Big Mama Thornton: The Life and Music - Softcover

Spörke, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0786477598 ISBN 13: 9780786477593

Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2014

Synopsis

You ain't nothing but a "Hound Dog" ... with these words shouted into the microphone she will always be remembered: Big Mama Thornton. Who is this woman who sang the megahit "Hound Dog" before Elvis Presley and who wrote "Ball & Chain," the song that catapulted Janis Joplin to sudden fame? The story begins with her first musical attempts in the Hot Harlem Revue as a girl of 14. Then the book follows her journey into the Mecca of Texas Blues, Houston, where Big Mama Thornton met Johnny Otis, with whom she recorded her greatest success--"Hound Dog."

With the slowdown of the blues in the early sixties this book follows Big Mama Thornton's way to California, discusses her struggle to survive and celebrates her impressive musical comeback in the course of the blues revival and the hippie movement. With the end of the sixties, facing a declining interest in the old school blues, the book shows how Big Mama Thornton found her niche in clubs and festivals in the U.S. and Europe. The book then follows Big Mama Thornton through the seventies and eighties until her untimely death.

About this title

From the Author

The Book is based on interviews with and material from: Gordon Adamson, Mary Katherine Aldin, Peter Albin, Queen E. Ali, Sam Andrew, Peter Andrews, James Anthony, Mac Arnold, Lee Ashford, Pamela Banks, Wilbur Bascomb, Roy Book Binder, Ed Bland, Debbie Bond, Jeneve R. Brooks, Bobby Brown, Texas Johnny Brown, Tommy Brown, Toney Burkhart, Dave Camp, Ed Cassidy, Richard Chalk, Jeannie Cheatham, Raoul J. Cita, Al Copley, James Cotton, Linette and Jimmy McCracklin, Sailor Chris, Chas McDevitt, Steve Ditzell, Nat Dove, Billy Dunn, Michael Erlewin, Merell Fankhauser, Kim Field, Bob Finch, Graidy Gaines, Peter Gallagher, Garry George, Anthony Geraci, Nelson Giles, Earl Gilliam, Terry Gould,  IJ Gosey, Beverly Robin Green, James Gurley, Chet Helms, David Hoerl, John Lee Hooker Jr, Milton Hopkins, Chris Huston, Bruce Iglauer, Nathaniel William Johnson, Lloyd Jones, Julius Karpen, Lanny Kasner, Doug McKechnie, John Kilgore, Plume Latraverse, Donal Leace, Eric S. LeBlanc, Don Lee, Paul Lenart, Douglas MacLeod, Mark Lessman, Michael Liberty, Robert Lowery, Peter Malick, Tom Mazzolini, Sandy Morris, Jim Moore, Scotty Moore,  Charlie Musselwhite, Lil 'Ray Neal, Dan Papaila, Bernie Pearl, Carroll Peery, Ben "King" Perkoff, Michael Pickett, Big Walter Price, Tom Principato, Fritz Rau, Jan van Ray, Robert Ross, JB Ross, Terry "Big T" DeRouen, Audrey Anne Rouley, Jay Russio, Phoebe Schneble, Wendy Schumer, Jeannie and Jimmy Scott, Bill Sheffield, Michael Shurtz, Karen Mroczkowski-Del Signore, Eddie Stout, Ronnie Stewart, Chris Strachwitz, Robert Taylor, Ron Thompson,  Virgil Thrasher, Teeny Tucker, Christine Valenza, Dave Walker Derrick "Big" Walker, Michael "Mudcat" Ward, Paul Winer, Karen Wilborn, Steve Wise, Roger Wood, Gilman Young, Perry Yeldham and Carlos Zialcita.

About the Author

Michael Spörke is a political scientist and author of music biographies. He lives near Duesseldorf in Germany.

Edition details

• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0786477598
• ISBN 13: 9780786477593
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 200