Elizabeth Spencer, Thomas Edison's favorite soprano, was one of the world's first major recording artists. (Smart woman making friends with the man who invented the phonograph!) Spencer recorded dozens of songs for Edison, from "Silent Night" to Gilbert and Sullivan favorites to a 1913 rendition of "I Love You, California." She also did concert tours accompanied by an Edison phonograph, defying audiences to detect a difference in quality between the live singer's voice and an Edison recording.

Which of these is among Thomas Edison's many inventions?

A) Laser

B) Talking doll

C) Windshield wiper

D) X-ray machine

Previous answer: Rick Springfield (Dr. Noah Drake from "General Hospital") is often a subject of questions in the annual KVSC trivia competition at St. Cloud State.

TRIVIA FANS: Leslie Elman is the author of "Weird But True: 200 Astounding, Outrageous and Totally Off the Wall Facts." Contact her at [email protected].