Play this week's Big Tree Bowl: Super Bowl Performers Connections Checkers

+24 votes
3.5k views

This week's Connection Checkers game is a Super Bowl special. Welcome to the Big Tree Bowl!

To play, first see which of these Super Bowl anthem and halftime show performers is closest to you on our Big Tree

Second, attempt to verify your connection to one of them. Ask for help if you fumble. This is a competition, but that's just for fun. We're really all on the same team.

In seven days (February 11), three players will be entered in the Connection Checkers Hall of Fame as Big Tree Bowl winners:

  1. The player who has the shortest verified path to one of the connections.
  2. The player who has the longest verified path to one of the connections.
  3. The player who verifies the most individual connection steps for themselves and by helping others. [current scores]

Please join us, even if you don't know where to begin. Start by simply posting an answer below saying which connection you'll try to verify. Then post updates as comments on your answer. [more information]

P.S. At the same time, you could participate in this week's special Black History Month collaboration on connections for Prince. Or you might want to help us prepare for next week's Acadian Heritage feature.

ago in The Tree House by Abby Glann G2G6 Pilot (829k points)
edited ago by Abby Glann

Here are the winners for last week's Lunar New Year Connection Checkers Game:

  1. Shortest path verified: Judith Fry and Joshua Bledsoe both to  Valerie June (Carter) Cash (13 Steps)
  2. Longest path verified:  Kari (Nilsen) Undbekken to Thelonious Sphere Monk   (32 Steps)
  3. Most steps verified:  Jean (Hannaford) Paradis (68 Steps)

26 Answers

+13 votes
This week I am 18º from Dan Ackroyd and Chris Stapleton.  And 30º from Whitney Houston.  I want to work on them all.

Updt:  I verified Dan Ackroyd the shortest way at 18º.
ago by Lyn Young G2G6 Mach 5 (55.9k points)
edited ago by Lyn Young
+12 votes
Tom Petty is a whopping 21 degrees from Richard Petty. I was hoping they were close cousins but I guess I don't know how that feels. I'm only 16 degrees from Tom and 20 from Dusty Hill and Garth. Glad to know I'm related to the great Hank and Bobby Hill.
ago by Thomas Luter G2G3 (3.7k points)
+14 votes
my connections are -

Prince Nelson 28 degrees

Dan Ackroyd 24

Garth Brooks 24

Chubby Checker 27

Ella Fitzgerald 29

Dusty Hill 21 * closest

Whitney Houston 38

Mick Jagger 22

Paul McCartney 26

Tom Petty 24

Chris Stapleton 26

Shania Twain 26

I will try to verify my closer connections.
ago by David Moss G2G6 Pilot (676k points)
+13 votes
16° Dusty Hill
17° Chris Stapleton (possible 8th cousin, will verify)
17° Tom Petty
18° Mick Jagger
19° Garth Brooks
21° Ella Fitzgerald
22° Dan Aykroyd
23° Paul McCartney
24° Shania Twain
25° Prince Nelson
29° Chubby Checker
32° Whitney Houston

Will try and verify the direct relationship with Chris Stapleton. And, for fun, will try and verify Mick Jagger - husband has been a Stones fan since they came out. If I have time, will verify Dusty Hill. Intrigued by the close connection. Should be a busy week.
ago by Debra Akin G2G6 Mach 5 (53.0k points)
+13 votes
I'll try Chris Stapleton first since it's the closest, and the connection is all blood relationship. It may be a no-go though, as there are some sketchy bits in there.

17 degrees from Chris Stapleton (8th cousin)
19 degrees from Dusty Hill
19 degrees from Tom Petty
21 degrees from Garth Brooks
21 degrees from Mick Jagger
21 degrees from Paul McCartney
22 degrees from Dan Aykroyd
23 degrees from Ella Fitzgerald
23 degrees from Shania Twain
24 degrees from Prince Nelson
28 degrees from Chubby Checker
30 degrees from Whitney Houston
ago by Steve Hatchett G2G6 Mach 5 (57.0k points)
+13 votes
l Am 22 degrees from Mick Jagger

26 degrees from Tom Petty (my 27th cousins three times removed.

26 degrees from Garth Brooks (my 27th cousins twice removed).

26 degrees from Dusty Hill (my 27th cousins twice removed).

26 degrees from Chris Stapleton (my 23rd cousins 6 times removed).

27 degrees from Dan Aykroyd.

28 degrees from Shania Twain.

29 degrees from Ella Fitzgerald.

29 degrees from Paul McCartney.

30 degrees from Prince Nelson.

35 degrees from Chubby Checker.

38 degrees from Whitney Houston.
ago by Kari Undbekken G2G6 Pilot (105k points)
#                 #                 #                #                 #                #

 I will verify my logest connection this week , as is Whitney Houston with 38 Degrees.

