Big Mama Thornton - The Way It Is

Album: The Way It Is
Size: 110,8 MB
Time: 47:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1969/1998
Styles: Blues/R&B
Art: Full

1. Little Red Rooster (7:58)
2. One Black Rat (3:45)
3. Rock Me Baby (5:10)
4. Wade In The Water (5:33)
5. Sweet Little Angel (6:43)
6. Baby Please/Mojo Workin' (5:46)
7. Watermelon Man (4:30)
8. Don't Need No Doctor (8:32)

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton helped lay the groundwork for rock & roll in 1953 with her raw electric blues single "Hound Dog" (later covered by Elvis Presley). The Way It Is finds Thornton performing at an L.A. rock club 16 years later, after the rock revolution she and her peers inspired had effectively usurped the blues as the music of the people. Yet at a time when everyone from Muddy Waters to Buddy Guy was making concessions to the rock market in an effort to stay contemporary, Thornton stuck to her guns. For this concert, she relies on the same gritty, old-school blues sound that made her famous.

In fact, during a slow-burning workout on a medley of "Baby Please Don't Go" and "Mojo Workin'," the former recorded at a rave-up tempo by seemingly every garage-rock band of the mid-'60s, Thornton off-handedly remarks "this is the old-time version." Nevertheless, it's easy to hear her cocky, sexually assertive swagger on "Little Red Rooster" and "Rock Me Baby" and see where Janis Joplin got much of her inspiration. While a juiced-up take on the gospel standard "Wade in the Water" flirts with a rock beat, the bulk of The Way It Is offers an unadulterated blues sound, the way it always was for Big Mama Thornton. /AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

The Way It Is mc
The Way It Is gofile

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Big Mama Thornton - Quit Snoopin' Round My Door

Album: Quit Snoopin' Round My Door
Size: 102,8 MB
Time: 44:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1986
Styles: R&B
Art: LP front & back

1. Rock A Bye Baby (2:36)
2. Hard Times (2:12)
3. I Ain't No Fool Either (2:21)
4. You Don't Move Me No More (2:42)
5. No Jody For Me (2:44)
6. Let Your Tears Fall Baby (2:43)
7. Everytime I Think Of You (2:55)
8. Mischievious Boogie (2:31)
9. Just Like A Dog (Barking Up The Wrong Tree) (2:47)
10. I've Searched The World Over (4:39)
11. How Come (2:33)
12. Nightmare (2:50)
13. Stop A-Hoppin On Me (2:37)
14. Story Of My Blues (2:30)
15. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh (2:43)
16. The Fish (2:40)

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton only notched one national hit in her lifetime, but it was a true monster. "Hound Dog" held down the top slot on Billboard's R&B charts for seven long weeks in 1953. Alas, Elvis Presley's rocking 1956 cover was even bigger, effectively obscuring Thornton's chief claim to immortality.

That's a damned shame, because Thornton's menacing growl was indeed something special. The hefty belter first opened her pipes in church but soon embraced the blues. She toured with Sammy Green's Hot Harlem Revue during the 1940s. Thornton was ensconced on the Houston circuit when Peacock Records boss Don Robey signed her in 1951. She debuted on Peacock with "Partnership Blues" that year, backed by trumpeter Joe Scott's band. But it was her third Peacock date with Johnny Otis' band that proved the winner. With Pete Lewis laying down some truly nasty guitar behind her, Big Mama shouted "Hound Dog," a tune whose authorship remains a bone of contention to this day (both Otis and the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller claim responsibility), and soon hit the road a star.

But it was an isolated incident. Though Thornton cut some fine Peacock follow-ups - "I Smell a Rat," "Stop Hoppin' on Me," "The Fish," "Just like a Dog" - through 1957, she never again reached the hit parade. Even Elvis was apparently unaware of her; he was handed "Hound Dog" by Freddie Bell, a Vegas lounge rocker. Early-'60s 45s for Irma, Bay-Tone, Kent, and Sotoplay did little to revive her sagging fortunes, but a series of dates for Arhoolie that included her first vinyl rendition of "Ball and Chain" in 1968 and two albums for Mercury in 1969-1970 put her back in circulation (Janis Joplin's overwrought but well-intentioned cover of "Ball and Chain" didn't hurt either). Along with her imposing vocals, Thornton began to emphasize her harmonica skills during the 1960s.

Thornton was a tough cookie. She dressed like a man and took no guff from anyone, even as the pounds fell off her once-ample frame and she became downright scrawny during the last years of her life. Medical personnel found her lifeless body in an L.A. rooming house in 1984. /Biography by Bill Dahl, AllMusic

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VA - Ball And Chain [Vinyl]

Source: Vinyl (not clean)
Size: 90.7 MB
Time: 38:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1968
Styles: Blues Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front & Back

A1. Big Mama Thornton - Ball And Chain (4:23)
A2. Big Mama Thornton - Wade In The Water (2:46)
A3. Big Mama Thornton - My Love (4:02)
A4. Larry Williams - So Much Trouble (4:18)
A5. Larry Williams - That's My Girl (2:24)
A6. Larry Williams - I Know You Hear Me Calling (2:51)
B1. Lightnin' Hopkins - Come On Baby (2:19)
B2. Lightnin' Hopkins - Money Taker (3:07)
B3. Lightnin' Hopkins - Prison Blues (3:19)
B4. Lightnin' Hopkins - Mama's Fight (2:32)
B5. Lightnin' Hopkins - My Woman (2:30)
B6. Lightnin' Hopkins - Gabriel (4:05)

In the early 1960s,Thornton recorded several songs for Bay-Tone Records. Two were released on a single, "You Did Me Wrong" and "Big Mama's Blues". According to music writer Gillian Gaar, Thornton also recorded "Ball and Chain" for Bay Tone, although it was never released.

