Podcasts about Big Mama Thornton

Fizeram-lhe um ultimato e ela escolheu a música – até hoje e sem olhar para trás, diz-nos sem hesitar. A vida tem destas coisas e a da Catarina Salinas tem música desde que se entende por gente. À coleção de blues do pai foi buscar a nostalgia que a ajuda a criar muitos dos ambientes sonoros que ouvimos nas canções dos Best Youth e que junta a tantas outras referências, da pop ao hip-hop. A dupla, contou-nos, está já a trabalhar no sucessor de “Everywhen” e é precisamente às raízes musicais de ambos que tem regressado. No sábado, a Catarina partilhou connosco algumas dessas influências, mas também as descobertas que a têm conquistado nos últimos tempos – e o prazer que é ouvir alguém falar de forma tão apaixonada sobre aquilo que faz e que ouve! É que além de artista talentosa, a Catarina também se revelou uma melómana apaixonada - pretty top notch, diríamos mesmo!Playlist:“Leave Me Alone”, RUBII“Conversation Pt. 1”, Mac Miller“Vai Atrás Da Vida Que Ela Te Espera”, Zé Ibarra“dickhead blues”, Kara Jackson“Hound Dog”, Big Mama Thornton

Enjoy this special Mother's Day Sunday release of our new episode, Big Mamas Of The Blues! Markus and Ray dig into two great mamas; Ma Rainey in the first half, and Big Mama Thornton after the break! Both had key influences on the roots of the Blues and on women looking for singing heroes in the history books! Listen to here their influence on different branches of Rock n' Roll tree! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Enjoy this special Mother's Day Sunday release of our new episode, Big Mamas Of The Blues! Markus and Ray dig into two great mamas; Ma Rainey in the first half, and Big Mama Thornton after the break! Both had key influences on the roots of the Blues and on women looking for singing heroes in the history books! Listen to here their influence on different branches of Rock n' Roll tree! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Time Signatures with Jim Ervin, Erv welcomes true Blues royalty, and another top woman in the Blues, Teeny Tucker. Teeny talks about her earliest inspirations in music, spending summers with her legendary musician father, Tommy Tucker, that 1994 ‘baptism by fire', and subsequent breakthrough performance at the Apollo Theater in New York, opening for B.B. King, traveling to Chicago to catch a show by Etta James-and their deep unspoken connection during the show, her memorable performance at the 2014 BMA's in Memphis, her incredible artwork….and the ‘Two Big Ms', Teeny's tribute to Big Mama Thornton and Big Maybelle. This is another one of those episodes you do NOT want to miss. So much history and so many stories!Website: https://teenytucker.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081524242910YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZq5uPE_nhUr6Qn9jer7BhASpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/79eeGJFqGTfbwZ2NaxkRUo_________________________Facebook: Time SignaturesYouTube: Time SignaturesFacebook: Capital Area Blues SocietyWebsite: Capital Area Blues SocietyFriends of Time Signatures _______Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues ArchiveWebsite: Killer Blues Headstone ProjectWebsite: Blues Society Radio NetworkWebsite: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

In this week's episode, I'm joined by Chris Vos, lead singer and guitarist of The Record Company, for an in-depth conversation covering highlights from across the band's career. We dive into the fascinating story behind the band's name — and how their label reacted to it. Chris opens up about the pressure following their Grammy Award nomination for Give It Back To You, and how it influenced their second album All Of This Life. We also discuss working with the legendary producer T-Bone Burnett to re-record “You & Me Now,” and explore how placements on hit TV shows like Suits, Nashville, Shameless and CSI have impacted their journey. Plus, we get into the cover songs they've recorded over the years, including the Beastie Boys' "So What'cha Want," Cypress Hill's "I Wanna Get High," and Big Mama Thornton's "Ball & Chain." Chris shares insights into how The Record Company's sound has evolved across their discography — and much more.

Step into the legacy of singer Big Mama Thornton as Morgan and Vanessa guide you through a foremother meditation and lead a check-in with the self-care audit. In this episode, they shine a spotlight on the importance of hydration and oral hygiene with some of our favorite homegirls returning to share wisdom; Yolanda Williams informs listeners about the ancestral hygiene practice of oil pulling, while Nyra Govan shares testimonies from our trekkers. Experience the power of grounding traditions and modern wellness in this transformative session of Self-Care School.Important Disclaimer: While this episode provides helpful information, we are not medical experts. Please consult your doctor for personalized advice.

