Soul Artists

32 questions · Answers revealed below each question · Print this set

1.Which soul artist fused gospel, blues and country into soul's founding sound?
- A. Bill Withers
- B. Etta James
- C. Ray Charles
- D. Sam Cooke
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Ray Charles
Did you know? Ray Charles lost his sight fully by age seven.
2.Which soul artist stormed R&B charts with the Ike and Tina Turner Revue?
- A. Roberta Flack
- B. Tina Turner (soul era)
- C. Gladys Knight
- D. Bill Withers
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Tina Turner (soul era)
Did you know? Proud Mary became the duo's signature performance piece.
3.Which soul artist redefined soul with the 1971 social album What's Going On?
- A. Mary J. Blige
- B. Chaka Khan
- C. Alicia Keys
- D. Marvin Gaye
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Marvin Gaye
Did you know? Marvin Gaye began at Motown as a session drummer.
4.Which soul artist signed to Motown as a child and created the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life?
- A. Barry White
- B. Otis Redding
- C. Stevie Wonder
- D. Donny Hathaway
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Stevie Wonder
Did you know? Stevie Wonder has been blind since shortly after birth.
5.Which soul artist earned the Queen of Soul title with Respect and Natural Woman?
- A. Luther Vandross
- B. Sam Cooke
- C. Aretha Franklin
- D. Wilson Pickett
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Aretha Franklin
Did you know? Aretha Franklin began singing in her father's Detroit church.
6.Which soul artist earned the Godfather of Soul title with his relentless grooves?
- A. Aretha Franklin
- B. Marvin Gaye
- C. James Brown
- D. Lionel Richie (soul era)
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James Brown
Did you know? James Brown's Live at the Apollo is one of soul's landmark albums.
7.Which soul artist led the Pips on Midnight Train to Georgia?
- A. Stevie Wonder
- B. Aretha Franklin
- C. Solomon Burke
- D. Gladys Knight
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Gladys Knight
Did you know? Gladys Knight sang with her brother, sister and cousins in the Pips.
8.Which soul artist wrote and sang the 1965 classic Respect?
- A. Diana Ross
- B. Otis Redding
- C. Aretha Franklin
- D. Solomon Burke
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Otis Redding
Did you know? Otis Redding recorded Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay days before his fatal crash.
9.Which soul artist moved from gospel's Soul Stirrers to pop-soul classics like You Send Me?
- A. Gladys Knight
- B. Patti LaBelle
- C. Alicia Keys
- D. Sam Cooke
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Sam Cooke
Did you know? Sam Cooke co-founded the label SAR Records.
10.Which soul artist wrote social soul with the Impressions and the Super Fly soundtrack?
- A. Marvin Gaye
- B. Otis Redding
- C. Curtis Mayfield
- D. Chaka Khan
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Curtis Mayfield
Did you know? Curtis Mayfield tuned his guitar to an unusual black keys chord.
11.Which soul artist shouted soul classics like In the Midnight Hour?
- A. Wilson Pickett
- B. Luther Vandross
- C. Curtis Mayfield
- D. Diana Ross
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Wilson Pickett
Did you know? Wilson Pickett recorded at Alabama's FAME Studios and Memphis's Stax.
12.Which soul artist wrote the Commodores' soul ballads before his solo Hello era?
- A. Amy Winehouse (soul revival)
- B. Bill Withers
- C. Lionel Richie (soul era)
- D. Mary J. Blige
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Lionel Richie (soul era)
Did you know? Three Times a Lady became the Commodores' signature ballad.
13.Which soul artist wrapped deep-voiced romance in lush string arrangements?
- A. Aretha Franklin
- B. Barry White
- C. Donny Hathaway
- D. Michael McDonald
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Barry White
Did you know? Barry White led the Love Unlimited Orchestra.
14.Which soul artist created intimate soul classics and the duet album with Roberta Flack?
- A. Donny Hathaway
- B. Sam Cooke
- C. Patti LaBelle
- D. Wilson Pickett
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Donny Hathaway
Did you know? Donny Hathaway's A Song for You became a standard covered by hundreds.
15.Which soul artist blazed from the 1960 blues ballad At Last?
- A. Otis Redding
- B. Etta James
- C. Nina Simone
- D. Gladys Knight
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Etta James
Did you know? Etta James' voice spanned blues, soul, jazz and rock.
16.Which soul artist took Killing Me Softly from schoolteacher obscurity to number one?
- A. Roberta Flack
- B. Stevie Wonder
- C. Tina Turner (soul era)
- D. Curtis Mayfield
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Roberta Flack
Did you know? Roberta Flack taught music in Washington, DC before her fame.