In 1968, Arhoolie Records released "Ball and Chain". An edited version, titled "Ball and Chain Part 1" was recorded in January 1968 and released as a single, ~MuddyLives

Ball And Chain [Vinyl] MP3
Ball And Chain [Vinyl] FLAC 24bit

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Big Mama Thornton - Rock-A-Bye Baby: The 1950-1961 Recordings

Album: Rock-A-Bye Baby: The 1950-1961 Recordings
Size: 182,8 MB
Time: 78:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: R&B, blues
Art: Full

1. Hound Dog (2:53)
2. Rock-A-Bye Baby (2:40)
3. Mischievous Boogie (2:34)
4. Don't Talk Back (2:49)
5. You Don't Move Me No More (2:45)
6. Just Can't Help Myself (2:58)
7. Stop A-Hoppin' On Me (2:39)
8. They Call Me Big Mama (2:05)
9. Walking Blues (3:02)
10. I Smell A Rat (2:38)
11. Just Like A Dog (2:48)
12. Let Your Tears Fall, Baby (2:44)
13. Tarzan And The Dignified Monkey (2:54)
14. Cotton Picking Blues (2:49)
15. Everytime I Think Of You (2:58)
16. Partnership Blues (2:40)
17. Yes, Baby (2:48)
18. Tom Cat (2:48)
19. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh (2:45)
20. Nightmare (2:54)
21. All Right Baby (2:25)
22. You Did Me Wrong (2:47)
23. How Come (2:37)
24. I Ain't No Fool Either (2:23)
25. Willie Mae's Blues (2:42)
26. Hard Times (2:14)
27. Big Mama's Coming Home (2:27)
28. The Fish (2:44)
29. My Man Called Me (2:39)

One of America's finest Blues singers, the impressive Willie Mae 'Big Mama' Thornton is probably best known as the originator of 'Hound Dog', Elvis Presley's most successful single, and 'Ball 'n' Chain', one of Janis Joplin's signature songs. Thornton's performances on the Blues, R&B, and Rock circuits riveted audiences. Her booming voice, sometimes 200-pound frame, sexually explicit lyrics and exuberant stage manner had people stomping their feet and shouting encouragement.

This quintessential collector's edition contains 29 fabulous remastered studio tracks she made for different labels, such as Peacock, Duke, Irma and Bay-Tone, between 1950 and 1961. These songs mark some of the finest works from the golden age of Rhythm & Blues. Highlights include the aforementioned Rock 'n' Roll anthem, 'Hound Dog', plus explosive numbers like 'Rock-A-Bye Baby', 'Don't Talk Back', 'I Smell a Rat', and 'Stop A-Hoppin' on Me'. This is the essential material upon which Big Mama Thornton's legend was built.

(For personnel and recording details, see artwork included.)

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Big Mama Thornton - Sassy Mama: Live At The Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club (Remastered)

Size: 112.0 MB
Time: 48:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2022
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Tell Me Pretty Baby (2022 Remaster) (5:08)
02. Rock Me Baby (2022 Remaster) (6:35)
03. Ball And Chain (2022 Remaster) (7:28)
04. Watermelon Man (2022 Remaster) (4:05)
05. Summertime (2022 Remaster) (6:43)
06. Hound Dog / Walkin’ The Dog (2022 Remaster) (4:11)
07. Sweet Little Angel / Three O’Clock Blues (2022 Remaster) (5:57)
08. Sassy Mama (2022 Remaster) (4:32)
09. Hound Dog (Nerdstar Remix) (3:24)

American Blues icon Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton is perhaps best known as the original singer of "Hound Dog" and as a powerful voice in the progression of black R&B into rock music in the 1950's.Born in 1926 to minister Thomas H. Thornton and singer Edna M. Richardson Thornton in rural Alabama, Willie Mae started singing as a child in her father's congregation and left home in her teens to pursue a music career. Thornton was billed as "the new Bessie Smith" the legendary blues singer who influenced Thornton along with blues greats Ma Rainey, Junior Parker and Memphis Minnie. In 1948, after years touring across America in blues revues, Willie Mae signed with Peacock Records and became known as "Big Mama" due to her bigger than life voice and physicality."Hound Dog" was released in 1953 and Willie Mae's gutsy vocal performance propelled the song to the top of the R&B charts and sold two million copies, while earning Thornton $500. In 1956, Elvis Presley's rendition produced for a mainstream white audience sold over 10 million copies and earned Presley considerable profit. Willie Mae was not the only Black musician cheated out of royalties during this time, and her injustice is still used as a fight for reparations to Black musicians.At the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival Janis Joplin performed the Thornton composition "Ball and Chain" after hearing Willie Mae perform the song at a club. Thornton released her original version in 1968 but the song had to wait for widespread acclaim until after Joplin's version was released later that year. In the 1970's Willie Mae was a familiar headliner at Montreal's 'Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club'; the venue was a favourite tour stop for blues artists like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Lightnin' Hopkins. "Sassy Mama", recorded in 1977 by the Rising Sun's notorious owner and promoter Doudou Boicel, captures the voice of a true blues legend who had endured decades of financial exploitation and battles with addiction and was tragically about to live her final years in poverty despite her substantial contributions to American Blues. She died on July 25, 1984, at the age of 58.

