90s and early 2000s with hits like “Walkin’ on the Sun.” Sadly, the music world recently…
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in Classic RockWhich beach-loving singer had ‘Parrot Heads’ flocking to his tours?
Answer: The sun-soaked Jimmy Buffett had fans so devoted they even had a name – Parrot Heads! With hits like “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” who wouldn’t want to be part of that flock? Sadly, on Sept. 1, 2023, Jimmy flew off to the big beach in the sky. He died at 76 of Merkel…
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in Classic RockWhose photo did Sinéad O’Connor tear up on live TV in 1992?
Answer: O’Connor protested against sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, but many viewers were outraged by her gesture and boycotted her music. She was also banned for life by NBC, the network that aired Saturday Night Live, where she performed the stunt. O’Connor converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat in 2018.…
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in Classic RockWhich piano man holds the record for the highest number of Madison Square Garden shows?
Answer: Billy Joel started his monthly residency at New York City’s Madison Square Garden in January 2014. On June 1, 2023, he announced he would play his final show in July 2024. Joel sold 1.6 million tickets during his residency. With 150 shows. Joel holds the record for the most lifetime performances by any artist…
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in Classic RockHow old was Tina Turner when she recorded her first solo album?
Answer: Tina Turner was 44 when she released her first solo album. “Private Dancer” in 1984. The album sold five million copies and launched her tour career, which made her a worldwide phenomenon. At the 1985 Grammys. the album won her three awards for “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and a fourth award…
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in Classic RockWhen was Willie Nelson born?
Answer: Willie Nelson was born on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas, turning 90 in 2023. He celebrated his 90th birthday with a two-night tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29 and 30, 2023, featuring Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, and Norah Jones. Nelson was honored by the night’s emcees, including Owen Wilson, Helen…
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in Classic RockWhich state has officially declared Bruce Springsteen Day to honor the rock legend’s birthday?
Answer: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced on April 17, 2023, that September 23, the day Bruce Springsteen was born in 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey, will be officially recognized as Bruce Springsteen Day throughout the state. Murphy announced this at the inaugural American Music Honors event, held at the Bruce Springsteen Archives and…
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in Classic RockWhich singers headline the 2023 ‘Two Icons – One Night’ tour?
Answer: Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel teamed up for a co-headlining tour that kicked off at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on March 10, 2023. They surprised fans by singing a duet during each other’s set: Joel sang “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Nicks, and Nicks sang “And So It Goes” with Joel. Nicks also paid…
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in Classic RockWhat incident is referred to in George Michael’s hit Outside?
Answer: In 1998. George Michael was arrested by an undercover police officer for engaging in a lewd act in a public restroom in Beverly Hills, California. The arrest led to him being outed as gay by the tabloids, who had been trying to expose his sexuality for years. As a result of the scandal, Michael…
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in Classic RockWho sang Sweet Home Alabama, the 1974 southern rock anthem that dissed Neil Young?
Answer: “Sweet Home, Alabama” was written by Gary Rossington, Ed King, and Ronnie Van Zant, who was the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd and died in a plane crash in 1977. The song was a response to Neil Young’s songs Southern Man and Alabama, which criticized the South for its history of slavery and segregation.…
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in Classic RockWhich 1970s group sang “I’m So Excited”?
Answer: Anita Pointer, one of four siblings who won Grammys and critical acclaim as The Pointer Sisters. died at 74 on Dec. 31, 2022. Her publicist didn’t give a cause of death. Between 1973 and 1985, the group had 13 hit songs on the US top 20, won three Grammys, and recorded hit songs like…
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in Classic RockIn Don McLean’s classic American Pie, the lyrics “the day the music died” refer to which event?
Answer: Don McLean’s American Pie’s “the day the music died” refers to Feb. 3, 1959, when a single-engine plane carrying musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Jiles P. Richardson, crashed into a cornfield north of Clear Lake, Iowa, killing the three and their pilot. “The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s ‘American…
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in Classic RockWhy won’t Pat Benatar perform her song “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” at live shows?
Answer: In an interview with USA Today on July 21, 2022, singer Pat Benatar said she would no longer perform her song “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” at live shows out of respect for American families affected by mass shootings. She explained that her view of the song’s lyrics, which include the words “fire…
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in Classic RockWhich 80s singing sensation originally performed “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”?
Answer: Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God), which initially reached No 3 in the UK in 1985, has soared to the top of the UK and US iTunes charts in late-May, 2022, after featuring in the Netflix series Stranger Things. It has also made it to no. 4 in the Spotify…
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in Classic RockWhich 1990 song opens with the lyrics “Follow the Moskva / Down to Gorky Park”?
Answer: The Scorpions’ “Wind Of Change” used to open with the lyrics “Follow the Moskva / Down to Gorky Park,” but the band decided to make some changes. “It simply isn’t right to romanticize Russia,” lead singer Klaus Meine told Die Zeit on May 29, 2022. Instead, the revised lyrics say: “Now listen to my…
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in Classic RockWho composed Chariots of Fire (Race to the End)?
Answer: RIP Vangelis, the Greek film composer and synthesizer pioneer whose music for the 1981 movie “Chariots of Fire” won the Academy Award for best original score. He died on May 24, 2022, in Paris, aged 79.
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in Classic RockWhere can you find the Bob Dylan Center?
Answer: The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, opened on May 10, 2022. It’s located at a century-old brick industrial building in downtown Tulsa on the same street as the Woody Guthrie Center – Dylan’s early hero. The museum was founded to display items from the Bob Dylan Archive, acquired in 2016 by the George…
