Trivial Pursuit: Music Choice Edition

Rock's real secret history, as gleaned from the trivia bits on Comcast Cable's "Music Choice" channels.

New this edition: Fun facts about Ben E. King, Frankie Knuckles, Wayne Gretzky and more!

1. Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" was never released as a single.

2. Early in his career, the Rolling Stones' Brian Jones performed as Elmo Lewis.

3. Cat Stevens went to Catholic school.

4. England Dan and John Ford Coley's "Love is the Answer" was written by Todd Rundgren.

5. Barbra Streisand is the best selling female recording artist of all time.

6. Steve Miller was born in Milwaukee.

7. Pure Prairie League released Firin' Up in 1980.

8. John Denver's father was a U.S. Air Force officer.

9. In 1969, Jimmy Buffett moved to Nashville to start his music career.

10. Rare Earth was formed from the ashes of the band the Sunliners.

11. The DeFranco Family was modeled after the Osmonds and sponsored by the publishers of Tiger Beat.

12. "Mandy" was the first in a string of 25 consecutive Top 40 hits for Barry Manilow. 25!

13. The Eagles were formerly backup musicians for Linda Ronstadt.

14. Tony Orlando was a general manager at Columbia Records.

15. Though they started out as a five-piece, the O'Jays enjoyed most of their success as a trio.

16. Bill Withers joined the U.S. Navy when he was 17 and served for nine years.

17. The Spinners were named after the chrome wheels on tenor Bobbie Smith's car.

18. Eric Carmen is a classically trained pianist/guitarist.

19. "Rockestra Theme" by Paul McCartney and Wings won the 1979 Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental.

20. In 1999 Katrina left the Waves to pursue a career as a DJ and a solo artist.

21. Photographs of 2Pac's autopsy were never officially released, though they were leaked on the Internet.

22. Edison's wax cylinder phonograph was patented in 1886.

23. DJ Todd Storz created the "Top 40" in '49 after noting that fans would repeatedly play the same songs on the jukebox.

24. The first Walkman went on sale in July 1979.

25. Ray Charles' favorite dessert was sweet potato pie.

26. Lily Allen sang "Heart of Glass" with Debbie Harry for the Today show last May.

27. Avril Lavigne sang in church choirs, local festivals and county fairs before she secured a record deal.

28. Justin Timberlake inducted the O'Jays into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

29. Huey Lewis briefly attended Cornell University and studied engineering.

30. Ted Nugent claims to be ignorant of drug references in the Amboy Dukes' "Journey to the Center of the Mind." (Nugent is a lifetime member of Drug Abuse Resistance Education; he also played a drug dealer in a 1984 episode of Miami Vice.)

31. Emerson, Lake and Palmer ended their performance at the Isle of Wight festival by shooting cannons on both sides of the stage.

32. Pete Townshend helped design the now ubiquitous 100-watt Marshall amp stack.

33. Neil Young's early band, the Mynah Birds, featured future super freak Rick James.

34. Cream's "Badge" was co-written with George Harrison.

35. Macy Gray performed at President George W. Bush's inauguration in January 2005.

36. John Mellencamp suffered a major heart attack in 1994.

37. Bad Company named themselves after the 1972 Robert Benton film of the same name.

38. Journey's second drummer, Aynsley Dunbar, was a member of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention.

39. Elvin Bishop was once jailed for stealing a preacher's jacket from a restaurant.

40. The Compact Disc premiered in England in 1983.

41. Smokey Robinson was born William Robinson.

42. Conway Twitty was awarded the Amusement and Music Operators of America Jukebox Award in 1989.

43. Jim Croce recorded background vocals for television commercials.

44. Carly Simon's father co-founded Simon & Schuster.

45. Though no soundtrack was released, Cat Stevens contributed songs to Harold & Maude.

46. England Dan became a country act after he split with John Ford Coley.

47. Barry White co-produced the 1950s hit "Harlem Shuffle" record by doo-wop duo Bob & Earl.

48. Rush's Geddy Lee was born Geddy Lee Winerib.

49. The Steve Miller Band backed Chuck Berry at the Fillmore.

50. There have been over 20 members of Lynyrd Skynyrd during the band's career.

51. Joe Walsh has provided guitar tracks for Ringo Starr, Richard Marx, Keith Moon and The Simpsons.

52. In 2005 Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page was named an Officer of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.

53. On Sept. 6, 2003 Bruce Springsteen played the first concert at Boston's Fenway Park in its 91-year history.

54. Manager Chas Chandler convinced Slade to adopt a skinhead look as a gimmick.

55. Steve Miller was a session musician for Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and others.

56. Sugarloaf was originally known as Chocolate Hair.

57. The Eagles' Desperado was a concept album about outlaws.

58. Jimi Hendrix was discharged from the Army after being injured during a parachute jump.

59. T. Rex's Marc Bolan was born Marc Feld.

60. Eddie Money was born Eddie Mahoney.

61. Jackson Browne co-wrote the Eagles' hit "Take It Easy."

62. The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones had fathered two illegitimate children by age 16.

63. Stevie Wonder wrote Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good." [Actually written for Khan but recorded with her band, Rufus]

64. Dire Strait's Mark Knopfler wrote the Tina Turner comeback hit "Private Dancer."

65. Styx's Tommy Shaw was once a member of MS Funk.

66. Blue Oyster Cult's iconic hook and cross logo was designed by artist Bill Gawlick.

67. Heminevrin, the drug that killed The Who's Keith Moon, was actually prescribed to combat his alcoholism.

68. Foghat's debut album was largely produced by Dave Edmunds, but includes tracks produced by Todd Rundgren.

69. In 1967, Norman Greenbaum retired from the music industry to run a dairy farm in California.

70. Billy Joel briefly wrote record reviews for Changes magazine.

71. The Clash's Joe Strummer was born John Graham Mellor.

72. Glenn Danzig contributed two songs to the Less Than Zero soundtrack (1987).

73. The Who's Keith Moon died in the same apartment that Mama Cass died in four years earlier.

74. Entertainment Weekly listed Alice Cooper's "School's Out" among its list of "Top 10 Greatest Summer Songs."

75. Queen's Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar, Africa.

76. Linda Ronstadt attended Arizona State University.

77. Paul McCartney appeared on the Steve Miller Band's "My Dark Hour" under the alias Paul Ramon.

78. Mott the Hoople's "All The Young Dudes" was written by David Bowie.

79. Buddy Guy suggested to Steve Miller that he call his band the Steve Miller Band.

80. Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant suffered the tragedy of losing his son Karac to a stomach infection in 1977.