Sassy Mama: Live At The Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club (2022 Remaster) MP3
Sassy Mama: Live At The Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club (2022 Remaster) FLAC

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Big Mama Thornton - Have Mercy! (Live 1973)

Size: 116.7 MB
Time: 50:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Texas Blues, R&B
Art: Front

01. Instrumental, Pt.1 (Live) ( 2:16)
02. Goin' Down Slow (Live) ( 4:06)
03. Instrumental, Pt.2 (Live) ( 2:56)
04. My Baby Left Me (Live) ( 5:48)
05. Ball And Chain (Live) ( 7:15)
06. Oh Happy Day (Live) (10:37)
07. Talking, Pt.1 (Live) ( 3:53)
08. Hound Dog (Live) ( 3:06)
09. Talking, Pt.2 (Live) ( 0:44)
10. Swing It On Home (Live) ( 6:17)
11. Oh Happy Day Jam (Live) ( 3:19)

Live Cambridge, MA, 1973 WBCN Broadcast.

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton only notched one national hit in her lifetime, but it was a true monster. "Hound Dog" held down the top slot on Billboard's R&B charts for seven long weeks in 1953. Alas, Elvis Presley's rocking 1956 cover was even bigger, effectively obscuring Thornton's chief claim to immortality.

That's a damned shame, because Thornton's menacing growl was indeed something special. The hefty belter first opened her pipes in church but soon embraced the blues. She toured with Sammy Green's Hot Harlem Revue during the 1940s. Thornton was ensconced on the Houston circuit when Peacock Records boss Don Robey signed her in 1951. She debuted on Peacock with "Partnership Blues" that year, backed by trumpeter Joe Scott's band.

But it was her third Peacock date with Johnny Otis' band that proved the winner. With Pete Lewis laying down some truly nasty guitar behind her, Big Mama shouted "Hound Dog," a tune whose authorship remains a bone of contention to this day (both Otis and the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller claim responsibility), and soon hit the road a star.

But it was an isolated incident. Though Thornton cut some fine Peacock follow-ups -- "I Smell a Rat," "Stop Hoppin' on Me," "The Fish," "Just like a Dog" -- through 1957, she never again reached the hit parade. Even Elvis was apparently unaware of her; he was handed "Hound Dog" by Freddie Bell, a Vegas lounge rocker. Early-'60s 45s for Irma, Bay-Tone, Kent, and Sotoplay did little to revive her sagging fortunes, but a series of dates for Arhoolie that included her first vinyl rendition of "Ball and Chain" in 1968 and two albums for Mercury in 1969-1970 put her back in circulation (Janis Joplin's overwrought but well-intentioned cover of "Ball and Chain" didn't hurt either). Along with her imposing vocals, Thornton began to emphasize her harmonica skills during the 1960s.

Thornton was a tough cookie. She dressed like a man and took no guff from anyone, even as the pounds fell off her once-ample frame and she became downright scrawny during the last years of her life. Medical personnel found her lifeless body in an L.A. rooming house in 1984. ~Bill Dahl

Have Mercy! (Live 1973) MP3
Have Mercy! (Live 1973) FLAC

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Big Mama Thornton - Blues & Rhythm Series 5088: The Chronological Big Mama Thornton 1950-1953

Size: 156 MB
Time: 59:04
File: FLAC
Released: 2004
Styles: Blues, R&B
Art: Full

01. All Right Baby (2:26)
02. Bad Luck Got My Man (3:04)
03. Partnership Blues (2:40)
04. Mischievous Boogie (2:34)
05. I'm All Fed Up (2:35)
06. Cotton Picking Blues (2:49)
07. Everytime I Think Of You (2:56)
08. No Jody For Me (2:45)
09. Let Your Tears Fall Baby (2:44)
10. They Call Me Big Mama (2:05)
11. Walking Blues (3:04)
12. Hound Dog (2:52)
13. Just Can't Help Myself (2:57)
14. Nightmare (2:52)
15. Rockabye Baby (2:38)
16. Hard Times (2:14)
17. I've Searched The World Over (2:21)
18. I Ain't No Fool Either (2:23)
19. The Big Change (2:45)
20. I Smell A Rat (2:43)
21. Yes, Baby (2:48)
22. Willie Mae's Blues (2:39)

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton only notched one national hit in her lifetime, but it was a true monster. "Hound Dog" held down the top slot on Billboard's R&B charts for seven long weeks in 1953. Alas, Elvis Presley's rocking 1956 cover was even bigger, effectively obscuring Thornton's chief claim to immortality.

That's a damned shame, because Thornton's menacing growl was indeed something special. The hefty belter first opened her pipes in church but soon embraced the blues. She toured with Sammy Green's Hot Harlem Revue during the 1940s. Thornton was ensconced on the Houston circuit when Peacock Records boss Don Robey signed her in 1951. She debuted on Peacock with "Partnership Blues" that year, backed by trumpeter Joe Scott's band.

But it was her third Peacock date with Johnny Otis' band that proved the winner. With Pete Lewis laying down some truly nasty guitar behind her, Big Mama shouted "Hound Dog," a tune whose authorship remains a bone of contention to this day (both Otis and the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller claim responsibility), and soon hit the road a star.

