Musician. Born in Ariton, Alabama, she was a blues singer and songwriter. She began her career in the 1940s, became well known and as the opening act for the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, was nicknamed "Big Mama" in 1952 for her vocal tension and coarseness. Signed to Peacock Records, she sang the original version of the song "Hound Dog," with the B-side "Night Mare" and the single sold almost two million copies. She received a liftime total of $500 for the song, even though Elvis Presley went on to make "Hound Dog" a rock-and-roll classic in 1956. She also wrote and recorded "Ball and Chain" which became a hit for her. The song was later recorded by Janis Joplin and it became a huge success in the 1960s. "Big Mama" toured with shows in America, Europe and played the Monterey Jazz Festival throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, and was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame the same year of her death. In 2024, she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the Musical Influence category.
Musician. Born in Ariton, Alabama, she was a blues singer and songwriter. She began her career in the 1940s, became well known and as the opening act for the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, was nicknamed "Big Mama" in 1952 for her vocal tension and coarseness. Signed to Peacock Records, she sang the original version of the song "Hound Dog," with the B-side "Night Mare" and the single sold almost two million copies. She received a liftime total of $500 for the song, even though Elvis Presley went on to make "Hound Dog" a rock-and-roll classic in 1956. She also wrote and recorded "Ball and Chain" which became a hit for her. The song was later recorded by Janis Joplin and it became a huge success in the 1960s. "Big Mama" toured with shows in America, Europe and played the Monterey Jazz Festival throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, and was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame the same year of her death. In 2024, she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the Musical Influence category.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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