Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton

Born: December 11, 1926, MOntgomery, Alabama
Died: July 25, 1984, Los Angeles, California
2020 AMHOF Inductee

A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Willie Mae Thornton’s style was heavily influenced by the gospel music she listed to growing up. Her father was a Baptist preacher. Her musical education started in the church but continued through her observation of the rhythm-and-blues singers Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie, whom she deeply admired.

Her performances were characterized by her deep, powerful voice and a strong sense of self. She wrote several blues songs, including “Ball ‘n Chain,” which is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of the “500 Songs that shaped Rock and Roll.” She was the first person to record Leiber and Stollers “Hound Dog” which became her biggest hit, staying seven weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B chart in 1953 and selling almost two million copies.

Scholars have praised Thornton for subverting the traditional roles of African-American women. She
added a gutsy female voice to a field that was dominated by white males and her strong personality derailed stereotypes. Elvis and Janis Joplin were big fans of her work and incorporated aspects of her performances into their own work.

She was born in December of 1926 and died in Los Angeles in 1984 at the age of 57. In 2004, the
nonprofit Will Mae Rock Camp for Girls was established in New York. Its mission is to provide music educations to girls ranging from eight to 18.