81. Deep Purple was originally called Roundabout.

82. Blue Oyster Cult originally went by the name Soft White Underbelly.

83. Kiss' Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel.

84. Bad Company was the first band signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label.

85. Bob Welch appeared on five albums by Fleetwood Mac before leaving the band in 1975.

86. The Beatles' Paul McCartney was born James Paul McCartney.

87. Wal-Mart is the largest music retailer in the U.S.

88. Black Sabbath took their title from the Boris Karloff film of the same name.

89. Before joining Metallica, drummer Lars Ulrich was originally interested in a career as a pro tennis player.

90. In 1990, Billy Joel played the first rock concert in the history of New York's Yankee Stadium.

91. Supertramp turned down Greyhound's request to use "Take The Long Way Home" in bus commercials.

92. Van Morrison was publicly silent between 1974 and 1977.

93. Carole King was part of the Brill Building stable of songwriters in the 60s.

94. Joe Walsh attended Kent State University.

95. Steely Dan alumnus Michael McDonald joined the Doobie Brothers in 1975.

96. Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones was a session musician and appeared on albums by George Harrison.

97. Bachman-Turner Overdrive officially changed their name to BTO in 1978.

98. Gary "Dream Weaver" Wright played keyboards on George Harrison's Cloud Nine.

99. Avril Lavigne is a proud supporter of Amnesty International's Make Some Noise campaign.

100. The Cars' Benjamin Orr was born Benjamin Orzechowski.

101. The Osmonds earned more Gold records in a single year than any other group in history.

102. Sister Sledge was originally known as Mrs. William's Grandchildren.

103. After Hank Williams' death in 1953, Ray Price inherited his band, the Drifting Cowboys.

104. Journey's Steve Perry was previously a member of Alien Project.

105. Michelle Shocked graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Oral Interpretation of Literature.

106. In 2003, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop star to ever have his own live televised concert special.

107. Before deciding to pursue music, Blues Traveler's John Popper considered a career as a comedian.

108. The Allman Brothers Band formed in Macon, Georgia in 1969.

109. Deep Purple's Jon Lord played keyboards on the Kinks' "You Really Got Me."

110. Manfred Mann was born Manfred Lubowitz.

111. Billy Squier was a member of the Psychedelic Supermarket in 1968.

112. Phil Collins can be seen briefly in the 1964 Beatles film A Hard Day's Night.

113. X's debut album, Los Angeles, was engineered and produced by ex-Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek.

114. John Denver moved to Los Angeles when he was 20 to pursue a career in music.

115. Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones was born John Baldwin.

116. Joe Cocker provided the theme songs for 9 1/2 Weeks, Bull Durham, and An Innocent Man.

117. Amy Winehouse cites Ray Charles as a major influence.

118. Green Day was nominated for the International Album of the Year at the 2005 Juno Awards.

119. Anne Murray taught physical education at a high school in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

120. Jimmy Cliff recorded a duet with Elvis Costello for the soundtrack to Club Paradise.

121. LeAnn Rimes started singing before age 2.

122. Boz Scaggs was born William Royce Scaggs.

123. Kid Rock's real name is Robert James Ritchie.

124. Lita Ford started playing guitar at age 11.

125. John Mellencamp studied Broadcast Journalism at Vincennes University.

126. Elvis Costello's "Accidents Will Happen" was influenced by a Dusty Springfield song.

127. Amy Winehouse founded a group called Sweet 'n' Sour at age 10.

128. An estimated 14,000 people attended the wedding of Hank Williams and Billie Jean Eshliman.

129. The Who released one single under the name The High Numbers.

130. Barry Manilow worked in the CBS mailroom while attending college.

131. Meat Loaf earned his nickname in childhood due to his size.

132. Rod Stewart was a member of the Jeff Beck Group.

133. Tammy Wynette moved to Nashville with no job and three small children in 1966.

134. Before his rap career, Biggie had dreams of becoming a dentist or a graphic artist.

135. Rush formed as Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, and John Rutsey.

136. Grand Funk Railroad's Mel Schacher was previously a member of ? and the Mysterians.

137. Nilsson was one of the hundreds of musicians who tried out for the Monkees.

138. A teacher once told Violent Femmes bassist Brian Ritchie he had no talent whatsoever.

139. Sept. 3, 1988 marked Triumph's last performance with all the band's original members.

140. Kelly Clarkson's middle name is Brianne.

141. Acclaimed NY artist Jean-Michel Basquiat made an appearance in Blondie's "Rapture" video.

142. Bruce Springsteen achieved his seventh No. 1 album with Devils & Dust in 2005.

143. Duran Duran were joined onstage by Lou Reed at New York City show in 1987.

144. Cream's Jack Bruce was previously a member of Manfred Mann.

145. The Spinners sang in the "Philly Soul" style even though they were from Detroit.

146. Kool & the Gang's George Brown took on a paper route in order to buy his first set of drums.

147. Aerosmith's Joe Perry was born Anthony Joseph Perry.

148. Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" reached No. 9 on Billboard's pop singles chart in 1979.

149. Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett is seven feet tall.