0. Whitney Elisabeth Houston (1963 - 2012).

1. her father: John Russel Houston (1920 - 2003).

2. his mother: Sarah Elisabeth (Collins) Houston (1895 - ca.1986).

3. her mother: Sarah Elisabeth (Sanderson) Collins (1862 - 1959).

4. her brother: William Nell Sanderson (1849 - 1922).

5. his son: William Peyton Sanderson (1876 - 1960).

6. his daughter: Vivian Isabelle (Sanderson) Oreilly (1909 - 1961).

7. Private.

8. Their husband: Clarence Malvik (1930s - 2000s).

9. Private.

10. their husband: Lee Ackley (1930s - 2010s).

11. his father: Claude Cecil Ackley (1898 - 1974)

12. his father: Charles Newton Ackley (ca.1872 - 1950).

13. his father: John Ackley (1845 - 1933).

14. his father: George Edward Ackley (ca.1803 - 1952).

15. his father: John Breintnall Ackley (1753 - 1827).

16. his mother: Elisabeth (Breintnall) Ackley (1731 - 1808).

17. her mother: Hannah (Sharp) Brientnann (1707 - 1770).

18. her sister: Rebecca (Sharpe) Lippincott (ca.1705 - ).

19. her husband: William Coate (bef.1702 - 1749).

20. his sister: Edith (Coate) Newbold (1705 - 1777).

21. her husband: Thomas Newbold (1701 - 1741) (my 26th cousins three times removed).

22. his sister: Sarah (Newbold) Boude (1700 - 1780) (my 26th cousins three times removed).

23. her son: Joseph Boude (1740 - 1811) (my 27th cousins twice removed).

24. his daughter: Sarah Duncan (Boude) Work (1790 - 1860) (my 28th cousins once removed).

25. her son: Frank Work (1819 - 1911) (my 29th cousins).

26. his daughter: Lucy Bond Work (1861 - 1934) (my 28th cousins once removed).

27. her husband: Peter Cooper Hewitt (1861 - 1921) (my 26th cousins once removed).

28. his wife: Marion Jeanne (Andrews) Hewitt (1881 - 1939).

29. her husband: Peder Sather Bruguiere (1875 - 1967) (my third cousins twice removed).

30. his mother: Josephine Frederikke Sather (1845 - 1915) (my second cousins three times removed).

31. her father: Peder (Pedersen) Sather (1810 - 1886) (my first cousins four times removed).

32. his father: Peder Larsen Sæter (1768 - 1817) (l am his third great grand niece).

33. his brother: Lars Larsen (Sæter) Vettal (1774 - 1840) (my third great grandfather).

34. his daughter: Anne Larsdatter (Vettal) (1799 - 1875) (my second great grandmother).

35. her son: Anton Gunerius Gulbrandsen (my great grandfather).

36. his daughter: Thea (my gradmother).

37. her son: Odd (my father).

38. his daughter:  Me  -     Kari (Nilsen-785) U.
#                 #                #                #                #                #

My shortest connection to verify this week is Mick Jagger. 22 Degrees

0 Mick Jagger (1940s - ).

1. his wife: Jerry Hall (1950s - ).

2. her husband: Rubert Murdock AC KCSG (1930s - ) (my 26th cousins once removed).

3. his daughter: Elisabeth Murdock (1960s - ) (my 27th cousins).

4. her husband: Matthew Freud (1960s - ).

5. Private person.

6. Their husband: Charles Spencer DL (1960s - ) (my 21st cousins twice removed).

7. his mother: Frances Ruth (Roche) Shand Kydd (1936 - 2004) (my 23rd cousins once removed).

8. her father: (Edmund) Maurice Burke Roche (1885 - 1955) (my 24th cousins three times removed).

9. his mother: Frances Eleanor (Work) Roche (1857 - 1947) (my 28th cousins once removed).

10. her sister: Lucy Bond Work (1861 - 1934) (my 28th cousins once removed).

11. her husband: Peter Cooper Hewitt (1861 - 1921) (my 26th cousins once removed).

12. his wife: Marion Jeanne (Andrews) Hewitt (1881 - 1939).

13. her husband: Peder Sather Bruguiere (1875 - 1967) (my third cousins twice removed).

14. his mother:  Josephine Frederikke Sather (1845 - 1915) (my second cousins three times removed).

15. her father: Peder (Pedersen) Sather (1810 - 1886) (my first cousins four times removed).

16. his father: Peder (Larsen) Sæter (1768 - 1817) (I am his third great grand niece).

17. his brother: Lars Larsen (Sæter) Vettal (1774 - 1840) (my third great grandfather).

18. his daughter: Anne Larsdatter (Vettal) (1799 - 1875) (my second great grandmother).

