Blues belter Willie Mae (Big Mama) Thornton was born on this date in 1926. Shes most famous for scoring an R&B hit with her recording of Hound Dog, which composers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote specifically for her in 1952. Stoller recalled, She was a wonderful blues singer, with a great moaning style. But it was as much her appearance as her blues style that influenced the writing of Hound Dog and the idea that we wanted her to growl it. Said Leiber, We saw Big Mama and she knocked me cold. She looked like the biggest, baddest, saltiest chick you would ever see. Big Mama taught herself to play drums and harmonica, and often appeared on stage in a gender-bending style of work shirts and mens trousers. Watch this INCREDIBLE clip of Big Mama wailing Hound Dog and playing harmonica on Down Home Shakedown. Shes joined on stage by John Lee Hooker, Big Walter Horton, Dr. Ross and other blues greats. WOW! https://youtube/watch?v=wxoGvBQtjpM
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:30:00 +0000
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