But it was an isolated incident. Though Thornton cut some fine Peacock follow-ups -- "I Smell a Rat," "Stop Hoppin' on Me," "The Fish," "Just like a Dog" -- through 1957, she never again reached the hit parade. Even Elvis was apparently unaware of her; he was handed "Hound Dog" by Freddie Bell, a Vegas lounge rocker. Early-'60s 45s for Irma, Bay-Tone, Kent, and Sotoplay did little to revive her sagging fortunes, but a series of dates for Arhoolie that included her first vinyl rendition of "Ball and Chain" in 1968 and two albums for Mercury in 1969-1970 put her back in circulation (Janis Joplin's overwrought but well-intentioned cover of "Ball and Chain" didn't hurt either). Along with her imposing vocals, Thornton began to emphasize her harmonica skills during the 1960s.

Thornton was a tough cookie. She dressed like a man and took no guff from anyone, even as the pounds fell off her once-ample frame and she became downright scrawny during the last years of her life. Medical personnel found her lifeless body in an L.A. rooming house in 1984. ~Bill Dahl

The Chronological Big Mama Thornton 1950-1953

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Big Mama Thornton - Jail

Year: 1975
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:36
Size: 84,6 MB
Styles: Blues, Chicago blues
Scans: Front, sleeve, tray, cd

1. Little Red Rooster (6:03)
2. Ball 'N' Chain (7:27)
3. Jail (5:56)
4. Hound Dog (2:47)
5. Rock Me Baby (6:53)
6. Sheriff O. E. & Me (3:25)
7. Oh Happy Day (4:03)

It's ironic that blues great Big Mama Thornton is most famous for originating songs that later became associated with other singers. Her sole R&B hit, which never made the pop charts, became Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" in most listeners' minds, just as surely as Otis Redding's "Respect" was universally credited to Aretha Franklin. It must have seemed like déjà vu when Thornton's "Ball and Chain" became known to most music lovers via Janis Joplin's version with Big Brother & the Holding Company. Nevertheless, Thornton has rarely had trouble reclaiming these and other compositions once onstage, and Jail vividly captures her gruff charm during a couple of mid-'70s gigs at two northwestern prisons.

As a live album, Jail works largely because Thornton gives her musicians plenty of room to improvise, especially on six-minute versions of "Little Red Rooster" and "Ball and Chain." In her spoken introduction to "Ball and Chain," Thornton initially gives props to Janis Joplin, then reminds the audience, "I wrote this song." Having lost little of her commanding, masculine voice, Thornton becomes the talented leader of a gritty blues ensemble that features sustained jams from George "Harmonica" Smith and guitarists B. Huston and Steve Wachsman.

Despite several lengthy numbers, the running time is less than 40 minutes, and there's not much between-song banter à la Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. Listeners who are left wanting more Big Mama Thornton can invest in The Complete Vanguard Recordings, a triple-CD set that includes all of Jail and two albums from the same era: Sassy Mama and the previously unreleased Big Mama Swings. /Vince Ripol, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Big Mama Thornton - With The Muddy Waters Blues Band 1966

Year: 2004
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:48
Size: 148,1 MB
Styles: Blues, Chicago blues
Scans: Full

1. I'm Feeling Alright (3:01)
2. Sometimes I Have A Heartache (3:49)
3. Black Rat (Take 4) (2:52)
4. Life Goes On (3:28)
5. Everything Gonna Be Alright (5:05)
6. Big Mama's Bumble Bee Blues (4:13)
7. Gimme A Penny (Take 6) (4:38)
8. Looking The World Over (2:12)
9. I Feel The Way I Feel (5:05)
10. Guide Me Home (4:23)
11. Black Rat (Take 2) (2:52)
12. Wrapped Tight (3:19)
13. Gimme A Penny (Take 5) (3:59)
14. Big Mama's Shuffle (3:38)
15. Since I Fell For You (4:32)
16. I'm Feeling Alright (Fast Version) (2:27)
17. Big Mama's Blues (My Love) (4:08)

In the mid- '60s, Big Mama Thornton was a relatively obscure blues singer known mainly for her original recording of "Hound Dog" in 1953, three years before Elvis had a monster hit with it. Due to a lack of gigs, Thornton had a tough time keeping a steady band on the road and would scramble to gather consistently decent musicians. Fortunately, Arhoolie Records' founder and president Chris Strachwitz had witnessed an amazing performance of the era which had Thornton backed by a group of Chicago musicians who included Buddy Guy on guitar. With that performance in mind, Strachwitz was determined to capture that excellence in the studio. He offered the gig to Muddy Waters, whom he met in San Francisco a few days prior to this session.

Muddy accepted and brought with him James Cotton (harmonica), Otis Spann (piano), Sammy Lawhorn (guitar), Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson (bass), and Francis Clay (drums). What came out at Coast Recorders on April 25, 1966 is presented on this 17-track disc including seven previously unreleased cuts. From the low-down gutbucket blues of "Black Rat," and "Big Mama's Shuffle" (featuring both Thornton and James Cotton engaging in a battle of the harps), to the hazy, late-night atmosphere of "Life Goes On," "Since I Fell for You," and "I Feel the Way I Feel," all of this material is absolutely timeless. One can only imagine what would have happened if Big Mama's hopes of recording a gospel album with this band had been fulfilled. /Al Campbell, AllMusic

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Big Mama Thornton - The Story of My Blues: The Complete Singles As & Bs (1951-1961)