150. Concrete Blonde called themselves Dream 6 before signing to I.R.S. in 1985.

151. Warrant's Erik Turner enjoys spending his spare time with his family and playing golf.

152. Twisted Sister's Dee Snider sang in a classical choir until he was 19.

153. The Oak Ridge Boys were among the first to bring long hair and beards to country music in the late '60s.

154. In 1998 Mel Tillis was a spokesman for the Stuttering Foundation of America.

155. In 1891 Columbia became the first to release a full catalogue of cylinders and phonographs.

156. Roxy Music's self-titled debut was recorded in 19 days.

157. Michael Johnson toured as a member of the Mitchell Trio, which included John Denver.

158. John Entwistle and Pete Townshend of the Who met in high school.

159. The Bellamy Brothers were originally known as Jericho.

160. Teena Marie had a small part in TV's The Beverly Hillbillies at age 8.

161. The "roots-rock" subgenre came into being the mid 80s partly as a counter movement to New Wave.

162. Chicago formed in Chicago, IL on Feb. 15, 1967.

163. Roxette's Per Gessle covered a Swedish version of Bob Dylan's Farval Angelina.

164. Wham! disbanded in 1985.

165. Lightnin' Hopkins' first instrument was a cigar-box guitar with chicken-wire guitar strings.

166. Ratt's Warren Demartini played with Whitesnake on their 1994 tour.

167. In 1976, Ibanez was forced to stop producing guitar copies due to a lawsuit.

168. A child prodigy, Ronnie Milsap was proficient at both violin and piano.

169. Yes' first major performance was at London's Speakeasy Club in 1968.

170. The first Gold record was awarded to Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" in 1941.

171. Carrie Underwood majored in Mass Communications at Northeastern State University.

172. Fergie had a role in the 2006 film Poseidon.

173. Hank Snow discovered Elvis Presley and took him on tour as his opening act.

174. Corey Hart is best known for the 1984 smash hit "Sunglasses at Night."

175. Mariah Carey released her self-titled debut in 1990.

176. Bobby Brown married pop star Whitney Houston in 1992.

177. The BBC Big Band won the British Jazz Award for Best Big Band in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2001.

178. Pearl Jam released their debut Ten in 1991.

179. Styx's Ricky Phillips also played bass for Bad English and the Babys.

180. Bearsville Studio in Woodstock, NY is one of the last remaining analog-only facilities.

181. Emmylou Harris' third marriage was to singer-songwriter Paul Kennerley.

182. LaBelle formed in 1961 as Patti Labelle and the Blue Belles.

183. Isaac Hayes has said that he was never completely comfortable with his biblical nickname, "Black Moses."

184. In 2003, the list price of a Fender American Stratocaster was $1,177.99.

185. Nirvana formed in Aberdeen, WA in 1987.

186. In 1989 Richard Marx toured with Tina Turner in Germany.

187. Michael Sembello's wife accidentally sent "Maniac" to the producers of Flashdance and they loved it.

189. Otis Redding was the father of four children.

190. LeAnn Rimes made her stage debut as Tiny Time in A Christmas Carol at age 7.

191. Bluegrass has always been ensemble music.

192. Kenny Rogers was named the "Favorite Singer of All Time" in a 1986 national poll.

193. Phillips introduced the first compact audio cassette in 1963.

194. Whitney Houston is Dionne Warwick's cousin.

195. As producer, David Bowie was responsible for the often debated "thin" sound of the Stooges' Raw Power

196. After graduating college Sheryl Crow became a music teacher for children with special needs in St. Louis.

197. In 2002 Virgin Record paid Mariah Carey $28 million to split with the label.

198. Danger Mouse of Gnarls Barkley used to make his own records under the name Pelican City.

199. The Andy Williams Christmas Album hit No. 1 on the Billboard pop albums chart in 1963.

200. Bruce Springsteen's first band was the Castiles.

201. Da Brat's government name is Shawntae Harris.

202. Barbara Mandrell has hosted The Tonight Show and The People's Choice Awards.

203. After the Cadillacs joined with the Blue Notes, drummer Teddy Pendergrass became their lead singer.

204. The Stylistics maintained a strong following in Britain after their American popularity had faded.

205. White Lion's Mike Tramp cites The Sopranos and Seinfeld as his favorite television shows.

206. Billy Idol lived in Long Island, NY from age 3 to age 7.

207. Patti Smith dropped out of Glassboro State Teacher's College.

208. Matt Sharp and Patrick Wilson formed the Rentals during Weezer's 1995 hiatus.

209. Dolly Parton recorded for Fred Foster's Monument Records from 1965-67.

210. According to Billboard magazine, Boys II Men was the best selling R&B group of the 20th century.

211. Music copyrights end 70 years after the original artist's death.

212. Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman recorded his first solo single for the soundtrack to Mr. Holland's Opus (1996).

213. Ronnie James Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the singer for Black Sabbath in 1979.

214. Edgar Winter invented the keyboard body strap, a harness that allowed him to wear his instrument like a guitar.

215. Daft Punk got their name when a music critic dismissed their first single as "daft punk".

216. Moby was a producer on Brintey Spears' In The Zone (2003).

217. Jim Reeves studied speech and drama at the University of Texas for six weeks and dropped out.

218. Gold status indicates that the artist has arrived at 500,000 in sales.

219. Sabian cymbals are available in approximately 120 countries.

220. Halloween was formed in Hamburg, Germany by members of the bands Ironfist and Powerfool.

221. Bob Dylan, Jewel, Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, and Paula Abdul have all covered songs by John Hiatt.

222. Linkin Park's original name was Hybrid Theory.

223. Michael Bolton collaborated with Bob Dylan on the song "Steel Bars."

224. Over 40 channels to choose from.

225. Puddle of Mudd won four Billboard Music Awards in Dec. 2002.

226. Rush formed in the summer of 1968.

227. Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton as lead guitarist for the Yardbirds in 1965.

