Concert Industry History Test

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  • 1/50 Questions

    What on their resume do David Geffen, Barry Diller and Gary Bongiovanni have in common?

    • Degree from a prestigious college
    • Worked in William Morris mailroom
    • Have multiple recording or film credits
    • A pilot’s license
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About This Quiz







In celebration of Pollstar's 30 Year Anniversary we invite you to test your knowledge of concert industry history with the following 50 questions.

Concert Industry History Test - Quiz

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  • 2. 

    Which of the following have strong close relationships today?

    • Randy Phillips and HITS magazine

    • Irving Azoff and Don Felder

    • Marek Lieberberg and Germany’s Live Entertainment Awards

    • None of the above

    Correct Answer
    A. None of the above
    Explanation
    No, apparently we can’t all just get along.

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  • 3. 

    Don Arden’s daughter manages which artist?

    • Peter Framptom

    • Joni Mitchell

    • Ozzy Osbourne

    • Billy Corgan

    Correct Answer
    A. Ozzy Osbourne
    Explanation
    Arden was manager of Black Sabbath and other major English acts. When Ozzy left the group, Arden’s daughter, a wallflower then named Sharon Levy, took it upon herself to manage the wayward soul before marrying him.

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  • 4. 

    Which contemporary act first had the cojones to charge over $100 per ticket on its 1994 tour?

    • Pink Floyd

    • The Rolling Stones

    • Eagles

    • The Jacksons

    Correct Answer
    A. Eagles
    Explanation
    And we, to say nothing of Irving, have never looked back.

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  • 5. 

    Why didn’t Elvis tour outside the United States?

    • He would not fly on airplanes

    • Colonel Tom Parker didn’t have a passport

    • It would have been un-American

    • Very little demand by overseas fans

    Correct Answer
    A. Colonel Tom Parker didn’t have a passport
    Explanation
    It’s speculated, but Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, was a potential person of interest in a murder there, and he feared deportation if U.S. Customs asked questions.

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  • 6. 

    Which booking agent first established a network of local concert promoters specializing in rock music?

    • Dick Clark

    • Freddie Fields

    • Frank Barsalona

    • Jeff Franklin

    Correct Answer
    A. Frank Barsalona
    Explanation
    There was once a time when you weren’t a successful rock promoter unless “Frank” handpicked you and gave you a market to call your own.

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  • 7. 

    Which company became synonymous with remote control moving theatrical lights?

    • Daktronics

    • Vari-Lite

    • PAR Excellence

    • Alert-O-Lite

    Correct Answer
    A. Vari-Lite
    Explanation
    Remember those Van Halen tours with 1,000 lights up in the truss because each one could only do one color and focus on one place? The Texas-based company, with financing from the band Genesis, changed all of that.

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  • 8. 

    Which of the following is NOT true?

    • The very first music agent to join Tom Ross at CAA was Hal Lazareff

    • Ben Liss was the first executive director of the North American Concert Promoters Assoc.

    • Chip Hooper was an agent at the Good Music Agency in Excelsior, Minnesota

    • Neil Warnock has never represented Pink Floyd

    Correct Answer
    A. Neil Warnock has never represented Pink Floyd
    Explanation
    Anyone who knows Neil is aware that he has had a very long association with one of the greatest bands of our time.

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  • 9. 

    One-time country music powerhouse The Jim Halsey Company was originally based in which city?

    • Wichita

    • Atlanta

    • Tulsa

    • Dallas

    Correct Answer
    A. Tulsa
    Explanation
    Halsey’s roster included Roy Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba, James Brown, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings and many more before he sold his company to William Morris in 1990.

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  • 10. 

    Rob Light was promoted to agent after convincing which struggling client to cancel its tour?

    • Bay City Rollers

    • Strawberry Alarm Clock

    • Rick Astley

    • Starland Vocal Band

    Correct Answer
    A. Bay City Rollers
    Explanation
    As an assistant to Terry Rhodes, Rob Light was sent on the road and told not to come back until he persuaded the band that it would have a brighter future if it stopped burying promoters on its current tour.

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  • 11. 

    Which one of the following is NOT true?

