In the Name of Rock & Roll

A rock band is a hard thing to name. Some bands turn to history. Others just open the phone book. To celebrate the sixth anniversary of Rock Block, here are seven people who famously inspired the names of rock bands, much like Lynyrd Skynyrd named their band after their despised gym teacher Leonard Skinner. Can you remember the words to all seven of these legendary rock namesakes?

Lulu Hurst

publication date: Saturday, September 12, 2020

category: Illusions

clue: This illusionist from a southern U.S. state had a brief but wonderful career demonstrating feats of strength on stage.

explanation: Hurst performed as the "Georgia Wonder," pretending to perform impossible acts of strength. more…

intended difficulty: very hard

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates

Gretna VanFleet

publication date: Friday, September 11, 2020

category: Music

clue: She's a bluegrass musician who plays the piano, organ, dulcimer, and violin, but she's far more famous in rock & roll as the family friend who inspired the name of a 2010s band before they blew up in popularity and left small-town Michigan behind.

explanation: VanFleet inspired the name of the band Greta Van Fleet. more…

intended difficulty: hard

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, Erik Bates, and Ryan Case

John "Dropkick" Murphy

publication date: Thursday, September 10, 2020

category: Medicine

clue: His wrestling career gave him his violent nickname, but this medical doctor spent much of his life devoted to helping alcoholics at his Massachusetts facility, who needed a place to get sober before rehab existed.

intended difficulty: medium

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, Erik Bates, Ryan Case, and Josh Biederman

player landmarks: This was the first goo solved by Josh Biederman.

Jethro Tull

publication date: Wednesday, September 9, 2020

category: Inventions

clue: This British agriculturalist invented a horse-drawn seed drill and a horse-drawn hoe, revolutionizing the industry.

intended difficulty: easy

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Richard Slominsky, Denise Sawicki, Erik Bates, and Ryan Case

Molly Hatchet

publication date: Tuesday, September 8, 2020

category: Paranormal

clue: The South still tells stories about a ghost who decapitates her male victims, based on a real story from the 1800s of a prostitute who murdered her client with a particular weapon.

intended difficulty: medium

solved by: Russ Wilhelm, Steve West, LaVonne Lemler, Samir Mehta, Chris Lemler, Denise Sawicki, and Erik Bates