Flash Academy

Remembering Willie Mae Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984), better known as Big Mama Thornton.
With her powerhouse vocals and commanding stage presence, emerged as one of the most influential and groundbreaking figures in blues and rock ’n’ roll. Despite her immense talent and contributions to the music world, Thornton’s impact has often been overshadowed by her male counterparts.
In 1951, Thornton signed a recording contract with Peacock Records, and the following year, she recorded her signature track ‘Hound Dog’ with writing partnership du jour Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The two played to her how they wanted it to be delivered, and deliver it she did. Later, Stoller recalled: “We wanted her to growl it”. Her growl would become one of the most iconic points in all of the blues.
Of first meeting Thornton, Leiber remembered: “We saw Big Mama, and she knocked me cold. She looked like the biggest, baddest, saltiest chick you would ever see. And she was mean, a ‘lady bear,’ as they used to call ’em. She must have been 350 pounds, and she had all these scars all over her face”.
Elvis’ watered-down version sold ten million copies and became the definitive rendition, with many not realising that the song was not an original. The tragedy wouldn’t end there, however, as a similar situation would happen again to Thornton in the early ’60. At a time when she recorded her song ‘Ball’ n’ Chain’ for Bay-Tone Records, the label chose not to release the song until 1968 and held onto the copyright which meant that, initially, Thornton was cheated out of all the royalties when Janis Joplin recorded the number.
In all fairness to Joplin, she frequently cited Thornton as a huge influence, and in a 1972 interview, Thorton admitted that she gave Joplin her blessing to record the song. Finally, by this point, Thornton had started to receive a windfall for her song. Thornton would even open for Joplin, and of the countercultural heroine’s version, she declared: “That girl feels like I do”.
In an extensive 1980 interview with the New York Times, Thornton discussed the influence of “Bessie Smith and all”. She said that they sang from the “heart and expressed themselves” – and this is what she did too. Thornton had her own way of performing, and she wouldn’t change for the world: “I want to be me. I like to put myself into whatever I’m doin’ so I can feel it”.

Arun Starkey / Far Out
Photo by Jim Marshall

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