    • Performance Magazine ceased publication back in the 1990s

    • Donald Tarlton is the duck behind Donald K. Donald

    • There was never an agent named William Morris at WMA

    • UK agent John Jackson of K2 Agency does not want his artist roster published

    Correct Answer
    A. There was never an agent named William Morris at WMA
    Explanation
    False. A German Jewish immigrant, William Morris went into business as a vaudeville agent in New York in 1898.

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  • 12. 

    Jon Landau’s occupation before he met Bruce Springsteen was:

    • Record producer

    • Journalist

    • Session player

    • Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man

    Correct Answer
    A. Journalist
    Explanation
    Landau can be found in the very first issue of Rolling Stone and, in a 1974 article in The Real Paper, he wrote, “I saw rock and roll’s future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.”

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  • 13. 

    For many years the Felt Forum was part of which venue complex?

    • Royal Albert Hall

    • Caesars Palace

    • The Fabulous Forum

    • Madison Square Garden

    Correct Answer
    A. Madison Square Garden
    Explanation
    When the current version of MSG opened in 1968, the adjoining theatre was named after president Irving Felt where it was frequently used for boxing matches.

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  • 14. 

    Which “Dancing With The Stars” participant lost millions of dollars producing concert festivals?

    • Mark Cuban

    • Michael Lang

    • Don King

    • Steve Wozniak

    Correct Answer
    A. Steve Wozniak
    Explanation
    The Apple Computer co-founder funded the two huge US festivals in a barren park in Devore, Calif., in 1982 and ’83. The talent lineups put together by Bill Graham one year, and Barry Fey the next, were legendary as was the overhead.

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  • 15. 

    WME’s Peter Grosslight, Marc Geiger and Don Muller first worked together at which agency?

    • William Morris Agency

    • Rob Kahane Management

    • Triad Artists

    • Richard Rosenberg Agency

    Correct Answer
    A. Triad Artists
    Explanation
    The trio had so much success with building the music department that staid old William Morris bought the company to get its savvy agents and hot roster.

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  • 16. 

    Bill Graham first got his start in show business by being the business manager for which act?

    • Jefferson Airplane

    • San Francisco Mime Troupe

    • The Warlocks

    • Andre The Giant

    Correct Answer
    A. San Francisco Mime Troupe
    Explanation
    The troupe, by the way, was fronted by a young actor named Peter Coyote.

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  • 17. 

    What was the first major U.K. booking agency to successfully establish an office in the U.S.?

    • Helter Skelter

    • The Agency Group

    • International Famous Agency

    • William Morris Agency

    Correct Answer
    A. The Agency Group
    Explanation
    After years of watching U.S. agencies open London offices, Neil Warnock hired Steve Martin to open a counteroffensive in Gotham.

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  • 18. 

    Who was Irving Azoff’s first management client?

    • Wendy Waldman

    • REO Speedwagon

    • Dan Fogelberg

    • Tim Weisberg

    Correct Answer
    A. Dan Fogelberg
    Explanation
    Azoff began by promoting REO Speedwagon, a popular local act in central Illinois. He then discovered Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign student Fogelberg (Azoff was an alumnus) playing at coffeehouses and became his manager.

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  • 19. 

    Wolfgang Grajonca was once the dominant concert promoter in which market?

    • Warsaw

    • Buffalo

    • San Francisco

    • Vienna

    Correct Answer
    A. San Francisco
    Explanation
    Wolodia "Wolfgang" Grajonca, after emigrating from Berlin, changed his name to Bill Graham, a similar-sounding surname found in the New York phonebook.

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  • 20. 

    Jules & Mike Belkin originally operated which kind of family owned business in Cleveland?

    • Boxing promotion

    • Men's clothing

    • The kind you don’t ask about

    • Pizza joint

    Correct Answer
    A. Men's clothing
    Explanation
    The Belkins worked for their father's clothing business. Mike ran a store in Ashtabula, Ohio, and the owner began using big-band shows in a nearby ballroom to promote the stores. Mike was asked to take over booking.

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  • 21. 

    Who is the Little Big Man?

    • Irving Azoff

    • Mo Ostin

    • Marty Diamond

    • Nils Lofgren

    Correct Answer
    A. Marty Diamond
    Explanation
    Before he merged with Paradigm, Diamond’s Little Big Man agency was named after the 1970 Dustin Hoffman / Faye Dunaway movie, one of Marty’s favorites.

