# Big Mama Thornton [Home](https://hit-masters.com/en) › [Big Mama Thornton](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/big-mama-thornton-UC_8NmTaQn8Uy-Hz_jKoCOcA) Big Mama Thornton in HitMasters: 161 songs as collectible cards. Most popular: “Hound Dog”. 15 releases in the catalog. Free to collect as cards in HitMasters. | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tracks | 161 | | YouTube Music subscribers | 17,100 | | YouTube Music | [https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC\_8NmTaQn8Uy-Hz\_jKoCOcA](https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC_8NmTaQn8Uy-Hz_jKoCOcA) | ## About Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton 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 200-pound frame, and exuberant stage manner had audiences stomping their feet and shouting encouragement in R&B theaters from coast to coast from the early 1950s on". Thornton's strong and important vocal style and her confidence on stage made her a huge influence on early blues and rock and roll, even though she rarely received proper credit and compensation for her work. Thornton was the first to record Leiber and Stoller's "Hound Dog", in 1952, which was written for her. It became Thornton's biggest hit, selling over 500,000 copies and staying seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1953. According to New York University music professor Maureen Mahon, "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 other recordings include her song "Ball and Chain", made famous in the late 1960s by Janis Joplin. Text: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big\_Mam), CC BY-SA license. ## Most popular songs - [Hound Dog – Big Mama Thornton (B-Side)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-hound-dog-UPAtklMMPZ0) - [Hound Dog – Big Mama Thornton (B-Side)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-hound-dog-Jr9q485COk0) - [Everything Gonna Be Alright – Big Mama Thornton (B-Side)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-everything-gonna-be-alright-zUET6aN2sgs) - [Ball N' Chain – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-ball-n-chain-TixL6Tycgho) - [Let's Go Get Stoned – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-lets-go-get-stoned-yvTa-03IULY) - [Hound Dog – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-hound-dog-pam1eUkWfFM) - [Hound Dog (1) – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-hound-dog-1-AueZSrRKILQ) - [Rock Me Baby – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-rock-me-baby-YPYmbk_oiN4) - [Rock Me Baby – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-rock-me-baby-SToEjvIBUQo) - [Rock Me Baby – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-rock-me-baby-ONbw9iIWBsA) - [My Heavy Load – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-my-heavy-load-bxr4v6hqcFU) - [My Heavy Load – Big Mama Thornton (Demo)](https://hit-masters.com/en/tracks/big-mama-thornton-my-heavy-load-DVhkTv6WAxw) ## Releases - [Sassy Mama - Live at The Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club (2022 Remaster) (2022)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-sassy-mama-live-at-the-rising-sun-MPREb_nEFXezNCYDB) - [Vanguard Visionaries (2007)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-vanguard-visionaries-MPREb_gZ0Pu9eFinI) - [Jail (2007)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-jail-MPREb_xmfibVUd27j) - [Sassy Mama (2005)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-sassy-mama-MPREb_EEFggKnx5Eh) - [The Complete Vanguard Recordings (2000)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-the-complete-vanguard-recordings-MPREb_ExHiocjukJv) - [Hound Dog / The Peacock Recordings (1992)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-hound-dog-the-peacock-recordings-MPREb_TMHdEZMG4kA) - [Sassy Mama\! (1991)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-sassy-mama-MPREb_xTSR7Z92Cgy) - [Ball N' Chain (1989)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-ball-n-chain-MPREb_0LHey5hWuO7) - [The Way It Is (1970)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-the-way-it-is-MPREb_Otw8jJQaLw4) - [Stronger Than Dirt (1969)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-stronger-than-dirt-MPREb_x6pmsb1LGul) - [In Europe (1966)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-in-europe-MPREb_JD4exct27nQ) - [I Smell a Rat (1954)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-i-smell-a-rat-MPREb_F7OzAvzhDFI) - [Early One Mornin’ Blues (Live) (2023)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-early-one-mornin-blues-live-MPREb_5APqOc7hHzg) - [Hound Dog (NerdStar Remix) (2022)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-hound-dog-nerdstar-remix-MPREb_X61PForaIOi) - [Sweet Little Angel / 3 O'Clock in the Mornin' (Live) (2020)](https://hit-masters.com/en/albums/big-mama-thornton-sweet-little-angel-3-oclock-in-the-mornin-MPREb_tlsyCWDcyPF) ## Similar artists - [Ray Charles](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/ray-charles-UClapQBGYNOoLYmCct6e3B5Q) - [Buddy Guy](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/buddy-guy-UCqQnmSnXS_qlyP6qok7lCAA) - [Albert King](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/albert-king-UC9XFvJIqt0duVgnlvkXBeKA) - [John Lee Hooker](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/john-lee-hooker-UCcWk0Z6iOwjUeycdoh7mIMQ) - [Elmore James](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/elmore-james-UCcO7GQQk1W8gKWHkQDXZQtA) - [Willie Dixon](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/willie-dixon-UCqjv56WoIUXuzrpdRUufR-A) - [Howlin' Wolf](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/howlin-wolf-UCq7KYdlYIAjlt2NbSEZD7bg) - [Muddy Waters](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/muddy-waters-UCZ5YpKcmxGptLgRRW8ujxHA) - [Junior Wells](https://hit-masters.com/en/artists/junior-wells-UCQrhthLJSPwrIkjm5N-UPAQ) --- Songs, cover art and plays: YouTube Music. 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