Can You Name These Female ’60s Bands and Artists From an Image?

Ian Fortey

Image: Wiki Commons

About This Quiz

The world of music changed dramatically in the 1960s. This was the decade when rock n' roll truly became a cultural phenomenon, and it's also when soul, Motown and R&B gained widespread recognition. Although the '50s had begun opening doors for a lot of acts and a lot of styles, the culture, style and attitude of the '60s took things so much further. This was the decade of Woodstock! Of Motown! Of rock n' roll! The influence of the '60s lasts to this very day, not just in music but in our entire culture. Fashion, politics, film, literature — so much was changed by the musicians who made their names in this decade.

The women of the '60s hold a special place in music history, rising up with the strengthening of feminism and equal rights to take their rightful place as musical talents and pioneers in an industry long dominated by men. Few people benefited more from this than us, the fans. Great talents, great songs and great memories all came from the '60s. 

No doubt you'll recognize some of the biggest talents right off the bat, but how many do you think you can name? It'll take a real music expert to get them all. So give it a try!

She performed at three Presidential inaugurations. Who is she?

Aretha Franklin's career really kicked off in 1966, and she would go on to achieve such fame that she was known as the "Queen of Soul." Franklin performed at the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter, as well as President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.

This singer's real first name is Sally. Do you know her stage name?

Petula Clark was born Sally Olwen Clark and is most well known for her song "Downtown." Clark was actually from Britain and was sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of the British Invasion."

Quincy Jones helped make this singer a star, while this singer helped make Quincy Jones one too. Who was she?

Lesley Gore was discovered by Quincy Jones, who was just a low-level music executive at the time. She went on to record several huge hits, including "It's My Party" and "You Don't Own Me," while Jones would become the first African-American vice president of Mercury Records within a year of the two of them meeting.

This singer first found fame with the Supremes. Who is she?

Diana Ross may have risen to fame with the Supremes, but she really hit her stride with a solo career later in life. There was tension between her and her former bandmates, though. When Ross attended the funeral of Florence Ballard in 1976, some people booed her at the funeral.

Bob Dylan got a huge boost from this singer. Name her!

Joan Baez is one of the most recognizable names of the '60s. She is an icon of folk music, often promoting the use of music for social justice. She also helped Bob Dylan gain some exposure, as the two of them dated for a while back in the day.

Eunice Waymon was the real name of this singer. What did most people know her as?

Nina Simone opted to use the stage name she's famous for, in part to hide from her mother. She was performing in Atlantic City and feared her mother would find out, so she used the name Nina, a nickname her boyfriend had given her, and Simone, after actress Simone Signoret.

This singer used to perform in a band called the Mugwumps. Do you know her?

Cass Elliot, also known as Mama Cass, was one of the members of the extremely popular band the Mamas and the Papas. Elliot was only part of the group for a handful of years before they broke up. She died tragically a few years later of heart failure, at age 32.

"Little Miss Dynamite" was this singer's nickname. Who is she?

Brenda Lee achieved fame with songs like "I'm Sorry" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Though most fans probably had no idea, Lee was only 4 feet 9 inches tall, which is where the nickname "Little Miss Dynamite" came from.

You may know this singer by her true name of Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien. What do most people know her as?

Dusty Springfield had an iconic look and style that helped propel her to fame, but in her real life, she was not much of a fan of herself. She rarely attended public events like parties and was hypercritical of her own appearance, often comparing herself to actor Burt Lancaster.

A doll designed after this singer once outsold Barbie. Who is it?

Cher, who was born Cherilyn Sarkisian, achieved her fame alongside Sonny Bono in the 1960s and '70s. Cher went on to have an immensely popular solo career that spanned decades and included a line of dolls. Sonny had a doll too, but fewer people probably wanted that one.

This famous '60s icon is actually Canadian. Who is it?

Joni Mitchell has won numerous Grammy awards in her career, including a lifetime achievement award, and has endured some difficult times to get where she is. In fact, Mitchell contracted polio at the age of 9.

A typo is responsible for this singer's stage name. Name her!