Size: 176.8 MB
Time: 74:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. Partnership Blues [2:42]
2. I'm All Fed Up [2:36]
3. No Jody for Me [2:44]
4. Let Your Tears Fall Baby [2:46]
5. Mischievous Boogie [2:34]
6. Every Time I Think of You [2:56]
7. Hound Dog [2:52]
8. Night Mare [2:53]
9. Cotton Picking Blues [2:48]
10. They Call Me Big Mama [2:05]
11. I Ain't No Fool Either [2:22]
12. The Big Change [2:44]
13. I've Searched the Whole World Over [2:20]
14. I Smell a Rat [1:43]
15. Stop a Hoppin' on Me [2:30]
16. Story of My Blues [2:32]
17. Walking Blues [3:01]
18. Rock a Bye Baby [2:37]
19. The Fish [2:42]
20. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh [2:45]
21. Tarzan and the Dignified Monkey [2:54]
22. How Come [2:35]
23. Just Like a Dog (Barking Up the Wrong Tree) [2:47]
24. My Man Called Me [2:39]
25. You Did Me Wrong [2:46]
26. Big Mama's Blues [2:57]
27. Don't Talk Back [2:49]
28. Big Mama's Coming Home [2:27]

This is the first collection to feature the A & B sides of all the singles Big Mama Thornton released between 1951 and 1961. 28 excellent R&B tracks and another superb addition to Jasmine’s ever growing blues and R&B catalogue.

Willie Mae ‘Big Mama’ Thornton was the first artist to record the then little known song written by two Los Angeles based teenagers, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, “Hound Dog”. The song was the only chart record “Big Mama” enjoyed and of course it went on to be recorded by a young lad called Elvis Presley who took the track to No. 1 on the pop charts for 11 weeks.

The Story of My Blues: The Complete Singles As & Bs (1951-1961)

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Big Mama Thornton - In Europe

Year: 1965/2005
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:47
Size: 181,7 MB
Styles: Blues, R&B
Scans: Front, back

1. Sweet Little Angel (5:30)
2. The Place (2:35)
3. Little Red Rooster (4:28)
4. Unlucky Girl (3:20)
5. Houng Dog (Take 1) (3:00)
6. Swing It On Home (Take 1) (1:51)
7. Your Love Is Where It Ought To Be (3:50)
8. Session Blues (4:47)
9. Down Home Shake Down (3:37)
10. My Heavy Load (5:49)
11. School Boy (4:30)
12. I Need Your Love (Bonus) (3:19)
13. Good Time In London (Bonus) (4:25)
14. Chauffeur Blues (Bonus) (5:07)
15. Swing It On Home (Take 2) (Bonus) (3:24)
16. Hound Dog (Take 2) (Bonus) (3:11)
17. Big Mama Talks With Chris Strachwitz (Bonus) (15:56)

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was part of the American Folk Blues Festival revue which toured Europe in 1965, so when it was time to record this session on October 20 at Wessex Studio in London, she had a crack impromptu blues band at her disposal, including a young Buddy Guy on guitar, Fred Below on drums, Eddie Boyd on piano and organ, and Jimmie Lee Robinson on bass. Walter "Shakey" Horton added his harmonica on a trio of tracks, and Thornton also sat down and recorded three powerful songs accompanied only by Mississippi Fred McDowell's elegant slide guitar playing. Thornton added her own harmonica and drums to a few tracks, as well, and the end result is a very special blues session that shows off Thornton's multifaceted and expansive stage presence.

The original LP from the session came out that same year from Chris Strachwitz's Arhoolie Records, and for this CD reissue, six more tracks have been added, including alternate takes of "Hound Dog" and "Swing It on Home," which brings the length of this generous disc to just under 80 minutes. Among the many highlights are a spooky, atmospheric reading of Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster," the seemingly autobiographical "Unlucky Girl," which Thornton wrote with Jack DuPree, and a pair of takes of her signature song, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller's "Hound Dog."

Also worth noting is Thornton's gutbucket drumming on "Session Blues" and the raggedly perfect "I Need Your Love." The showstoppers, though, are the three songs she does with McDowell, whose gorgeous slide playing sets up some of Thornton's most nuanced and measured singing on "My Heavy Load," "School Boy," and the ominous and stunning "Chauffeur Blues." The album ends with Strachwitz interviewing Thornton, and the whole set provides a perfect introduction to this spunky and innovative blues artist. /Steve Leggett, AllMusic

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VA - 1970s Slow Blues Jams

Size: 245,4 MB
Time: 105:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. John Hammond - Guitar King (3:36)
02. Big Mama Thornton - Jail (Live) (5:56)
03. Hound Dog Taylor - Sadie (6:12)
04. Son Seals - Sitting At My Window (4:30)
05. Albert Collins - When The Welfare Turns Its Back On You (5:24)
06. Jimmy Johnson - Your Turn To Cry (5:51)
07. Big Walter Horton - Little Boy Blue (3:12)
08. Left Hand Frank - One Room Country Shack (4:28)
09. Koko Taylor - Walking The Back Streets (6:46)
10. Johnny 'Big Moose' Walker - Worry, Worry (4:14)
11. Lovie Lee - Nobody Knows My Troubles (5:15)
12. Pinetop Perkins - Blues After Hours (5:00)
13. Lacy Gibson - Drown In My Own Tears (4:40)
14. Fenton Robinson - Going To Chicago (3:50)
15. Lonnie Brooks - Cold, Lonely Nights (4:42)
16. Hound Dog Taylor - Held My Baby Last Night (4:17)
17. Son Seals - Going Back Home (7:03)
18. Koko Taylor - That's Why I'm Crying (4:25)
19. Albert Collins - Conversation With Collins (8:49)
20. Big Mama Thornton - Rock Me Baby (6:42)

1970s Slow Blues Jams

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Big Mama Thornton - Sassy Mama!