The dynamic duo is back! Celebrate International Women's Day with the powerhouse ladies behind DATC Media, CEO Sara J. and Editor-in-Chief Nancy Weil!In this special episode, they dive deep into the legendary female musicians they're spotlighting this month on Patreon, sharing how these trailblazing icons have shaped and inspired the world of DATC Media. But that's not all—Sara and Nancy also dish on Brian Eno and Bette A's groundbreaking new book What Art Does, along with their latest adventures in local live music coverage.Plus, get an exclusive sneak peek at what's coming soon from DATC Media, packed with exciting updates, stories, and more you won't want to miss!Donate to DATC Media Company: https://datcmediacompany.com/supportJoin the community on Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/Datcmediacompany/Reach out to the ladies:sara@datcmediacompany.comdatcnancy@gmail.comWomen's History's Month Special Collections:Sister Rosetta Tharpe: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1361584Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1376375Hound Dog by "Big Mama Thornton": https://youtu.be/BmpwvxW0gW0?si=vfNYCmbobCzF9a5hWhat Art Does: An Unfinished Theory: https://www.amazon.com/What-Art-Does-Unfinished-Theory/dp/0571395511Kyodie: https://kyodiemusic.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYhnHqFnWGzo4bw_XqRUtb-h1_Pk9YcGiJlxL0tbAP2S6R9ZjA1iIkTgjw_aem_6qBnmM196yultYgz_vNvlgKyodie, March 7, 2025, Buttonwoods Brewery, Providence, RI: https://www.patreon.com/posts/kyodie-march-7-123955668?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkRoughGauge March 2025 Featured Artist: https://www.roughgaugellc.com/featured-artistsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkpedalsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dk_pedals/Would you or someone you know like to be a RoughGauge Featured Artist? Send an email to saraj@roughgaugellc.comBlue Sky Dyes by Phil: https://blueskydyes.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZ5zwLZPs6skz8Fbr95CLq_bu2oYGGeEP6Qv1dFrLlFQQIHp07zKiKQjEo_aem_miQTi2RiEHfTaCJRyYUGJwThe DATC Media Podcast Family: https://datcmediacompany.com/podcastsJoin us for "Sunday Evening Jam"! https://www.youtube.com/@dewvre1974Get your early bird tickets for "A Celebration of The Hip for ALS" on October 4th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-celebration-of-the-hip-for-als-tickets-1137838598879?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3OiQE1P_UgOCfqBQK6pp8HQofDQaOXoVIPqxtgaXltv481zOuDOeDB6Q8_aem_JBfNSyaAXNOGEAt-NZAQoQWant to donate or sponsor "A Celebration of The Hip for ALS" on October 4th? Send an email with the subject "fundraiser" to: tthtop40@gmail.comLet's Collab! https://datcmediacompany.com/collab-opportunties-1Dropped Among This Crowd Podcast is now on Cameo! https://v.cameo.com/e/2o7KYNDCMJFollow DATC Media:https://datcmediacompany.comhttps://www.facebook.com/datcmediahttps://www.instagram.com/datcmediacompany/https://twitter.com/datcmediaFollow Dropped Among This Crowd Podcast:https://www.instagram.com/droppedamongthiscrowdpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/droppedamongthiscrowd/https://twitter.com/amongthiscrowdEmail: droppedamongthiscrowdpod@gmail.comBook a conversation on "Dropped among this Crowd": https://datcmediacompany.com/contact/ola/services/be-on-dropped-among-this-crowd-podcastFollow Sara J:https://www.facebook.com/sara.till41/https://www.instagram.com/sarajachimiak/https://www.tiktok.com/@mediamavensaraj

This week's show, after a 1997 Tobin Sprout trill: brand new Guided By Voices, Rocket, The Loft, Sleepersound, Jeffrey Runnings, Jetstream Pony, and Roddy Woomble, plus The Kinks, Gene Clark, Zombies, Faron Young, Big Mama Thornton, Monkees, and Lloyd ...

Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” was a hit when released in 1956. But the original was recorded several years earlier by Big Mama Thornton. Today, we’ll hear learn about the economics behind recording and some of the Black artists who inspired the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. But first: Your Temu, Shein and Amazon packages might be delayed. After new tariffs by the Trump administration, USPS says it’s suspending package acceptance from China and Hong Kong.

Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” was a hit when released in 1956. But the original was recorded several years earlier by Big Mama Thornton. Today, we’ll hear learn about the economics behind recording and some of the Black artists who inspired the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. But first: Your Temu, Shein and Amazon packages might be delayed. After new tariffs by the Trump administration, USPS says it’s suspending package acceptance from China and Hong Kong.