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  • 22. 

    Former Florida-based promoters Jack Utsick and Lou Pearlman have what in common?

    • Charles Ponzi’s investment formula

    • Both are in jail

    • Are in witness protection

    • Enjoyed Carnivale in Rio this year

    Correct Answer
    A. Charles Ponzi’s investment formula
    Explanation
    Pearlman, the boy band mogul who allegedly swindled some $300 million from investors, is in the hoosegow for up to 25 years. Utsick, head of Worldwide Entertainment, was a major promoter until his trail of debts resulted in a move to Brazil, which has no extradition treaty.

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  • 23. 

    Who was NOT one of the trio of concert promoters that produced Live Aid?

    • Bill Graham

    • Harvey Goldsmith

    • Michael Cohl

    • Larry Magid

    Correct Answer
    A. Michael Cohl
    Explanation
    Larry Magid and Bill Graham produced the show in Philadelphia while Harvey Goldsmith did the honors at Wembley.

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  • 24. 

    IFA and CMA merged to form which booking agency?

    • Triad Artists

    • International Creative Management

    • MCA

    • Agency For The Performing Arts

    Correct Answer
    A. International Creative Management
    Explanation
    The merger of International Famous Agency and Creative Management Associates took place in 1975.

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  • 25. 

    John Scher first established himself as a promoter with a regular series of shows at which venue?

    • Stone Pony in Asbury Park

    • Capitol Theatre in Passaic

    • The Limelight in NYC

    • Rutgers Fieldhouse in New Brunswick

    Correct Answer
    A. Capitol Theatre in Passaic
    Explanation
    Scher began his career with a steady stream of shows at what was once a must-play rock venue in New Jersey.

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  • 26. 

    Needed or not, the standard '70s AFM contract form required promoters to supply what?

    • Water for the performers

    • Grand piano

    • A carton of cigs for the stagehands

    • Safety railings for the stage

    Correct Answer
    A. Grand piano
    Explanation
    Few people ever turned over the back of the AFM contract form to read all the boilerplate fine print, one of which specified the buyer had to supply the piano.

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  • 27. 

    Who has hosted the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards the most times?

    • Bobcat Goldthwait

    • Elayne Boosler

    • Lewis Black

    • Dan Aykroyd

    Correct Answer
    A. Lewis Black
    Explanation
    Anyone who has the balls to wag his finger at concert execs and call them pricks will get a lot of curtain calls. In this case four of them, not counting his surprise appearance when Kathleen Madigan hosted.

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  • 28. 

    Which promoter bailed Ozzy Osbourne out of jail after he urinated near the Alamo?

    • Louis Messina

    • Louie Gavrel

    • Jack Orbin

    • Don Fox

    Correct Answer
    A. Jack Orbin
    Explanation
    Stone City Attractions' Jack Orbin promoted Osbourne’s show in San Antonio, where Ozzy made the mistake of bragging about the incident onstage.

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  • 29. 

    Pollstar's Gary Smith once toured the world with which band?

    • Average White Band

    • Redbone

    • Quicksilver Messenger Service

    • Cannibal & The Headhunters

    Correct Answer
    A. Average White Band
    Explanation
    Smitty is still available for tour consulting, if you have a lot of time to hear the stories about his days with the Scottish band.

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  • 30. 

    Miramax founder Harvey Weinstein was once a major concert promoter in which city?

    • Cannes

    • New York City

    • Chicago

    • Buffalo

    Correct Answer
    A. Buffalo
    Explanation
    Before Harvey Weinstein was a movie mogul, he was “Harvey” of Harvey & Corky Productions, where he promoted concerts with his brother Bob and partner Corky Burger.

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  • 31. 

    Which concert promotion company was the first to be purchased by SFX?

    • Sunshine Promotions

    • Don Law Co.

    • Delsener Slater

    • Contemporary Productions

    Correct Answer
    A. Delsener Slater
    Explanation
    Wall Street impresario Robert F.X. Sillerman started the concert roll-up on his home turf by making a deal for NYC’s biggest promoter.