Year: 1975
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:36
Size: 82,1 MB
Styles: Blues
Scans: Full

1. Rolling Stone (4:42)
2. Lost City (4:53)
3. Mr. Cool (7:45)
4. Big Mama's New Love (3:38)
5. Private Number (6:21)
6. Sassy Mama (4:56)
7. Everybody's Happy (But Me) (3:20)

This is Big Mama Thornton's debut album on Vanguard. Big Mama is among the last, if not the last in the great tradition of black women blues singers. She is presented here in a variety of styles ranging from shuffle-type blues to Muddy Waters, to some current exciting sounds.

Personnel: Big Mama Thornton (vocals); Cornell Dupree, Ronnie Miller (guitar); Wilbur Bascomb (bass); Jimmy Johnson (drums); Paul Griffin (keyboards); Buddy Lucas (tenor saxophone).

Sassy Mama! mc
Sassy Mama! zippy

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Various - The Best Of Duke-Peacock Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:25
Size: 115.4 MB
Styles: R&B, Blues
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - My Time Is Expensive
[2:41] 2. Elmore Nixon - A Hepcat's Advice
[2:43] 3. Big Mama Thornton - Let Your Tears Fall Baby
[3:02] 4. Earl Forest - Whoopin' And Hollerin'
[2:31] 5. Johnny Ace - How Can You Be So Mean
[2:47] 6. Rosco Gordon - Keep On Doggin'
[2:45] 7. Andrew Tibbs - Rock Savoy Rock
[2:50] 8. Sonny Parker - She Sets My Soul On Fire
[2:41] 9. Memphis Slim - Living Like A King
[2:48] 10. Little Richard - Little Richard's Boogie
[2:23] 11. Peter Guitar Lewis - Goin' Crazy
[2:35] 12. Little Junior Parker - Drivin' Wheel
[2:40] 13. Larry Davis - Texas Flood
[2:45] 14. Fenton Robinson - Mississippi Steamboat
[2:54] 15. James Davis - Blue Monday
[2:39] 16. Otis Rush - Homework
[4:09] 17. Bobby 'Blue' Bland - Stormy Monday Blues
[2:38] 18. Bobby 'Blue' Bland - Turn On Your Love Light

Interesting collection of sides from this seminal Texas label. Highlights includes tracks by Bobby Bland ("Stormy Monday," "Turn On Your Lovelight"), Otis Rush ("Homework"), Junior Parker "Driving Wheel"), and Larry Davis' original version of "Texas Flood," made popular to a new audience by Stevie Ray Vaughan. ~Cub Koda

The Best Of Duke-Peacock Blues mc
The Best Of Duke-Peacock Blues zippy

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Big Mama Thornton - The Complete Vanguard Recordings (3 CD)

This wonderful three-disc set brings together everything Willie Mae Thornton recorded for the folk music label in the mid-'70s. It's comprised of her two released albums from 1975, Jail and Sassy Mama, and a complete unreleased album, Big Mama Swings.

Thornton was still in good voice on these sessions and while not as powerful as her Peacock sides, the production is solid and these recordings make an excellent addition to her scant discography. /Cub Koda, AllMusic

Album: The Complete Vanguard Recordings
Year: 2000
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:34/35:36/46:09
Size: 84,2/82,0/106,2 MB
Styles: Blues, R&B
Scans: Full

The Complete Vanguard Recordings - CD 1: Jail
1. Little Red Rooster (6:25)
2. Ball And Chain (7:14)
3. Jail (5:47)
4. Hound Dog (2:58)
5. Rock Me Baby (6:42)
6. Sheriff O.E. & Me (3:35)
7. Oh Happy Day (3:51)

The Complete Vanguard Recordings - CD 2: Sassy Mama
1. Rolling Stone (4:42)
2. Lost City (4:53)
3. Mr. Cool (7:45)
4. Big Mama's New Love (3:38)
5. Private Number (6:20)
6. Sassy Mama (4:56)
7. Everybody's Happy (But Me) (3:20)

The Complete Vanguard Recordings - CD 3: Big Mama Swings
1. Good-Bye Baby (3:31)
2. Gonna Leave You (8:56)
3. Mixed Up Feeling (9:28)
4. Special (5:28)
5. Going Fishing (7:21)
6. Big Mama Swings (5:14)
7. Happy Me (6:08)

The Complete Vanguard Recordings (3 CD) mc
The Complete Vanguard Recordings (3 CD) zippy

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VA - Topcat Records: 20th Anniversary Blues Extravaganza!

Size: 200,2+185,6 MB
Time: 85:03+78:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front & Back

CD 1:
01 Jesse Thomas - Blue Goose Blues (6:33)
02 Johnny Nicholas - Kind Hearted Woman (4:19)
03 Edwin Holt - Down To The Bone (4:19)
04 Muddy Waters - Long Distance Call (Feat. Pinetop Perkins, Calvin Jones & Willie Big Eyes Smith) (6:33)
05 George Harmonica Smith - Mississippi River Blues (3:36)
06 Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog (3:06)
07 Big Walter Horton - My Babe (Feat. Ronnie Youngblood Earl & Johnny Nicholas) (3:54)
08 Jimmie Vaughan - Texas Flood (5:19)
09 Curly Barefoot Miller - The Curly Stomp (4:36)
10 Bobby Chitwood - C-Jam Blues (3:55)
11 The Texas Topcats - Jump My Baby (2:30)
12 The Tu-Tones - Pawnshop Bound (3:54)
13 Josh Alan - Rollin' And Tumblin' (2:55)
14 Hollywood Fats & The Paladins - Tear It Up (3:55)
15 Cricket Taylor - Guitar Man (6:44)
16 Alex Rossi & Phil Guy - Rock Me (4:40)
17 Robert Ealey - I'm Coming Home (4:14)
18 Curly Barefoot Miller - Butter Beans (3:39)
19 Johnny Nicholas - John The Revelator (3:40)
20 Hash Brown - Boogie (2:33)

