Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was an American rhythm and blues singer/songwriter who began her career touring the Deep South in the 1940s. She finally settled in Texas, writing and singing blues songs, playing the harmonica and teaching herself to play the drums. In 1953 “Big Mama” was the first artist to record the famous song “Hound Dog”, later covered by Elvis Presley. Selling two million copies, the song remained as number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks. Another of her songs, “Ball and Chain” was covered in the 1960s by Janis Joplin. Throughout her career, Big Mama performed at New York City’s famous Apollo Theatre, was nominated for the Blues Music Award six times and was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame while her music has come to influence generations of blues and rock singers. She died in 1984 and is buried in the famous Inglewood Park Cemetery.