Dionne Warwick's name is actually Dionne Warrick, but thanks to a typo on her 1962 record "Don't Make Me Over," she was dubbed Warwick. She decided to keep the name for the rest of her career.

James Bond owes a lot to this singer, who performed three theme songs for 007. Who is it?

Shirley Bassey's career was already going strong in the U.K. when she was tapped to sing "Goldfinger" in 1964 for the new James Bond movie. She'd go on to perform the themes to "Diamonds are Forever" and "Moonraker" as well.

Anna Mae Bullock was the birth name of this singer. Who is she?

Tina Turner's career has been eclectic and tumultuous over the years. It's also been impressive. In 1988, while performing what was billed as a farewell tour, she broke a world record for ticket sales by selling 184,000 for her show in Rio de Janeiro.

Even though she's in the Country Music Hall of Fame, this singer didn't start as a country singer. Who is she?

Emmylou Harris started her career as a folk singer with some folk-rock leanings. A folk band called the Flying Burrito Brothers introduced her to a friend who needed a female vocalist for a country album, and the rest is history.

If you know the Velvet Underground, then you must know this singer. Who is it?

Nico's real name was Christa Päffgen. She was born in Germany during World War II. Her family fled Berlin to try to get away from the war, though her father was a soldier with the German army. Nico herself was rumored to be quite racist toward Jewish people and other minorities.

Barbra Streisand, Three Dog Night, and Blood, Sweat & Tears all had hits with songs this musician wrote. Who is she?

Singer and songwriter Laura Nyro had a string of hits both on her own and with other singers performing what she had written. Though she had become fairly popular on her own, she retreated from public life in the '70s and '80s, rarely making public appearances of any kind.

This singer was also a rare left-handed guitarist. Who is she?

Barbara Lynn stood out from the crowd — she was an African American woman who wrote her own songs and played lead guitar. Her talent would see her collaborating with many other rock and R&B acts, including Stevie Wonder and B.B. King.

Can you name this singer whose career began in the mid-'60s and then exploded in the '70s?

Karen Carpenter got her start in music in 1965, performing in a high school band with her brother Richard. She didn't actually sing at the time — she played drums. In 1969, Karen and Richard finally signed a record deal, paving the way for the massive popularity of the Carpenters in the '70s.

She's one of the top-selling musicians of all time, with sales of over 140 million. Who is she?

Barbra Streisand has been a dominant force as a singer and an actor for decades now. Her debut role in "Funny Girl" earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress back in 1969.

Bob Dylan sometimes backed this singer up on harmonica. Who is she?

Karen Dalton is one of the lesser-known performers of the '60s folk music scene, though she has been listed as an influence by musicians like Nick Cave and Joanna Newsom. She's responsible for popularizing the traditional version of the song "Cotton-Eyed Joe."

By age 5, this singer was already considered a gospel prodigy. Can you name her?

Etta James is arguably one of the greatest soul and gospel singers of all time. Her song "At Last" was a massive hit, and James was very protective of it. Rumor has it that she got angry when Beyoncé sang it at Barack Obama's inauguration, since it was "her" song.

Dancing was what this singer initially wanted to pursue. Who is she?

Ella Fitzgerald made her stage debut at the world famous Apollo Theater in 1934 on Amateur Night. She intended to go on stage and dance, but there were so many talented dancers that she opted to sing instead, and it worked out. She took home a $25 prize.

Whoopi Goldberg helped give this singer a nostalgia boost with the movie "Sister Act." Who is it?

Peggy March, often called Little Peggy March since she was only 4 feet 10 inches, had a huge hit with her song "I Will Follow Him." The song was retooled for the movie "Sister Act," in which a choir of nuns sings it about Jesus.

Aside from singing, this musician also made a name for herself in film. Do you know her?

Connie Francis may be best known for her song "Who's Sorry Now," but she also made a string of teen movies with a common theme. She starred in "Where the Boys Are," "Follow the Boys" and "When the Boys Meet the Girls."

Mary Frances Penick was this singer's real name. Who do most of us know her as?

Skeeter Davis was a bit of a crossover performer, achieving fame with songs in both the pop and the country genres. Country was definitely where she had her biggest influence, though, with stars like Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette listing her as an influence.

