Big Mama Thornton

This lady, Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, died the same year I was born at the age of 57. She was born in Montgomery, Alabama where she was introduced to music in the church where her father worked as a minister and her mother was a church singer. 

She was the first artist to record the song Hound Dog and it sold almost two million copies. Three years later Elvis recorded that same song and made it into a classic. However one of the songwriters, Jerry Leiber, considered Big Mama’s version his favorite. I’d have to say I agree with him.