228. Kelly Clarkson has two tattoos, a Japanese symbol on her neck and a cross.

229. You are listening to Music Choice.

230. Modern pop music can be traced back to the 1950s when some early rockers began to change their sound.

231. Howard Jones learned to play piano at age 7.

232. Dawn reunited with Tony Orlando in 1988.

233. Hot Butter's "Popcorn" was written by Gershon Kingsley.

234. Hot Butter is best known for the hit "Popcorn."

235. Sly Stone was born Sylvester Stewart.

236. Eddy Grant had a heart attack in his 20s, causing him to retire to his home studio.

237. EMI records began as a merger of Columbia and Gramophone Company in 1931.

238. Marvin Gaye was honorably discharged from the US Air Force in 1957.

239. Jon Secada has sold over 20 million albums.

240. Bryan Adams appeared as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live in 1985 with Harry Anderson hosting.

241. Louisiana blues music was influenced by French, Spanish, African American, Creole and Cajun inhabitants.

242. The Contours were brought to Motown by member Hubert Johnson's cousin, Jackie WIlson.

243. Tony Bennett got his first break opening for singer Pearl Bailey.

244. Philadelphia's Thomas M. Pierce Elementary School named their computer library after Jill Scott.

245. C-Murder's government name is Corey Miller.

246. Donna Fargo was born Yvonne Vaughn.

247. Justin Timberlake's favorite singer is Donnie Hathaway.

248. Egypt Central bassist Joey Chicago is from Wheaton, IL.

249. Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard's pop singles chart in 1979.

250. Duran Duran opened for Blondie on their 1982 tour.

251. Pleasure (Pretty Ricky) told Music Choice he is unique and no adjectives can describe him.

252. George Clinton attributes his ideas for extraordinary costumes and wild concerts to his LSD experimentation.

253. During the 1940s and '50s many jazz artists toured Europe, where racial tensions were far less pronounced.

254. After winning her first competition at age 5, LeAnn Rimes told her parents she wanted to be a star.

255. Lil Mama attended Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn.

256. The Kooks have toured with the Thrills.

257. The Smiths' Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke sued Steven Morrissey and Johnny Marr for unfair earnings distributions.

258. David Bowie formed a mime troupe called the Feathers in 1969.

259. Thelonious Monk was born Oct 10, 1917 in Rocky Mount, NC.

260. Roger Greenway of Brotherhood of Man was also lead singer of the Fortunes.

261. Nas attended Russell Simmons' first Hip Hop Youth Summit, which introduced an anti-drug campaign.

262. Cal Smith worked as a truck driver and horse breaker.

263. Sour Records was one of the first jungle labels to attract a mainstream following.

264. Pop started as a mostly singles medium that was influenced by the beat and style of rock and roll.

265. Chicago's Savoy Ballroom opend its doors on Nov. 23, 1927.

266. The Bellamy Brothers started their annual Snake, Rattle and Roll benefit concerts in 1989.

267. Morris Day's debut solo album was Color of Success.

268. Fear Factory's cover of Gary Numan's "Cars" gave them their first Top Ten song.

269. As a jingle singer, Janie Fricke's voice was on commercials of Coca-Cola, 7-Up and Red Lobster.

270. The Scorpions toured the US with Iron Maiden in 1982.

271. Macy Gray has a degree in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California.

272. Did you know that Parker Brothers marketed the first Nerf foam ball?

273. KISS' "Detroit Rock City" peaked at No. 7 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1976.

274. Snow's biggest hit was 1993's "The Informer."

275. In 1961, Jimmie Rodgers became the first person inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

276. Chamillionaire calls himself "The Truth From Texas" and "Houston's Hardest Artist."

277. Earth, Wind and Fire covered the Beatles' "Got To Get You Into My Life" in 1978.

278. Lionel Richie won a Grammy in 1985 for his part in "We Are The World."

279. The name Guns 'N Roses came from two members' former band names: L.A. Guns and Hollywood Roses.

280. The Cure contributed a version of "Purple Haze" to the Hendrix tribute album Stone Free.

281. Seals & Crofts released five Gold albums for Warner Bros. between '72 and '76.

282. In 1958, Muddy Waters shocked Europe with his electric guitar blues.

283. "Moon River" by Henry Mancini was one of the best-sellers of the '60s.

284. Luther Vandross served as president of the Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles fan club in the mid 60s.

285. Moonspell formed in 1989.

286. ELP's Carl Palmer went on to join the pop group Asia.

287. The fiddle evolved in Italy during the 16th century.

288. The Chemical Brothers' "Setting Sun" was a tribute to the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows."

289. Compost Records is based in Munich and encompasses jazz, bossa nova, Detroit techno, and deep house.

290. Afrika Bambaataa's name means "affectionate leader" in the Zulu language.

291. Irene Cara is the only artist to perform at the Oscars twice in one night.

292. During the '30s country music moved from the traditional sounds of the Carter Family to "western swing."

293. Garth Brooks made his first trip to Nashville, which lasted only four days, in 1985.

294. Loverboy's Mike Reno first met guitarist Paul Dean at the Refinery Night Club in Calgary.

295. Dean Martin quit high school after the tenth grade.

296. After the Golden State Boys, Del McCoury worked at a nuclear power plant in York, PA.

297. Alejandro Escovedo is related to two former percussionists for Santana.

298. Love Unlimited Orchestra disbanded in 1983.

299. NYC's Central Park Summerstage typically puts on 30-40 free concerts every summer.

300. Neil Young contracted polio as a child.

301. Poison formed in Harrisburg, PA in 1982.

302. Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music White Boy" peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's pop singles chart in 1976.