Psychedelic music from the '60s owes a lot to this singer. Who is she?

Grace Slick of the band Jefferson Airplane is famous for a number of songs, but "White Rabbit" may be the most '60s song of the bunch. It is used constantly in period movies to evoke a sense of the drug-fueled psychedelic atmosphere of the decade.

You might have heard people call this singer the "Empress of Soul." Who is she?

Gladys Knight began performing with her siblings and cousins, under the name the Pips, as a child. In later life, she achieved immense fame, including numerous Grammy Awards. She is likely most widely recognized for the song "Midnight Train to Georgia."

This singer's short career had a huge impact on country music. Tell us who she is.

Patsy Cline had a string of hits in her tragically short career, including "I Fall to Pieces" and "Crazy." Cline died at the age of 30 in a plane crash, and looters got to the crash scene before authorities, taking many of her personal effects. Luckily a number of items were later returned.

The Beatles used to perform with this singer. Who is she?

Cilla Black never achieved the same fame in the U.S. that she had in the U.K., but that's not to say she didn't have fame. Her first No. 1 hit, "Anyone Who Had a Heart," sold over a million copies, and her song "You're My World" was on Elvis' jukebox at Graceland.

This singer performed one of her songs in a movie with Chubby Checker. Who is she?

Linda Scott had a fairly short but bright career in the '60s, knocking out 12 songs that ranked on the charts in only four years, including her biggest hit, "I've Told Every Little Star," that sold over a million copies. She even got to perform her song "Yessiree" in the movie "Don't Knock the Twist."

Do you know this singer who hit it big with the theme from "To Sir With Love"?

Scottish singer Lulu, who was born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, didn't win accolades for just one movie theme, but two. "To Sir With Love" came in 1967, but she also sang the theme to the 1974 James Bond movie "The Man With the Golden Gun."

When you think of the anti-Vietnam peace movement, you have to include this singer. Who is she?

Judy Collins, famous for songs like "Send in the Clowns" and "Both Sides Now," has devoted much of her life to social activism. She protested the Vietnam War and has long been associated with UNICEF. She has advocated for gun control and the destruction of land mines.

Some call this woman the "Queen of Motown." Who is she?

Mary Wells was one of the earliest and biggest Motown acts. Though she had a number of hits, she's probably best remembered for the immensely popular "My Guy." That song was the first Motown track not just to destroy charts in the U.S. but chart overseas as well, hitting No. 5 in the U.K.

Identical twin sisters plus two friends who were also sisters formed this band. Can you name them?

The Shangri-Las formed in high school when twin sisters Margie and Mary Ann Ganser teamed up with sisters Mary and Betty Weiss. They're best known for their song "Leader of the Pack," though they did have a few other hits along the way.

One of this group's biggest hits was credited to another group. Who are they?

The Blossoms actually recorded "He's a Rebel," but it was credited at the time to the Crystals. The Blossoms had provided backup vocals for them sometimes, but they were on tour, so producer Phil Spector had the Blossoms cut the track. A mixup led to the Crystals getting the credit, which made no one happy.

Barney Gumble got this singer to sing his Plow King theme song on "The Simpsons." Who is she?

Linda Ronstadt started her career in the mid-'60s with the band the Stone Poneys. By 1969 she began her solo career and released an album featuring cover versions of songs by artists like Bob Dylan and Randy Newman.

The Poquellos was the original name of this group. What are they better known as?

The Shirelles are most well known for songs like "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and "Mama Said." The band's last big hit was in 1967, but the original group still performed shows together until the early 1980s.

Bullying was one of the main reasons this singer spent as little time at school as possible. What is her name?

Janis Joplin was her own person, unique in so many ways, but back in her hometown and even through college, other people were cruel to her as a result. She was bullied throughout high school, and at the University of Austin she was even nominated "Ugliest Man on Campus." Luckily, she didn't let the fools who criticized her get in the way of her music.

This band owes their name, in part, to a street. Who are they?

Martha and the Vandellas obviously got the Martha part of the name from lead singer Marthe Reeves. But a Vandella? That was a mix of Detroit's Van Dyke Street and Della Reese, of whom Reeves was a fan.

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