World-renowned Blues singer, musician and songwriter Willie Mae Thornton garnered the name ‘Big Mama’ for her 6’0, 300-pound frame and her powerful voice. She is best known for her 1952 recording of ‘Hound Dog’ which was #1 on the R&B chart for seven weeks and later recorded by Elvis Presley and her own composition, ‘Ball & Chain’ which was a big hit for Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin, demonstrating that Big Mama was not only a big influence on the Blues, but effectively shaped two generations of Rock ‘n Roll.
Willie Mae Thornton was born on December 11, 1926 in Ariton, Alabama. She was the youngest of six children born to Reverend George Thornton and his wife. Mattie. Willie Mae grew up singing in the church choir at her father’s church. She began playing the harmonica at age eight. Legend has it that she would sit in front of the Ariton bus station blowing her harmonica. Her mother died when Willie Mae was just 14 so she was taken in by Florence Jackson. Willie Mae moved to Montgomery and got a job cleaning a local bar and began her singing career performing with Wild Child Butler. She joined promoter Sammy Green’s Georgia-based Hot Harlem Revue in 1941. She was billed as the ‘New Bessie Smith’ and began gaining much needed singing and stage experience.
In 1948 she settled in Houston, Texas where she would be part of the development of the ‘Texas Blues’ style. During this time she worked with band leader Johnny Otis and entrepreneur Don Robey, who was impressed with her self-taught harmonica playing and drumming. Robey signed her to his Peacock Records label and shortly thereafter recorded the Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller song, ‘Hound Dog’. It was with the Johnny Otis Show that Big Mama went to New York and played The Apollo opening for Little Esther Williams and Mel Walker but later becoming a head-liner and it was here that she earned the name Big Mama.
Big Mama left Houston in the early 1960’s and moved to San Francisco. In the 60’s and 70’s she toured throughout America, Canada and Europe with blues royalty such as Muddy Waters, B. B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy and others. She played Carnegie Hall, The Fillmore West, the Newport Jazz Festival, the Ann Arbor Blues Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival garnering millions of fans worldwide. In addition she released seven albums and has been featured on many compilations.
Big Mama Thornton died in Los Angeles in 1984 at the age of 57. Yet, her legacy lives on. She was a six-time nominee for a Blues Music Award and was elected into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. She was featured in the VH1 documentary ‘The 100 Greatest Women of Rock ‘n Roll’ and in the Rolling Stone magazine article ‘Women Who Changed the World’. In 2004 ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Ball And Chain’ were also listed in the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame’s list of ‘500 Songs that Shaped Rock ‘n Roll’. In 2010 Big Mama was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and her vocals on ‘Hound Dog’ are featured in the 2022 movie, Elvis in a remix song entitled ‘Vegas’ done by Doja Cat.
The Birmingham Record Collectors l Hall of Fame l Class of 2020
“The Preservation, Collection and Appreciation of Recorded Music”