Thornton
Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton lived an unapologetic life that transcended genres and gender norms beyond her bluesy hit song and the “Elvis moment.”. According to Maureen Mahon, a music professor at New York University, "the song is seen as an important beginning of rock-and-roll, especially in its use of the guitar as the key instrument". Thornton's birth certificate states that she was born in Ariton, Alabama,[6] but in an interview with Chris Strachwitz, she claimed Montgomery, Alabama, as her birthplace, probably because Montgomery was better known than Ariton. Thornton">SOUTHERN LIGHTS
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton (December 11, – July 25, ), [1] was an American singer and songwriter of blues and R&B. The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul described Thornton by saying: "Her booming voice, sometimes pound frame, and exuberant stage manner had audiences stomping their feet and shouting encouragement in R&B. However, one thing remained constant throughout her life: her unmatched vocal power and presence on stage. Musician Ron Thompson summed it up : "She was certainly a big person. 
Houn’ Dawg
Lynnée Denise, author of Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters, wrote of Thornton in , “Queerness also is about a level of comfort with the nonnormative. After her talent was discovered by Paramount in , she was among the first generation of blues singers to be recorded. Some of Rainey's lyrics contain references to being queer, such as the song "Prove It on Me":.
The extraordinary life of Big Mama Thornton
Black Queer Performers and Southern Blues Willie Mae Thornton and Richard Wayne Penniman came of age during the “classic blues” era of the s and s. Thornton was born on December 11, , in Alabama and spent her early years in Ariton, a small town seventy-miles south of Montgomery. These were venues at which it was safe and acceptable for African American artists to perform during the era of racial segregation in the United States. The artist died at 57 of heart and liver disorders due to lifelong alcohol abuse. This history
Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton ( –) was a self-taught (vocals, drums, harmonica) singer/songwriter who broke out in a genre dominated by male R & B singers. A large, hard drinking, gay woman (with a penchant for men’s clothes), her gravelly, gospel-influenced sound and authoritative presence kept the performer from cotton fields that might’ve signified her life. Most radical of all, she refers to her subject by her given name rather than "Big Mama," a nickname bestowed upon her by a white man. It's a deliberate and crucial act of reclamation, because in the name of Willie Mae Thornton is the sound of Black musical resilience. Willie Mae "Big Mama"
TODAY IN BLACK LGBTQ+ HISTORY We celebrate Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, a blues singer and songwriter whose recordings of “Hound Dog” and “Ball ‘n’ Chain” later were transformed into huge hits by Elvis Presley and Janis Joplin. In the s, Thornton recorded albums for the Arhoolie and Mercury l. . 
Thornton, Willie Mae (1926–1984)
Social and Political Importance Big Mama Thornton was openly gay, which most people were very critical of during this time. Her songs, including “Hound Dog,” were very sexual and open about gender expectations, unlike any other R&B during this time. She also helped to bend the rigid gender expectations with her masculine clothing and style. .
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Today In Black LGBTQ+ History
Mentions of Thornton often hinge on that song, but Thornton is so much more than “the Elvis (Presley) moment,” scholar Lynnée Denise said. In her forthcoming biography, “Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters,” Denise reintroduces Thornton as a performer who transcended genres and gender norms. Thornton died in at the age of .