You can hear in her voice the characteristics that have gone on to influence singers in future generations. Almost every female singer of popular music who performs rock and roll owes a debt of gratitude to Big Mama Thornton for being the bridge between them and singers like Bessie Smith from an earlier generation. She kept alive the awareness that a female singer doesn't have to sound "pretty" to be effective and they too can have power house voices that can blow the roof off a joint.
Being born in Texas, there is a really good chance that Janis Joplin had the opportunity to see Big Mama perform and heard some of her music while growing up. But even those who may never have heard her until they were adults owe Big Mama a debt of gratitude.
All you have to do is listen to Big Mama Thornton from the Vanguard Visionaries series and you'll see why. Big Mama was a singer, songwriter, and performer par excellence and without her, the sound of modern music would be far different from what it is today.
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