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  • 32. 

    Which agent and former agency association is NOT correct?

    • Andy Somers and Bandwagon

    • Jon Podell and Willard Alexander Agency

    • Nick Caris and Diversified Management Agency

    • John Huie and Premier Talent Agency

    Correct Answer
    A. John Huie and Premier Talent Agency
    Explanation
    Huie signed Amy Grant in 1984 and had his own NYC agency before joining CAA’s Nashville office in 1992.

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  • 33. 

    Who started in the concert business by winning seed money for a bar in a poker game?

    • Jack Boyle

    • Frank J. Russo

    • Marcel Avram

    • Arny Granat

    Correct Answer
    A. Jack Boyle
    Explanation
    Boyle bought a part of Old Mac’s Bar in Georgetown with $1,100 he won in a poker game. From there he went on to buy and sell several Washington, D.C., properties on his way to building the Cellar Door empire.

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  • 34. 

    Which person has never worked as an executive at Radio City Music Hall?

    • Ed Micone

    • Bob Gutkowski

    • Scott Sanders

    • Tim Leiweke

    Correct Answer
    A. Tim Leiweke
    Explanation
    Lots of people have worked at Radio City over the years but the president of AEG got his start in the Midwest back in 1981 by managing the Kansas City Comets.

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  • 35. 

    Tila Tequila and Charlie Sheen have both been pelted and booed off the stage at which annual event?

    • Burning Man

    • Gathering Of The Juggalos

    • New Orleans Jazz Festival

    • Glastonbury

    Correct Answer
    A. Gathering Of The Juggalos
    Explanation
    Funny, you’d think the followers of Insane Clown Posse would be more accepting of popular trends.

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  • 36. 

    Which of the following is NOT true?

    • William Morris was the first full-service agency to successfully open a Nashville office

    • In the 1970s the Telex was used to confirm booking offers between agents and promoters

    • Jerry Mickelson and Peter Luukko testified in the congressional TM / LN merger hearings

    • Fred Rosen was the original founder and CEO of Ticketmaster

    Correct Answer
    A. Fred Rosen was the original founder and CEO of Ticketmaster
    Explanation
    TM began in the ’70s with grad student Albert Leffler and computer exec Gordon Gunn, but it was Rosen and his venue-friendly model that came along later and changed the ticketing landscape.

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  • 37. 

    Which of the following is NOT true?

    • Don Fox named his promotion company after a buck-toothed animal

    • Kevin Morrow was once the booking agent for Charlie Musselwhite

    • Glastonbury producer Michael Eavis actually makes his money as a hedge fund manager

    • Actress Courteney Cox worked as a secretary for Ian Copeland at FBI

    Correct Answer
    A. Glastonbury producer Michael Eavis actually makes his money as a hedge fund manager
    Explanation
    Far from investing services, Eavis spends most of the year as a dairy farmer although he might tend the hedge rows around the farm.

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  • 38. 

    Which of the following is NOT true?

    • Rod Essig was an agent at Variety Artists International in Minneapolis

    • UK agent Carl Leighton-Pope was once a member of the Vienna Boys Choir

    • People thought Dan Weiner and Fred Bohlander were crazy to start an agency in Monterey

    • Pollstar first began publishing a digital edition in 1985

    Correct Answer
    A. UK agent Carl Leighton-Pope was once a member of the Vienna Boys Choir
    Explanation
    We don’t know whether he can sing or not, or would even be allowed into Austria, but Carl has never behaved like a choir boy. (PS: Promoters On-Line Listings WAS digital in 1985. Tour managers could access it, through the Dialcom network, on their Tandy TRS-80 computers with 40-character screens.)

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  • 39. 

    What NY agency used to throw legendary parties in their office during the New Music Seminar?

    • American Talent International

    • William Morris Agency

    • Frontier Booking International

    • International Talent Group

    Correct Answer
    A. Frontier Booking International
    Explanation
    It was push the desks against the walls and lock up the phones as the FBI offices became sardine city for NMS delegates. Ian must have loved the smell of stale beer on the Monday morning after.

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  • 40. 

