
From ‘Big Mama’ Thornton to Elvis: The Erasure and Exploitation of Black Talent
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton had the voice, the power, and the presence to command any stage - but history didn’t give her the recognition she deserved. She sang Hound Dog before Elvis and wrote Ball and Chain before Janis Joplin, yet others profited from her work. Her story is one of many, reflecting a music industry that thrives on Black creativity while denying Black artists their due.