Willie Mae Thornton

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton (1926-1984) is name-checked on the cover of "Freak Out!" (1966) under the heading "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them". She is also pictured in the collage on the "We're Only In It For The Money" (1968) cover. Blues singer and songwriter, wrote "Ball and Chain" as covered by Big Brother & the Holding Company (Janis Joplin). Also wrote "Hound Dog" as covered by Elvis Presley (also name-checked on "Freak Out!"); Johnny Otis (also name-checked on "Freak Out!") and his band played on the original recording of "Hound Dog". She was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1984.

The Mothers Of Invention play "Hound Dog" on 'Tis The Season To Be Jelly (1991, recorded 1967).

FZ was not impressed with the version Elvis made.