    The first year that the Rolling Stones used two-tiered ticket pricing on a U.S. tour was:

    • 1989

    • 1994

    • 1997

    • 1999

    Correct Answer
    A. 1994
    Explanation
    Boy, did that experiment fail. We’ve never done anything like that again.

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  • 41. 

    Who took over running the music department after ICM bought ATI?

    • Tom Ross

    • Bill Elson

    • Shelly Schultz

    • Norby Walters

    Correct Answer
    A. Bill Elson
    Explanation
    He was the head of ATI when ICM bought the company to try and revitalize itself after Tom Ross had left with many acts and agents to start the CAA music department.

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  • 42. 

    Which of the following is true?

    • Australian promoter Michael Gudinski has an affinity for Mushrooms

    • Germany is the third biggest concert market in Europe

    • Back in the day, having lots of deadwood after a show was a good thing

    • Michael Cohl started in show business as a Broadway producer

    Correct Answer
    A. Australian promoter Michael Gudinski has an affinity for Mushrooms
    Explanation
    Gudinski formed Mushroom Records in 1972 and built a roster that included Kylie Minogue and Split Enz. He sold it in the '90s but still has interests in Mushroom Music Publishing and Pictures.

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  • 43. 

    What giant Minnesota-based corporation owned Ticketron?

    • 3M

    • Control Data

    • IBM

    • Hyatt Hotels

    Correct Answer
    A. Control Data
    Explanation
    In 1969, Control Data bought 51 percent of Ticket Reservations Systems, changed the name to Ticketron and emphasized its computer capabilities.

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  • 44. 

    Which sports team changed owners because of The Jacksons' Victory Tour?

    • Toronto Argonauts

    • New England Patriots

    • Los Angeles Dodgers

    • Detroit Pistons

    Correct Answer
    A. New England Patriots
    Explanation
    The tour was promoted by Chuck Sullivan, son of New England Patriots owner Bill Sullivan. He guaranteed to pay the act for every ticket, sold or not, and failed to cap tour expenses in what was probably the worst deal in history.

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  • 45. 

    What Ruthless rock agent reinvented himself as an early champion of hard core rap music?

    • Morris Levy

    • Jerry Heller

    • Suge Knight

    • Lyor Cohen

    Correct Answer
    A. Jerry Heller
    Explanation
    Tales of Heller’s transition from Mickey Rooney’s agent to a West Coast rap impresario with NWA can be found in his book “Ruthless.”

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  • 46. 

    Which U.S. company first pioneered a summer circuit of large outdoor amphitheatres?

    • SFX Entertainment

    • Nederlander

    • Pace Concerts

    • MCA Concerts

    Correct Answer
    A. Nederlander
    Explanation
    Pace and MCA Concerts knew the importance of owning their own buildings but Nederlander first championed the outdoor stage circuit in the ’70s, booking Pine Knob, Poplar Creek, Merriweather Post and the Greek Theatre.

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  • 47. 

    The first House Of Blues club was built in which city?

    • Los Angeles

    • London

    • Cambridge

    • Las Vegas

    Correct Answer
    A. Cambridge
    Explanation
    It has since closed, but HoB launched in 1992 in Harvard Square with the financing of Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, Aerosmith, Paul Shaffer and Harvard University, among others.

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  • 48. 

    Before SFX came along, which major promoter was the first to attempt going public with an IPO?

    • Sunshine Promotions

    • Pace Concerts

    • Bill Graham Presents

    • Tea Party Concerts

    Correct Answer
    A. Sunshine Promotions
    Explanation
    Dave Lucas’ and Steve Sybesma’s Indianapolis-based company was expected to issue a million shares of common stock and $23 million in secured notes in 1994 but the deal never materialized.

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  • 49. 

    Which venue executives did NOT begin their careers in Monroe, Louisiana?

    • Mike McGee and Sydney Greenblatt

    • Rick Reno and Obie Webster

    • Neal Gunn and Alan Freeman

    • Michael Marion and Todd Hunt

    Correct Answer
    A. Michael Marion and Todd Hunt
    Explanation
    Both got their starts in Tupelo. Unbelievably for such a small market, the other six all began their careers in Monroe.

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  • Mar 20, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Sep 27, 2011
    Quiz Created by
    Pollstar
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