I figured I'd give you a day, and then I had trouble connecting--sorry for the delay, here are the answers--I am sure that if you have any questions, comments, or complaints, you will let me know--

1. Name the three biggest selling recordings of "Folksongs" of the pre-rock era--(We need the song and the artist!!)

The Prisoner Song--Vernon Dahlhart--Released In 1926 this record sold more than 7 million copies, making it the biggest selling non-christmas hit before 1955--

The Wabash Cannonball--Roy Acuff, Released in 1938 sold more than 2 million records

Irene, Goodnight--The Weavers with the Gordon Jenkins Orchestra, Released in 1950

2. Name the first banjo picker to have a number 1 hit record, and name the tune (extra points for the year)--

Sylvester "Vess" Ossman topped the Billboard record charts for 4 weeks in 1894 with his stirring banjo rendition of "Yankee Doodle"--He was known as the "King of the Banjo" and was the leading recorded "Ragtime" Musician--Listen to his recordings, and you will hear many of the licks and tricks that we still use today!!

3)Merle Travis had two songs that surpassed being merely No 1, million sellers, and are among the biggest selling records of all time--curiously, both mention St. Peter--

Tennessee Ernie Ford's recording of "16 Tons" topped the Charts for 8 weeks, starting the week of November 26, 1955

Tex Williams Western Caravan's version of "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette"

4) What was the first "traditional" song to be a number one hit record?

"Turkey in the Straw" topped the Billboard charts in 1891, for seven weeks, beginning the week of October 17. Recorded by one Billy Golden. It was only the 10th record to top the charts--

5) Erik Darling, Bob Carey, and Alan Arkin collect the royalties for this song, which is tied with 'Danny Boy" for being "Folksong with the Most Charted Versions"

The Banana Boat Song (Day-O!), with hit versions by The Tarriers, Harry Belafonte, Steve Lawrence, The Fontane Sisters. Sarah Vaughn, and Stan Freeberg--

6) This important, pioneer blues guitarist had a million selling hit record in 1947--it may have been the biggest hit a pioneer blues guitarist ever had (too bad it wasn't exactly blues) name the artist and tune--

Lonnie Johnson-"Tomorrow Night"--Oops--It was 1948--Also had the distinction of being number one on the Rhythm and Blues charts in the first year that they existed--

7)Why could it be said. with some authority, that Camden, New Jersey is the home of country music? RCA studios, where Ralph Peer made many of the earliest studio recordings "Hillbilly" artists, including Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers--He also experimented with many different sorts of instrumentation here, helping to invent the recorded sound of this music--

8) Frank Ferrera and his wife, Helen Louise--who, what, why? Husband and wife steel guitar team played on many of the recordings in the Hawaiian Music Craze that began in 1916--they had the hit recording of "Aloha Oe", arguably they were the first "studio" guitarists, and much copied--

9) What was Jimmie Rodgers' first hit record? How about his biggest hit?

First charted hit was "The Soldier's Sweetheart", the last week of 1927. His biggest hit was simply called "Blue Yodel", but is better known as "T for Texas".

11) In 50's and 60's blues singer and guitarist had 12 hits on the pop charts, more than any other blues dude(unless you count Chuck Berry), yet you can teach your students to play them all in just one lesson--

Jimmy Reed, who used the same walking bass guitar figure in "Bright Lights, Big City" and many, if not most of his other recordings--

12) Except for a stop-time break where the word "NO!" is repeated thirteen times, play this this Fontane Sisters hit from 1955 and you are playing "This Land is Your Land"-

"Hearts of Stone"

13. Soap Opera Superstar Bill Hayes had a monster hit with this "fakesong" about a mountain man from Tennessee, making it one of the biggest hits of the great "Folk Scare" of the 1950's.

"Davy Crockett"