19. her son: Anton Gunerius Gulbrandsen (my great grandfather).

20. his daughter: Thea (my grandmother).

21. her son: Odd (my father).

22. his daughter:  Me -    Kari (Nilsen-785) U.

7.
+12 votes

Happy February! Here is this week's roster of potential connections:

16 degrees from Dan Aykroyd

17 degrees from Tom Petty

17 degrees from Shania Twain

18 degrees from Chris Stapleton

19 degrees from Paul McCartney

20 degrees from Dusty Hill

21 degrees from Garth Brooks

22 degrees from Mick Jagger

23 degrees from Prince Nelson

25 degrees from Ella Fitzgerald

28 degrees from Chubby Checker

28 degrees from Whitney Houston

Dan Aykroyd was proven a few months back. I'll pop back in with my next round pick.smiley Tuesday evening update- I'll be working on a 25 degree path from Ella Fitzgerald. Not shortest or longest, but looks really interesting.cool

ago by Jean Paradis G2G6 Mach 7 (75.9k points)
edited ago by Jean Paradis

Here is a 25 degree path from me to Ella Fitzgerald. It is actually a 17 degree path to Patricia Arquette, then through Nicholas Cage and the Coppolas to Ella's husband Raymond Brown. There is not a good record linking #12 and his son #13: however, they were living in the same small town in Ohio in 1850, and "Finding Your Roots" seems to have vetted the connection. From Patricia to Ella is public knowledge.

0: Jean Hannaford

1: = Anonymous Paradis (her husband)

2: ↑ Rita Dumais (his mother)

3: ↑ Leo Dumais (her father)

4: ↑ Azylda St Jules (his mother)

5: ↑ Catherine Plamondon (her mother)

6: ↑ Josephte Legros (her mother)

7: ↑ Joseph Legros (her father)

8: ↑ Marie Anne Gignac (his mother)

9: ↑ Antoine Gignac (her father)

10: ↔ Angélique Chayer (his sister)

11: ↓ Alexis Arcouet (her son)

12: ↓ Peter Arcouette (his son)

13: ↓ Charles Arquette (his son)

14: ↓ Charles Arquette (his son)

15: ↓ Clifford Arquette (his son)

16: ↓ Lewis Arquette (his son)

17: ↓ Patricia Arquette (his daughter)

18: = Nicolas Coppola (her husband)

19: ↑ August Coppola (his father)

20: ↑ Carmine Coppola (his father)

21: ↔ Anton Coppola (his brother)

22: ↓ Susan Coppola (his daughter)

23:  private

24: ↑ Raymond Brown (their father)

25: = Ella Fitzgerald (his wife)

+13 votes
An interesting assortment this week!

18    Garth Brooks [Michael Burns McClanahan]
18    Chris Stapleton [Ridley Brownlow Thomas]
19    Dan Aykroyd [Benjamin Spencer]
19    Dusty Hill [Myrtle Worsham Gorbet]
19    Tom Petty [Christina Lykins Robeson]
20    Shania Twain [Francois Bissonette]
22    Sir Mick Jagger [Jane Trimble Evans]
22    Sir Paul McCartney [Priscilla Carpenter Vincent; I have her father as William]
24    Ella Fitzgerald [Deborah Sell]
24    Prince [William Alonzo Wilson]
27    Chubby Checker [Peter Mauzy]
29    Whitney Houston [George Franklin Allen]
ago by P J Evans G2G6 Mach 4 (41.7k points)
+14 votes

Ancestors and Cousins:

15 degrees - Chris Stapleton - (11C, 2xR)
19 degrees - Garth Brooks - (19C)
20 degrees - Tom Petty - (19C, 1xR)
20 degrees - Dusty Hill - (21C, 3xR)

Connections:

16 degrees - Dan Aykroyd
19 degrees - Shania Twain
22 degrees - Sir Paul McCartney
23 degrees - Ella Fitzgerald
24 degrees - Sir Mick Jagger
25 degrees - Prince
27 degrees - Chubby Checker
29 degrees - Whitney Houston

ago by Shonda Feather G2G6 Pilot (527k points)
+11 votes
Relatives:

Chris Stapleton - 19 degrees (17C1R)

Garth Brooks - 20 degrees (19C)

Dusty Hill - 20 degrees (20C)

Tommy Petty - 21 degrees (20C)

Connections:

Dan Ackroyd - 20 degrees

Mick Jagger - 20 degrees

Paul McCartney - 21 degrees

Shania Twain - 24 degrees

Ella Fitzgerald - 25 degrees

Prince - 25 degrees

Chubby Checker - 29 degrees

Whitney Houston - 29 degrees
ago by Roger Stong G2G Astronaut (1.8m points)
+12 votes
16 degrees from Chris Stapleton. 9C2XsR.

