Big Mama Thornton

Willie Mae Thornton

Willie Mae Thornton, one of seven children, was born on December 11, 1926 in Montgomery, Alabama to parents who placed their upbringing squarely in the Church. Her Daddy was a minister and her Mama sang there.

Her first ‘big break’ came as the result of her being in an amateur talent contest, where she was seen by Sammy Green. He knew what he was seeing and hearing, and took Willie Mae ‘out’ with the then hot Georgia-based, Hot Harlem Revue. She was only fourteen years old. She toured the South for seven years with this show. This experience placed her in a good position to start her solo career in Houston, Texas. She learned how to play the harmonica, and the drums, and wrote her own music. In a day and age when blues women were viewed as a necessary evil, Willie Mae sang her songs, and played her drums, and her harmonica with the expertise of any blues man.

In the early 50s, while performing on the Houston circuit, she was seen by bandleader, Johnny Otis—he hired her to team up with Little Ester and Mel Walker to front his band. He took the act to New York, and it took New York by storm. Her second appearance at the famous Apollo Theater was billed with the powerful, coarse-voiced, large statured performer up front as the opening act. It is said that a patron of the Apollo coined the name ‘Big Mama’, and the name stuck.

In 1951 ‘Big Mama’ was signed to the Peacock recording label out of  Houston by Don Robey. Several tunes were recorded but it wasn’t until Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller wrote ‘Hound Dog’ that the public stood up and took notice of her. She recorded this session with the Johnny Otis band in 1952. The recording sold over 2 million copies. It stayed at the top of the Billboard R&B charts for over eight weeks. For her national hit that sold millions of records her compensation was $500.00. As a side note there still remains a question of who actually gave birth to the lyrics. We all know the great success Elvis Presley’s rocking version had, but, Big Mama with her biting vocals and guitarist, Pete Lewis, with his almost sensual guitar work made this work explode with the emotion that only blues can provide.

The years following provided many other labels and a move to the West Coast. Despite many outstanding recordings ‘Big Mama’ didn’t regain that ‘national status’ until 1968 when she recorded her original, Ball and Chain, and two more vinyl’s with the Mercury label. Big Mama Thornton seemed to gain back the momentum she needed, and headed overseas to captivate audiences in Europe.

Big Mama Thornton was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1984.

On July 25, 1984 Willie Mae Thornton passed away in her boarding house room in Los Angeles, California. Johnny Otis conducted her funeral service.

Biographical sketch by Suzi Pangborn

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