Question 1

True or false: Wes Montgomery taught himself guitar by ear, never taking formal lessons.

Accepted Answer

True. He was largely self-taught, learning by listening to records and playing along, developing his unique thumb-picking style.

Question 2

True or false: Wes Montgomery died tragically in a plane crash at the age of 45.

Accepted Answer

False. He died of a heart attack in 1968 at age 45, while at home in Indianapolis, not in a plane crash.

Question 3

True or false: Wes Montgomery never learned to read music fluently, relying solely on his ear.

Accepted Answer

True. He could read guitar chord charts but not standard notation, composing and improvising entirely by ear.

Question 4

True or false: Wes Montgomery's twin brother, Buddy, was also a famous jazz guitarist.

Accepted Answer

False. He had two older brothers, Monk and Buddy, but Buddy played vibraphone and piano, not guitar.

Question 5

True or false: Wes Montgomery often used a pick in his early career before switching to his thumb.

Accepted Answer

False. He always played with his thumb, even on his earliest recordings, making it his lifelong trademark.

Question 6

True or false: Wes Montgomery was the first jazz guitarist to win a Grammy Award.

Accepted Answer

True. He won a Grammy in 1967 for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance for 'Goin' Out of My Head'.

Question 7

True or false: Wes Montgomery's signature thumb-picking technique was due to a nerve injury from a previous job.

Accepted Answer

False. He simply preferred the softer sound of his thumb over a pick; no nerve injury caused it.

Question 8

True or false: Wes Montgomery's album 'The Incredible Jazz Guitar' was recorded in a single day.

Accepted Answer

True. Recorded on January 26, 1960, this landmark album was completed in one marathon session.

Wes Montgomery Trivia Questions