303. Nat King Cole died of lung cancer Feb 15, 1965 in Santa Monica, CA.

304. Johnny Lee served in the Navy aboard the USS Chicago, a guided missile cruiser.

305. Alicia Keys was born Alicia Aguello Cook.

306. Tommy Dorsey's preference for a fast beat caused many arguments with his brother.

307. Diamond status indicates that the artist has arrived at 10,000,000 or more in album sales.

308. Universal Music Group owns and maintains over 1 million copyrights.

309. Members of System of a Down are of Armenian descent.

310. Dusty Springfield knew at age 10 that she wanted to be a blues singer.

311. Benny Goodman recorded the soundtrack to his own 1955 biopic, in which he was portrayed by Steve Allen.

312. In 2000 Sheena Easton created an Angel of Autumn doll that was available on the Internet.

313. John Denver served as a member of the Presidential Commission on World and Domestic Hunger.

314. Paula Abdul established her own company, Go Dance, in 1995.

315. Styx's "Lady" peaked at No. 6 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1975.

316. The 78 rpm disc was no longer produced on a large scale after 1955.

317. Kenny Loggins has received 12 Platinum and 14 Gold albums.

318. Richie Valens tossed a coin with Tommy Allsup for a seat on the plane that killed him.

319. Jethro Tull's managers, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis, created the widely successful Chrysalis Records.

320. Run-DMC were the first rap artists to have a video air on MTV.

321. In 1974, guitarist Mike Fisher moved from guitarist to full-time soundman for Heart.

322. Bing Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby.

323. The Jacksons had to change their name from the Jackson 5 after losing a legal battle to Motown Records.

324. The first album Disturbed's David Draiman bought was Kiss' Destroyer.

325. Koss introduced the first stereo headphones in 1958.

326. Helen Reddy had 14 Top 40 songs between 1971 and 1978.

327. Neil Young inducted the Pretenders into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

328. The Melodians are considered to be one of rocksteady music's greatest acts.

329. Donna Summer sang with a rock group called The Crow when she was a teenager.

330. Fergie is a former Bongo and Guess model.

331. Slick Rick was Doug E. Fresh's partner in the Get Fresh Crew.

332. The Sandpipers were known as the Four Seasons but changed when they heard about the other Four Seasons.

333. Taylor Hawkins toured with Alanis Morrissette's band before becoming the
drummer for Foo Fighters.

334. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have three children and many dogs.

335. Stevie Wonder played the harmonica for Dionne Warwick and Friends' "That's What Friends Are For."

336. Duran Duran had the only James Bond theme to hit No. 1 with 1985's "A View to a Kill."

337. A panel voted on the greatest songs of country music and Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" ranked No. 1.

338. Sheila E. once performed "Mary Had a Little Lamb" for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

339. Trina was dubbed "the queen of randy hip-hop" by Entertainment Weekly.

340. Soulfly's Mikey was formerly in the band Snot.

341. Toni Basil choreographed David Bowie's 1974 tour.

342. T-Pain created a variation of R&B that he calls Hard&B.

343. Puddle of Mudd got their name after the Missouri River flooded their studios, leaving a "puddle of mudd."

344. In 1991, KISS drummer Eric Carr died of cancer.

345. The Heartbreakers formed in 1975.

346. Wham!'s final performance was at London's Wembley Stadium.

347. Polygram bought Motown Records in '93.

348. Corey Hart's "Never Surrender" peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1985.

349. In the early '40s, the Glenn Miller Orchestra was considered the most popular dance band in the world.

350. Bloodbath formed in Sweden in 1999.

351. Aerosmith's first public performance took place at Nipmuc Regional High School in Mendon, MA in 1970.

352. Matthew Sweet was once a guest contestant on Win Ben Stein's Money.

353. Sean Paul developed his reggae skills by making dubs and performing at barbeques.

354. Tanya Tucker sang the theme song for CBS' NASCAR racing broadcasts in 1996.

355. A Taste of Honey's Percy Kibble died in 1999.

356. Montell Jordan, Def Jam's first R&B artist, was dropped from the label in 2002.

357. Ice Cube played in the 2005 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

358. Motley Crue's Vince Neil lost his daughter, Skylar, to stomach cancer in 1995.

359. Before the success of Primitive Radio Gods, Chris O'Connor worked as an air traffic controller.

360. Barry White married Love Unlimited's Glodean James in 1975.

361. Toby Keith joined Chris LeDoux on "Copenhagen," his ode to chewing tobacco.

362. Del Amitri emerged from the Scottish music scene.

363. In 1980, Dave Loggins recorded the theme to the Master's Golf Tournament.

364. Rita Coolidge went on hiatus from 1984-92.

365. In 2006 Rick Ross told Music Choice the most important thing he learned from his mother was loyalty.

366. In 2006 Rick Ross told Music Choice his favorite holidays are actually his son's and daughter's birthdays.

367. Larry Elgart's "Bandstand Boogie" was adopted by Dick Clark as the theme to American Bandstand.

368. The Statler Brothers named themselves after a brand of tissues.

369. Tim McGraw's first public performance was in elementary school in The Music Man.

370. Nelly launched a clothing line, Apple Bottoms, in 2003.

371. Al B. Sure's real name is Al Brown.

371. Bullet For My Valentine contributed "4 Words (to Choke Upon) to the Madden 2006 soundtrack (2005).

372. Great White's Mark Kendall cites the Los Angeles Dodgers as his favorite baseball team.

373. Duran Duran was one of the first bands to play South Africa after the end of Apartheid.

374. The International Federation of Phonographic Industry reported that 1.1 billion pirated CDs were sold in 2002.

375. David Essex's "Rock On" was certified Gold by the RIAA March 26, 1974.

376. Seymour Duncan Pickups is located in Santa Barbara, CA.

377. The Fender Museum of Music and the Arts is located on North Main Street in Corona, CA.

378. Columbia Records was the first to develop the double-sided record.

379. There were at least 390,000 different physical albums that sold at least one copy over the Internet during 2007.

380. Stereo records began production in the UK and US in Nov 1958.

381. T-Pain was born Faheem Najm in Tallahassee, FL.

382. Drummer Mike Terrana left Rage in 2006.

383. Boston's ex-guitarist Barry Goudreau formed Orion the Hunter.

384. Boston's Brad Delp sang back-up on Orion the Hunter's self-titled debut and co-wrote half the songs.

385. September loves to paint and draw.

386. Justin Timberlake wrote and recorded Justified in just six weeks.

387. Lipps, Inc. is meant to be pronounced as a pun on "lip sync."

388. D.C. Bellamy is the half-brother of Curtis Mayfield.

389. In 1934 before the medium caught on, BASF manufactured 50,000 meters of magnetic recording tape.

390. The highly influential Paradise Garage club in NYC closed in Sept. 1987, ten years after opening.

391. Dolly Parton is one of 12 children.

392. Patsy Cline gave birth to her daughter, Julie Fudge, in 1958.

393. Rush was awarded the 2004 Music DVD of the Year Juno Award.

394. Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston and wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston. It's true!

