Big Mama Thornton
#232,742
Most Influential Person
American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter
Why Is Big Mama Thornton Influential?
(Suggest an Edit or Addition)According to Wikipedia, Willie Mae Thornton , better known as Big Mama Thornton, was an American singer and songwriter of the blues and R&B. She was the first to record Leiber and Stoller's "Hound Dog", in 1952, 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. Thornton's other recordings included the original version of "Ball and Chain", which she wrote.
