Bill's Blog
Periodically, I'll write about music, photography, and other topics.
(December 12, 2024) BIG MOMMA THORNTON. Elvis Presley's version of "Hound Dog" was released in 1956. It sold ten million copies. However, the song was written for, and first released by, Big Mama Thornton in 1952. It is considered a significant song because it bridged the world of blues and rock-and-roll. It was also one of the first songs in which the guitar was the dominant instrument. It was at the center of controversies and lawsuits over authorship, royalties, and copyright infringement. Big Momma Thornton received little or no money in royalties or residuals. At her peak, she earned $50 a night. Destitute when she died, she was buried in a pauper's grave. There is some effort to erect a marker for her. All that being said, Presley had a remarkable voice. Like bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, he came along when people wanted to hear the blues sung by white boys.