CD 2:
01 Calvin Owens - True Blue (Feat. B.B. King) (4:21)
02 Bugs Henderson - She Feels Good (4:45)
03 Solon Fishbone - What's On Your Mind (3:54)
04 Texas Slim - Welcome To The Game (2:55)
05 Holland K. Smith - Walking Heart Attack (4:04)
06 Rocky Athas - Texas Girl (3:32)
07 Fernando Noronha - White Trash (5:29)
08 T. Buck Burns & Slip Clay - Saint Peter Have Mercy (3:51)
09 Keller Thomas - Leopard Skin Mini Skirt (3:04)
10 Bob Kirkpatrick - Remember (5:27)
11 Cold Blue Steel - The Girl That Radiates (2:47)
12 Kenny Traylor - Sneakin’ Around (3:53)
13 Jim Suhler & Alan Haynes - Oh My Baby’s Gone (3:43)
14 Big Gilson - Tribute To Roy Buchanan (3:27)
15 Robin Sylar - Heart Of Stone (3:38)
16 Mike Morgan - Well All Right Then (3:36)
17 Pat Mason - Queen Of The Boucherie (4:39)
18 Johnny Mack - Sugar Bee (3:15)
19 U.P. Wilson - Cross Road (3:38)
20 Tutu Jones - The Thrill Is Gone (4:32)

A double-disc set celebrating the two-decade anniversary of Topcat Records, this 40-track compilation shines a spotlight on the various releases the Texas-based blues label have released over the years. This set mixes up old, archival tracks reissued by the label along with newly commissioned recordings, some of the cuts sounding compressed and trashy, others big and bold. This discrepancy in audio quality can create some whiplash, but it does fit the slapdash nature of the whole project; it's hard to tell why each cut was chosen for inclusion as there are no real liner notes to speak of: the booklet does take note of the players on each track, which is nice, but it'd be even nicer to have some sort of context for each of the cuts here. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable enough sampler of modern Texas blues in its many permutations, from simple guitar and voice to full-bodied blues shuffles. ~by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Topcat Records

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Various Artists - 20 Great Blues Recordings Of The 50's And 60's Vol. 1

Year: 1983/1988
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:22
Size: 139,2 MB
Styles: Blues
Scans: Full

1. Lightning Hopkins - Rolling And Rolling (3:00)
2. Bobby Bland - Drifting From Town To Town (3:03)
3. Roosevelt Sykes - Gone With The Wind (2:59)
4. Big Mama Thornton - Me And My Chauffeur (2:23)
5. Jimmy Witherspoon - No Rollin' Blues (3:26)
6. George 'Harmonica' Smith - Blues In The Dark (2:59)
7. B.B. King - You Upset Me Baby (3:02)
8. Elmore James - Dark And Dreary (2:47)
9. Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm - I Ain't Drunk (2:29)
10. Howlin' Wolf - Crying At Daybreak (3:54)
11. Johnny 'Guitar' Watson - Three Hours Past Midnight (3:28)
12. Lowell Fulson - Talkin' Woman (2:30)
13. George 'Harmonica' Smith - Telephone Blues (3:03)
14. Eddie Burns - She Keeps Me Guessing (3:02)
15. Pee Wee Crayton - Central Avenue Blues (2:44)
16. B.B. King - Ten Long Years (2:47)
17. Jimmy McCracklin - The Panic's On (3:33)
18. Elmore James & His Broomdusters - Sunnyland (3:18)
19. Floyd Dixon - Cow Town (2:50)
20. Joe Hill Louis - Heartache Baby (2:56)

Haven't been able to find any proper info or description for this album. However, the music speaks for itself.

20 Great Blues Recordings Of The 50's And 60's Vol. 1 mc
20 Great Blues Recordings Of The 50's And 60's Vol. 1 zippy

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Various - 1950's Okland Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:19
Size: 110.6 MB
Styles: West Coast blues, Urban blues
Year: 1994/2015
Art: Front

[2:22] 1. Juke Boy Bonner - Well Baby
[2:53] 2. Juke Boy Bonner - Rock With Me Baby
[2:25] 3. Jimmy McCracklin - I Wanna Make Love To You
[2:44] 4. Jimmy McCracklin - You're The One
[2:33] 5. Jimmy McCracklin - Fare-Well
[3:06] 6. Jimmy McCracklin - Savoy Jump
[2:45] 7. Jimmy McCracklin - I'm The One
[2:52] 8. Jimmy McCracklin - Take A Chance
[2:51] 9. Jimmy McCracklin - Beer Tavern
[2:30] 10. Jimmy McCracklin - Love For You
[2:39] 11. Big Mama Thornton - Don't Talk Back
[2:25] 12. Big Mama Thornton - Big Mama's Coming
[3:08] 13. Johnny Fuller - Strange Land
[2:21] 14. Johnny Fuller - First Stage Of The Blues
[2:28] 15. Johnny Fuller - No More
[3:08] 16. Johnny Fuller - Weeping And Morning
[2:16] 17. Jimmy Wilson & The Blues Blasters - Oh Red
[2:43] 18. Johnny Fuller - Blues In The Alley

In its heyday -- from the 1930s through the late 1960s -- there was no shortage of A-list performers gracing the famed entertainment district of Oakland, CA. Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, Etta James and Lowell Fulson were among the stars who performed in such clubs as Slim Jenkins Supper Club and Esther's Orbit Room.

