Michael Jackson: Jackson 5 - The Motown Years Trivia

What do you know about Michael Jackson: Jackson 5 - The Motown Years? Try this Alan's FUN Rock & Roll Trivia quiz. You’ll find the answers at the bottom of the page.

1) The Motown press kit identifies unrelated band musicians Johnny Jackson and Ronnie Rancifer as cousins of The Jacksons.

• True or False?

2) Barry Gordy and Motown decide to attach the group to an established star to increase public curiosity. Who is the Motown star that would "discover" the group?

• Smokey Robinson
• Gladys Knight
• Diana Ross

3) Towards the end of August, 1969 The Jackson 5 make their first television appearance, singing The Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing" at Madison Square Garden, New York City. What was the event?

• Miss Teenage America Pageant
• Miss World Pageant
• Miss Black America Pageant

4) The Jackson 5's first single, "I Want You Back", is written and produced by four Motown songwriters and producers, besides Berry Gordy and Alphonzo Mizell, who is NOT one of the "The Corporation"?

• Deke Richards
• Freddie Perren
• Smokey Robinson

5) Most of the early Jackson 5 singles are written and produced by The Corporation, who crafted for The Jackson 5 a sound that mixes the traditional "Motown Sound" with teenage-honed lyrics. What is the term?

• "bubblegum soul"
• "rhythm aces"
• "soul parade"

6) The Jackson 5 become an instant sensation, with "I Want You Back" and its 1970 follow-ups "ABC", "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There" all going to #1 on both the Billboard Pop Singles chart and the Billboard Soul Singles (R&B) chart. Other early Top 5 hits include "Mama's Pearl" and "Never Can Say Goodbye."

• True or False?

7) "Jacksonmania" sweeps the nation, and within a year of their debut The Jackson 5 are among the biggest names in popular music. The group essentially replaces The Supremes as Motown's main marketing focus, and, capitalizes upon the youth-oriented appeal of the Jackson brothers

• True or False?

8) Animation producers Barnes/Noble produce The Jackson 5ive, a Saturday morning cartoon that debuts on September 11, 1971 and runs for two seasons on ABC.

• True or False?

9) In 1971, Motown begins a spin-off solo career for Michael, whose first single is a Top 5 hit. What is the single?

• "Got to Be There"
• "Baby I Need You"
• "Time is Forever"

The group's studio recordings is first handled by Motown's famed in-house studio band The Funk Brothers during their brief recording tenure at Hitsville and later instrumentation is played by many of the members of the Motown's Hitsville West studio band. What is the name of the Motown's Hitsville West studio band?

• The Wrecking Crew
• The Hang Tens
• The Beachcombers

Michael Jackson: Jackson 5 - The Motown Years Answers

1. True
2. Diana Ross
3. Miss Black America Pageant
4. Smokey Robinson
5. "bubblegum soul"
6. True
7. True
8. False. Animation producers Rankin/Bass produced The Jackson 5ive, a Saturday morning cartoon that debuted on September 11, 1971 and ran for two seasons on ABC.
9. "Got to Be There"
10. The Wrecking Crew

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