395. Spyro Gyra appeared at major international jazz festivals in the 80s.

396. Muddy Waters initially took up guitar at 17.

397. Living Strings was a commercial creation of RCA Records other than a true musical entity.

398. Grammy Winner: Best New Artist of 1959: Bobby Darin.

399. Lee Ann Womack hosted Broadway Meets Country in Nov 2005.

400. Cymande's music combined calypso rhythms with jazz overtones.

401. Too Short and his high school friend Freddy B. started the Dangerous Music Label.

402. The Rolling Stones signed to Decca Records in 1963.

403. Bet you didn't know the first roller coaster dates back to Russian ice slides built in the mid-1600s.

404. As a bandleader, Jimmy Dorsey was generally considered more easygoing than his brother Tommy.

405. Frank Sinatra signed with Capitol Records in 1954.

406. After developing a local following, the Grateful Dead signed to MGM Records in 1966.

407. Don Williams was the first country artist to make a video, in support of his 1973 release Come Early Morning.

408. In April 2004 PETA asked Beyonce to stop wearing fur.

409. Before forming the Eurythmics Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were in the band Catch.

410. Randy Travis married his manager, Lib Hatcher, in 1991.

411. Warrant's James St. James a member of the Kiss tribute band Cold Gin for nearly two years.

412. The Smashing Pumpkins released their first single, "I Am One," in 1990.

413. Akon has admired the career of P. Diddy.

414. Crayola crayons were invented by cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith.

415. The Cutting Crew disbanded in 1993.

416. Sarah Vaughan's nicknames include "Sassy" and "The Divine One."

417. In 1887, German inventor Emile Berliner became the first to invent a method of mass-producing records.

418. Blake Shelton has a pet turkey and has fed him turkey.

419. Merle Haggard opened for the Rolling Stones on select dates during their 2005 tour.

420. In April '06, Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" became the first single to hit No. 1 on the UK charts based on download sales alone.

421. 2001 Pepsi Award for People's Choice Best Female: Britney Spears.

422. Tone-Loc's "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina" were co-written by Young MC.

423. Merrilee Rush's "Angel Of The Morning" is widely considered a timeless classic.

424. Rush's Permanent Waves peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart in 1981.

425. CD-R technology was developed in '88.

426. EMI bought Capitol Records in 1955.

427. DAT (Digital Audio tape) premiered in '87.

428. Ben Folds played his first solo show in Dec 2001.

429. MC Hammer filed for bankruptcy in 1996.

430. Duncan Sheik was in a band with Lisa Loeb called Liz & Lisa.

431. Al Lipschultz, noticing a lack of press for musicians, started Down Beat magazine in 1934.

432. Hard bop places more emphasis on the rhythm section than bebop.

433. The term "ragged time" came into use during the late 19th century.

434. Ludacris was the first artist signed to Scarface's Def Jam South.

435. T-Pain has admired the career of Busta Rhymes.

436. MC Lyte's real name is Lana Moorer.

437. Erykah Badu has modeled for the Gap and Cedella Marley's line, Catch a Fire.

438. The Ohio Players' "Funky Worm" appeared on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack (2004).

439. Iron Maiden's first UK top 10 single was "Run to the Hills," which debuted at No. 7 in 1982.

440. Bruce Dickinson did a public service announcement for British television called "The Seat Belt Dummies" in 1991.

441. The story of the Indigo Girls began when Emily Sailers moved to Georgia in the 6th grade.

442. Prior to their musical success, Richard and Fred Fairbrass of Right Said Fred worked at a gym.

443. Rick Ross graduated from Carol City Senior High School.

444. Bobby Brown was born in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, MA.

445. The Sex Pistols' final UK performance took place on Christmas Day in 1977.

446. Death chose their name from the Hebrew word for knowledge.

447. Grammy Winner, 1978 Song of the Year: "Just The Way You Are," Billy Joel.

448. Ambrosia disbanded in 1982.

449. Jimmy Chamberlain of the Smashing Pumpkins has battled heroin addiction throughout his career.

450. Def Leppard was an opening act for Billy Squier while he was on tour supporting Emotions in Motion.

451. Jay-Z's single "Hard Knock Life" took a sample from the musical Annie.

452. George Strait broke the attendance record at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming in 2004.

453. Jamie Foxx attended US International University in San Diego, CA, on a music scholarship.

454. Loverboy's Mike Reno first met guitarist Paul Dean at the Refinery Night Club in Calgary.

455. Bad Religion's Brett Gurewitz founded Epitaph Records in 1981.

456. Duran Duran's onstage and backstage presence was documented in Three to Get Ready (1988).

457. Fatboy Slim's "Because We Can" was used in a commercial for Coors Light.

458. According to hearsay, Rick James turned down producing Diana Ross' album to produce Teena Marie's debut.

459. Slum Village got their start by giving their demo tape to Q-Tip.

460. Digital feedback is a combination of heavy beats and noize.

461. Frustrated with the limited possibilities available to a musician in Toronto, Neil Young moved to Los Angeles.

462. An unlikely collection of holiday-themed songs, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album was released in 2003.

