Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

False. Wes Montgomery's brother Buddy was not his twin; Buddy was born in 1930, seven years after Wes. Buddy was a talented musician, but he played vibraphone and piano, not guitar.

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 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 4

True or false: Wes Montgomery never learned to read standard musical notation, though he could read chord symbols.

Accepted Answer

True. He was a self-taught guitarist who played by ear, unable to read standard notation but able to interpret chord charts. He composed and improvised entirely by ear.

Question 5

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 6

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

Accepted Answer

False. It was recorded over two sessions on January 26 and 28, 1960, not in a single day.

Question 7

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 8

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.

Wes Montgomery Trivia Questions