18 degrees from Garth Brooks.10C.

18 degrees from Dusty Hill. 8C1XsR.

19 degrees from Tom Petty. 16C1XsR.

21 degrees from Dan Ackroyd.

21 degrees from Mick Jagger.

23 degrees from Ella Fitzgerald.

23 degrees from Paul McCartney.

23 degrees from Shania Twain.

25 degrees from Chubby Checker.

26 degrees from Prince.

31 degrees from Whitney Houston.
ago by Frank Blankenship G2G6 Pilot (168k points)
*** Done 1 ***
0. Chris Stapleton.

1. Herbert Stapleton (his father)

2. Herbert Stapleton (his father)

3. Charles Stapleton (his father)

4. Nerva Kimbler (his mother)

5. Taylor Kimbler (her brother)

6. Kiziah Clark (his wife)

7. Lewis Clark (her father)

8. David Clark (his father)

9. Cassandra Philpot (his mother)

10. Sally Philpot (her sister)

11. William Reynolds (her son)\

12. Elizabeth Blair (his wife)

13.  Samuel Blair (her brother)

14. John Blair (his son)

15. Irene Blair (his daughter)

16. Frank Blankenship (her son)
+10 votes
*** Done 2.***
ago by Frank Blankenship G2G6 Pilot (168k points)
edited ago by Frank Blankenship
+11 votes
Cousins and Ancestors:

18 Degrees Garth Brooks, Brooks-7287, 10c, 2r, Mrca(s) Riddlesdale-1, French-103

18 Degrees Chris Stapleton, Stapleton-1620, 12c, 2r, Mrca(s) Unknown-286435, Wheeler-1039

20 Degrees Tom Petty, Petty-1831, 18c, 2r, Mrca(s) Stafford-34 Magna Carta Descendant, Ros-12 Magna Carta Descendant

21 Degrees Dusty Hill, Hill-45480, 16c, 4r, Mrca(s) Grey-370 Magna Carta Descendant, Bonville-3

Connections:

19 Degrees Sir Paul McCartney

20 Degrees Dan Aykroyd

20 Degrees Sir Mick Jagger

22 Degrees Shania Twain

22 Degrees Prince

24 Degrees Ellz Fitzgerald

29 Degrees Chubby Checker

30 Degrees Whitney Houston
ago by Mildred Wheeler G2G6 Pilot (115k points)
edited ago by Mildred Wheeler
+10 votes
Clicking on "Connection to Me" says I'm 13 degrees from Dusty Hill, and clicking on  "Relationship Finder" says he was my 6th Cousin.
ago by Jack Graham G2G6 Mach 1 (16.3k points)
+9 votes
I am 22 degrees from both Garth Brooks and Chris Stapleton.  both are through my 1st cousin's wife's family.
ago by Laura Bozzay G2G6 Pilot (908k points)
+10 votes

I see Up With People didn't make the cut.  There would have been a lot of blood relative to folks in that group.

Seriously, 7C1R with Tom Petty.  We're related through Scots-Irish Alexander Ross (Ross-8490), who in 1731 was a founder of the Quaker community based around Opequon Creek in then Frederick County, Va.

ago by John Carollo G2G5 (5.6k points)
edited ago by John Carollo
+11 votes
15 degrees from Chris Stapleton, one branch. Apparently he is my 7th cousin.
ago by Rebecca Haskins G2G6 Mach 2 (25.4k points)
+11 votes

16 degrees from Tom Petty - 1 branch (17) 6th cousin 3x removed

16 degrees from Chris Stapleton - 2 branches (6-11) 9th cousin 2x removed

17 degrees from Dan Aykroyd - 2 branches (8-10) 8th cousin 1x removed

17 degrees from Shania Twain - 2 branches (7-11) 8th cousin 1x removed

18 degrees from Garth Brooks - 4 branches (2-2-4-11) 19th cousin 2x removed

21 degrees from Dusty Hill - 4 branches (6-5-4-7) 23c

21 degrees from Sir Paul McCartney - 5 branches (1-1-8-8-4)

22 degrees from Sir Mick Jagger - 5 branches (1-7-3-5-5)

25 degrees from Ella Fitzgerald - 2 branches (6-17)

26 degrees from Chubby Checker - 6 branches (1-7-5-4-3-7)

26 degrees from Prince - 7 branches (1-1-1-5-7-5-7)

31 degrees from Whitney Houston - 5 branches (8-2-9-1-12)

ago by Marcia Robinson G2G6 Mach 5 (51.0k points)
+10 votes
My closest connection is Sir Paul at 21 degrees. And I am 23 degrees with Mick. A Stone and a Beatle. Cool
ago by Cam Hartwell G2G1 (1.3k points)

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