463. Neil Diamond's Gold peaked at No. 10 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart in 1970.

464. Lenny Kravitz often travels to the Bahamas so that he can write his songs with minimal distractions.

465. A panel of experts voted on the greatest country songs and ranked Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin" No. 19.

466. UB40 took their band name from a British unemployment form.

467. Alice Cooper began working with manager Shep Gordon in 1968.

468. Linkin Park's Road to Revolution CD/DVD is packed in recyclable eco-friendly materials.

469. Plain White T's have toured with Jimmy Eat World, Yellowcard and Sugarcult.

470. Toni Tenille was born Cathryn Antoinette Tenille on May 8, 1943.

471. Rick Ross worked at a car wash at age 14.

472. Fats Domino's "Walking to New Orleans" peaked at No.6 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1960.

473. Pink's musical influences include Whitney Houston and Madonna.

474. DMX was born Earl Simmons.

475. The Love Unlimited Orchestra formed in San Pedro, CA.

476. In Nov 2002 Brandy and her then husband launched All God's Children, a nonprofit organization.

477. Metallica released their debut album, Kill 'Em All, in 1983.

478. Paul Simon's "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" reached No. 1. on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1976.

479. Tom T. Hall began to write his first novel at age 8.

480. Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult embarked on the Black and Blue Tour in 1982.

481. Chaka Khan began performing at age 11 with the Crystalettes.

482. In 1997 Bob Dylan suffered a near-fatal inflammation of muscles surrounding the heart.

483. Aldo Nova wrote, arranged, performed, produced and engineered his 1982 solo debut entirely on his own.

484. Anita Baker worked as a receptionist at a law firm prior to her music career.

485. Talking Heads split up in 1991.

486. Lee Greenwood has released 30 albums.

487. Earth, Wind & Fire was originally called the Salty Peppers.

488. Lil Wayne made his rap debut on B.G.s underground album, True Story, in 1993.

489. Tech-house is a mixture of acid and progressive house with production styles similar to Detroit and British techno.

490. Jody Watley was born Jan. 30, 1959 in Chicago, IL.

491. "I truly believe that everyone has this inner rage but that not everyone wants to recognize it" - J. Hanneman (Slayer)

492. Barry Manilow published his autobiography, Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise, in 1987.

493. Millie [Small] was one of the few female ska singers of her era.

494. Stevie Ray Vaughn had dropped out of high school to concentrate on music by age 17.

494. Debate continues as to whether Tchaikovsky committed suicide to cover a sex scandal or died of cholera.

495. The Rolling Stones' second single was a cover of the Beatles' "I Wanna Be Your Man."

496. System of a Down's influences include Jaco Pastorius, the Beatles, Faith No More and Armenian folk music.

497. The Offspring originally wanted to name their Splinter album Chinese Democracy.

498. Chic is among the best-selling acts to sign with Atlantic Records.

499. Kelly Clarkson's favorite song is Phil Collins' "Against All Odds."

500. Rosanne Cash was named Billboard's Top Country Singles artist in 1988.

501. Bobby Bare's "Shame On Me" peaked at No. 23 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1962.

502. Billy May, tired of touring, sold his band to Ray Anthony in 1954.

503. A likeness of Britney Spears is featured in Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London.

504. Club music is another term for house music.

505. Alice Cooper entered a rehabilitation facility for alcohol abuse in 1978.

506. Fergie joined the Black Eyed Peas in 2000.

507. In 1977 Dire Straits earned the opening slot on the Talking Heads' tour.

508. Garth Brooks's Teammates for Kids foundation provides financial assistance to children's charities.

509. Dion has influenced Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and Lou Reed.

510. Sean Paul was the first reggae artist to have two singles added to a major American radio station at the same time.

511. Dutch physicist Klass Compaan is credited with developing the concept of CDs.

512. Harold Melvin died March 24, 1997 in Philadelphia, PA.

513. Teddy Pendergrass became an international sex symbold after leaving Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.

514. GWAR released Hell-O in 1988.

515. Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead" became known as a goth anthem.

516. Dishwalla rehearsed for three years before hitting the Los Angeles club scene.

517. Lefty Frizzell got his nickname after hitting a schoolmate with his left hand.

518. Eddy Clearwater released The Chief in 1980.

519. In the 50s, Peggy Lee wrote song for films, including Tom Thumb.

520. Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive! (1976) was certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA on Nov. 14, 1984.

521. "Everybody expects us to run around in black, but we're like the Monkees." - Layne Staley (Alice in Chains)

522. 2005 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Music Group: Green Day.

523. 50 Cent was once signed to JMJ, the record label owned by the late Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay.

524. Kris Kross appeared in the film Who's the Man?

525. Grover Washington, Jr., has made guest appearances on dozens of records from pop to straightforward jazz.

526. Sponge evolved from the band Loudhouse.

527. Journey's Escape reached No. 1 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart in 1981.

528. Hot Chocolate released their self-titled album in 1975.

529. Working under the assumed name Bernard Shaky, Neil Young wrote, directed and acted in Human Highway in 1982.

530. INXS played their first show Sept. 1, 1979 in Australia.

531. Snow was influenced by the influx of Jamaican residents into his Irish-Canadian neighborhood when he was a teen.

532. By age ten, Brad Paisley was performing in churches and at town parties.

533. Shania Twain's husband, Mutt Lange, has produced for Def Leppard, AC/DC, Bryan Adams, and the Cars.

534. Jazz was commonly featured background music of the illegal speakeasys of the prohibition era.

535. Rod Stewart's cover of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train" hit No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart in 1990.