17.Which soul artist rose as the Supremes' lead to a Motown pop-soul empire?
- A. Diana Ross
- B. Alicia Keys
- C. Roberta Flack
- D. Etta James
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Diana Ross
Did you know? Diana Ross starred as Billie Holiday in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues.
18.Which soul artist blended jazz, soul and protest song from classical piano roots?
- A. Nina Simone
- B. Teddy Pendergrass
- C. Curtis Mayfield
- D. Stevie Wonder
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Nina Simone
Did you know? Nina Simone trained to be a classical concert pianist.
19.Which soul artist wrote Lean on Me and Ain't No Sunshine while working in a factory?
- A. Gladys Knight
- B. Etta James
- C. Bill Withers
- D. Mary J. Blige
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Bill Withers
Did you know? Bill Withers served in the US Navy before his music career.
20.Which soul artist brought silky gospel-soul to the 1970s with Let's Stay Together?
- A. Aretha Franklin
- B. Patti LaBelle
- C. Otis Redding
- D. Al Green
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Al Green
Did you know? Al Green later became a church pastor in Memphis.
21.Which soul artist fused hip-hop beats with soul vocals as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul?
- A. Ray Charles
- B. Bill Withers
- C. Sam Cooke
- D. Mary J. Blige
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Mary J. Blige
Did you know? Mary J. Blige broke through with the 1992 album What's the 411?
22.Which soul artist mixed the Family Stone's interracial funk-soul into pop's center?
- A. Sly Stone
- B. Tina Turner (soul era)
- C. Lionel Richie (soul era)
- D. Luther Vandross
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Sly Stone
Did you know? Sly Stone's band included his siblings Freddie and Rose.
23.Which soul artist reigned as smooth R&B's leading balladeer in the 1980s?
- A. Tina Turner (soul era)
- B. Luther Vandross
- C. Gladys Knight
- D. Curtis Mayfield
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Luther Vandross
Did you know? Luther Vandross sang backup for David Bowie before his solo career.
24.Which soul artist was crowned the King of Rock 'n' Soul in Philadelphia?
- A. Amy Winehouse (soul revival)
- B. Solomon Burke
- C. Patti LaBelle
- D. Al Green
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Solomon Burke
Did you know? Solomon Burke's Everybody Needs Somebody to Love became a standard.
25.Which soul artist lent his baritone to the Doobie Brothers and solo soul hits?
- A. Michael McDonald
- B. Aretha Franklin
- C. Luther Vandross
- D. Solomon Burke
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Michael McDonald
Did you know? Michael McDonald also sang backup for Steely Dan.
26.Which soul artist sang the Blue Notes' hooks before a solo slow-jam reign?
- A. Mary J. Blige
- B. Marvin Gaye
- C. Ray Charles
- D. Teddy Pendergrass
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Teddy Pendergrass
Did you know? Teddy Pendergrass's car accident in 1982 ended his touring career.
27.Which soul artist fronted the funk band Rufus before a solo I'm Every Woman?
- A. Curtis Mayfield
- B. Luther Vandross
- C. Chaka Khan
- D. Teddy Pendergrass
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Chaka Khan
Did you know? Chaka Khan is sometimes called the Queen of Funk.
28.Which soul artist brought piano-forward neo-soul to the 2000s with Fallin'?
- A. Alicia Keys
- B. Amy Winehouse (soul revival)
- C. Anita Baker
- D. Marvin Gaye
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Alicia Keys
Did you know? Alicia Keys was raised in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York.
29.Which soul artist shattered ceilings with the 1974 anthem Lady Marmalade?
- A. Patti LaBelle
- B. Sam Cooke
- C. Sly Stone
- D. Tina Turner (soul era)
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Patti LaBelle
Did you know? Patti LaBelle first fronted the group Labelle.
30.Which soul artist defined quiet-storm soul with the 1986 album Rapture?
- A. Patti LaBelle
- B. Chaka Khan
- C. Anita Baker
- D. Stevie Wonder
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Anita Baker
Did you know? Anita Baker's Sweet Love became her breakout hit.
31.Which soul artist earned the Mr. Excitement nickname with his stage moves?
- A. Marvin Gaye
- B. Jackie Wilson
- C. Etta James
- D. Aretha Franklin
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Jackie Wilson
Did you know? Jackie Wilson's Higher and Higher became a signature cover for many artists.
32.Which soul artist carried the British soul revival with Mark Ronson's retro production?
- A. Stevie Wonder
- B. Amy Winehouse (soul revival)
- C. Wilson Pickett
- D. Alicia Keys
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Amy Winehouse (soul revival)
Did you know? Back to Black paired Amy Winehouse with the Dap-Kings horn section.

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