Meet The Gospel Singer Who Plays Big Mama Thornton In ‘Elvis’

By Brooklyn White ·Updated June 24, 2022

In a 1990 interview with Rolling Stone, songwriter Jerry Leiber said, “I had to write a song for her that basically said “Go f— yourself,” but how do you do it without actually saying it?”

“Her” is Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton and the song Leiber was referring to was her biggest hit, 1952’s “Hound Dog.” On the classic song, she calls out

Brooklyn White
Author: Brooklyn White

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