1950's Okland Blues mc
1950's Okland Blues zippy

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Big Mama Thornton - Vanguard Visionaries

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 123.4 MB
Styles: Texas blues
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Hound Dog
[7:13] 2. Ball 'n' Chain
[4:52] 3. Sassy Mama
[6:20] 4. Little Red Rooster
[6:41] 5. Rock Me Baby
[5:12] 6. Big Mama Swings
[4:35] 7. Rolling Stone (Muddy Waters)
[3:26] 8. Goodbye Baby
[8:56] 9. Gonna Leave You
[3:37] 10. Big Mama's New Love

Founded in 1950 by brothers Seymour Solomon and Maynard Solomon just as the LP format was taking hold (it had been introduced to the market two years previously), Vanguard Records took full advantage of the longer playing time afforded and began life as a classical label, moving easily into jazz, then gospel, bluegrass, blues, and folk (as Joan Baez's label, they had a high profile during the 1960s folk revival), eventually experimenting with rock groups like the Frost, although folk and classical remained the label's forte. Vanguard was sold to the Welk Group in 1985. The new owners set about revitalizing the imprint's back catalog, and also began adding contemporary recordings of country and pop artists as the 21st century began. To celebrate the imprint's rapidly approaching 60th anniversary, Vanguard has released a series of brief artist samplers (Vanguard Visionaries) from the label's peak 1960s and early-'70s era, including this one from Big Mama Thornton. A classic juke joint blues shouter, Thornton recorded the original versions of "Hound Dog" and "Ball and Chain," which ended up being big hits for Elvis Presley and Janis Joplin, respectively. Thornton recorded two albums for Vanguard in 1975, one a studio affair (Sassy Mama!) and the other drawn from live concerts held at two northwestern prisons (Jail). This brief sampler takes tracks from both releases and includes versions of "Hound Dog" and "Ball and Chain." ~Steve Leggett

Vanguard Visionaries

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VA - Blues Harp Women

Size: 163,2+152,3 MB
Time: 69:46+64:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Harmonica Blues
Art: Front

CD 1:
01 Paula Rangell - Harmonica Girl (4:25)
02 Roxy Perry - Roadmaster (4:16)
03 Stacy Jones Band - Heavy Water (5:45)
04 Big Mama Thornton - Down Home Shake Down (3:33)
05 Lynnann Hyde - 32-20 Blues (4:44)
06 Trina Hamlin - Down To The Hollow (4:26)
07 Tracy K - Stop! Wait A Minute (3:33)
08 Teresa 'T-Bird' Lynne - One More Lie (5:08)
09 Octavia - Naughty Girl (4:39)
10 Kat Baloun - Why You So Mean To Me (4:50)
11 Beth Kohnen - Ain't Easy (3:19)
12 Jane Gillman - Stuck On You (2:47)
13 Zola Moon - Mechanical Beast (4:06)
14 Mattie Phifer - Please Call Daddy (5:18)
15 Dorothy Jane 'DJ' Gosper - Sadder Than Sad (8:50)

CD 2:
01 Jenny Kerr - Cash Is King (3:35)
02 Cheryl Arena - Blues Got Me (6:24)
03 Annie Raines - Lookin' Good (7:32)
04 Marion Turner - He's Gone (3:17)
05 Terry Leonino - Meet Me Where They Play The Blues (3:59)
06 Dana Dixon - Crazy Maisie (4:28)
07 Beata Kossowska - Everybody's Dancing (3:02)
08 Jilll Fromewick - Take The Lead (3:26)
09 Diana Redlin - Never Leave Me Home (3:07)
10 Christelle Berthon - Summertime (4:25)
11 Judy Rudin - Hit The Road (4:22)
12 Cecilia Loforti - Doctor C (4:01)
13 Maria Coyote - Rikers Island (3:35)
14 Jackie Merritt - Fast Food Mama (2:50)
15 Big Nancy - Bring It On Home (To Me) (3:30)
16 Rhonda Rucker - Rhonda Alla Blue (3:13)

Big Mama Thornton is responsible for this album. I played one of her tracks on my radio show, heard a nice harmonica solo and checked the liner notes to see who it was. It was Big Mama! It was the first time I recall hearing a woman playing blues harp and it set the wheels turning in my head. I started wondering if there were other women who played the harmonica and why they are virtually unknown. I began searching. Eventually I found others, then more. I was inspired to create a website. As I was discussing it with a friend, he mispronounced harmonica as “hermonica”. “That’s it!” I shouted. “That’s the name for the website!”
So hermonicas.com was born and became what Adam Gussow called “the definitive site on women harmonica players.” We discovered and contacted almost 200 players around the world. There was some discussion on putting an album together. As far as we know, it had never been done before. A label-owning friend suggested I try Ruf Records and (bless his heart) Tom Ruf agreed to back the project.
It has taken a few years and numerous obstacles to overcome, (working with 30-plus artists can get very complicated) but finally the album is finished and is about to become a unique part of music history; the very first women’s blues harmonica compilation album ever made!
I hope this album will shed some light on what has been a black hole in the blues universe. It proves that as with other instruments, women are the equal of men on the harmonica. Perhaps this will help them get the attention that has passed them by in the past. I am delighted to have been a part of this project.

Blues Harp Women CD 1
Blues Harp Women CD 2

Thanks to Red Rooster
Covers

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