536. Public Enemy's DJ Lord is from Savannah, GA.

537. Peter Gabriel released his self-titled solo debut in 1977.

538. Fruit Bats formed in Chicago in 1999.

539. Olivia Newton-John's "I Honestly Love You" went to No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1974.

540. Taylor Swift grew up on a farm in Wyomissing, PA.

541. Irene Cara has won two Grammys, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar.

542. The Police's Andy Summers was born Andrew Somers.

541. The Oak Ridge Boys made guest appearances on The Dukes of Hazzard and Dinah!

542. Roger Williams was born Louis Weertz.

543. Production House Records is based in West London and provides an outlet for non-mainstream rave producers.

544. The famous Avalon dance club in L.A. has a sister club in Boston.

545. Prince appeared on Stevie Wonder's A Time 2 Love (2005).

546. Changing the band name from Seymour to Blur was a suggestion by a former journalist for Sounds magazine.

547. Will Champion of Coldplay had never played drums prior to joining the band.

548. Britney Spears auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club at age 8.

549. Blue Oyster Cult was one of the first acts to use a laser light show during concerts.

550. "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" was the Chi-Lites first crossover into the pop charts.

551. Smashing Pumpkins contributed to the soundtrack of Batman and Robin (1997)

552. At the age of 10, Irene Cara was performing on Broadway.

553. The Statler Brothers formed as Don Reid, Lew DeWitt, Phil Balsley, and Harold Reid.

554. Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger co-wrote the theme song to Josey and the Pussycats (2001)

555. Miami Sound Machine was originally called Miami Latin Boys.

556. Boogie-woogie is a progressive style of piano blues.

557. Before their success, Wild Cherry's Rob Parissi quit the band to manage a steakhouse. He later rejoined.

558. Chad Kroeger of Nickelback sold advertisements for a soccer magazine before the band took off.

559. Steel Pulse has performed at inaugural festivities in Washington D.C. at the request of Bill Clinton.

560. The Edgar Winter Group's "Free Ride" peaked at No. 14 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1973.

561. Pantera released three albums before recruiting singer Phil Anselmo.

562. Gloria and Emelio Estefan became minority owners of the Miami Dolphins in 2009.

563. John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting was formally trained in opera.

564. In 1992 Culture Club's Boy George sang the theme song to the movie The Crying Game.

565. Journey disbanded in 1988.

566. K.C. and the Sunshine Band's crossover sound won them appeal with both R&B and pop fans.

567. Rick Ross's favorite hobby is restoring antique Chevys.

568. Kool And The Gang released Ladies Night in 1979.

569. Percy Faith moved to Chicago in 1940.

570. Johnny Mathis enrolled at San Francisco State College in 1954.

571. In 1993, Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart sang "All For Love" for the Three Musketeers soundtrack.

572. Producer Maurice Starr discovered New Kids on the Block shortly after breaking ties with New Edition.

573. Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in Barbados.

574. Tom T. Hall first picked up a guitar at age 4.

575. Waylon Jennings' first record was produced by Buddy Holly.

576. Bad Company released their self-titled debut on Swan Song in Nov 1974.

577. Grammy Winner: 1991 Best Metal Performance With Vocal: Metallica Metallica

578. Dream Theater, Queensryche, and Bryan Adams were all opening acts for Zebra.

579. Fender acquired Sunn, an amplifier company, in 1987.

580. Jewel performed two of her songs on an episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in '06.

581. Don Henley co-founded the Eagles in 1971.

582. Dave Loggins has written songs for Three Dog Night, Reba McEntire, Alabama, Toby Keith, and Kenny Rogers.

583. Darius Rucker's influences include Gladys Knight, Otis Redding, Al Green and the Notorious B.I.G.

584. Dottie West's "Country Sunshine" was written for and used in a Coca-Cola commercial.

585. B.B. King has named each of his guitars "Lucille."

586. NY's The Loft was frequented by legendary DJs Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan during the '70s.

587. Triumph's Rock & Roll Machine hit stores in 1977.

588. Metallica's "black" album eventually sold over 15 million copies.

589. Meat Puppets' Kirkwood brothers attended a Jesuit prep school before forming the band.

590. Dee Dee Ramone was born Douglas Colvin.

591. Universal Music Group's origins can be traced to Universal Film Manufacturing Co., founded in 1912.

592. "While you boo, remember: I have your $65!" - Natalie Maines.

593. Cheap Trick's All Shook Up (1980) was produced by George Martin.

594. EMI released its first 33 rpm record in 1952.

595. Bob Dylan once sat front row to see the Turtles perform.

596. Bill Haley was born William John Clifton Haley.

597. Charlie Rich was a member of the Velvetones while serving in the US Air Force.

598. Duke Ellington's first job was selling peanuts at Washington Senators baseball games.

599. "Say You, Say Me" was written by Lionel Richie.

600. Dolly Parton made a cameo in Miss Congeniality 2: Armed And Fabulous (2005).

601. System of a Down's Mesmerize debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.

602. Howard Jones formed his first band, Warrior, in 1971.

603. CD-R technology was developed in '88.

604. Jimmy Buffett has a degree in history.

605. During the '50s, Buck Owens replaced his electrified Gibson L-7 archtop with a solidbody Fender Telecaster.

606. Roger Williams' cover of "Born Free" was a top Ten hit in 1966.

607. Taylor Swift has modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch.

608. Rod Stewart was married to model Rachel Hunter from 1990 to 2006.

609. Donna Summer was the first artist to hit No. 1 three times in a row with three double albums.

610. In the 30s and 40s the media incorrectly pronounced Artie Shaw a rival of Benny Goodman's.

611. Madonna's "Fever" was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Dance Music chart in 1993.

612. The Time released Ice Cream Castle in 1984.

613. Tommy James formed the Shondells in 1963.

614. The Fine Young Cannibals performed on Saturday Night Live in 1989 with Wayne Gretzky hosting.

615. Jungle music originated in England and consists of reggae, dub and R&B influences.

616. Trip-hop began in England and attempted to incorporate jazz, funk and soul music.

617. House music developed when DJ Frankie Knuckles played personally edited tracks customized for the dance floor.

618. Deep house music is house music sped up to the speed of disco music.

619. For 1977's Monkey Island, the J. Geils Band shortened their name to Geils.

620. Ben E. King appeared on the TV show Chicago Hope.