Music is the heartbeat of resistance—how Black artists shaped culture and the fight for liberation. --- Join and support the community: https://www.creationspaths.com/ In this episode of _Creation's Paths_, Charlie and Brian explore _music and culture as a weapon of the spirit_, focusing on the profound impact of _Black artistry_ in shaping American culture. Using the analogy of a goose at a duck's party, Charlie emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's place when engaging with cultures outside one's own. They discuss _African American contributions to music_, from _gospel and blues_ to _jazz, rock, hip-hop, and R&B_, highlighting the history of _cultural appropriation_ and how Black artists like _Big Mama Thornton, Kendrick Lamar, and Nina Simone_ have shaped entire genres. Addressing _music as a tool for liberation_, they reference _Dr. Martin Luther King Jr._, the _civil rights movement_, and _ongoing struggles against oppression_. They encourage listeners to seek out and support _Black creators_ like _Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, and SZA_, discussing the _prophetic power of art_ and its role in resisting injustice. The episode concludes with a call to celebrate Black artistry, engage in creativity, and actively work toward justice. Thank you for Liking and Subscribing to this podcast Thank you for sharing this episode with your loved ones, friends and community --- Thank you for Tips or Donations: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett https://patreon.com/cedorsett Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/ For all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/ For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com Guided Meditations Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV0C8kiTKv0J2QAAlD1uaIJvQ3Sr9sIqO Christopagan Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV0C8kiTKv0ISXDQkZBRB7EHrUUJgXlGN The Everything Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV0C8kiTKv0Ln3eGW-tDk2R68PM6c182O Creation's Paths Podcast: http://www.creationspaths.com/podcast Church of the Oak Podcast: http://churchoftheoak.com/ Hallowstead Podcast: http://hallowstead.com/ Social Connections: BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/ ## Chapters: 00:00 A Goose at the Duck's Party 00:42 Introduction to Culture and Music 01:30 Meet the Hosts: Charlie and Brian 03:15 The Influence of African American Culture 05:46 The Power of Music in Social Movements 11:33 Cultural Appropriation and Its Impact 21:33 The Role of Prophets and Artists 25:18 Call to Action and Conclusion

You may have thought Elvis Presley's hit record, "Hound Dog," was his alone, but Alabama's Big Mama Thornton sang it first. Documentary filmmaker Robert Clem visits In Focus with the story.

Extrait : « … l'histoire n'a pas daigné retenir pour quelles raisons Big Mama ne voit pratiquement pas un kopek de la vente du demi-million d'exemplaires du 45 tours. Un coup de massue pour celle qui espérait sortir de la mélasse définitivement, à partir de là sa carrière décline lentement mais sûrement, seules quelques tournées en Europe lui permettent de se maintenir à flot, de même que les royalties qu'elle perçoit grâce à la version que Janis Joplin fera de Ball and Chain, sur son album Cheap Thrills … »Pour commenter les épisodes, tu peux le faire sur ton appli de podcasts habituelle, c'est toujours bon pour l'audience. Mais également sur le site web dédié, il y a une section Le Bar, ouverte 24/24, pour causer du podcast ou de musique en général, je t'y attends avec impatience. Enfin, si tu souhaites me soumettre une chanson, c'est aussi sur le site web que ça se passe. Pour soutenir Good Morning Music et Gros Naze :1. Abonne-toi2. Laisse-moi un avis et 5 étoiles sur Apple Podcasts, ou Spotify et Podcast Addict3. Partage ton épisode préféré à 3 personnes autour de toi. Ou 3.000 si tu connais plein de monde.Good Morning Music Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Elvis Presley loved the Memphis singer Johnny Ace. Johnny died long before Elvis' became the King of Rock ‘N' Roll and the way in which Johnny Ace died was as tragic as it was violent. It involved a game of Russian roulette, a greedy and dubious rock ‘n' roll impresario, BB King, Big Mama Thornton, Little Richard, and a killer conspiracy and music history myth in desperate need of busting. Buckle up for a Christmas story like no other. What are your favorite rock 'n' roll myths? Which ones need busting? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at disgracelandpod.com/membership. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram YouTube X (formerly Twitter)  Facebook Fan Group TikTok Check out Kikoff: https://getkikoff.com/DISGRACELAND Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International mountain day. Entertainment from 1976. 1st penus transplant, Indiana became 19th state, Libertarian Party formed, Last issue with nude pics in Playboy. Todays birthdays - Big Mama Thornton, Rita Moreno, David Gates, Brenda Lee, Teri Garr, Jermaine Jackson, Nikki Sixx, Mo'nique, Hailee Steinfeld. Anne Rice died.Intro - Pour some sugar on me - Def Leppard     http://defleppard.com/I love the mountains - Super simple songs for kidsTonights the night - Rod StewartThinkin of a rendezvous - Johnny DuncanBirthday - The BeatlesBirthdays - In da club - 50 Cent     http://50cent.com/Hound Dog - Big Mama ThorntonMake it with you - BreadRockin' around the christmas tree - Brenda LeeI'll be there - Jackson 5Kickstart my heart - Motley CrueStarvin - Hailee SteinfeldExit - In my dreams - Dokken        http://dokken.net/

 | Artist  | Title  | Album Name  | Album Copyright  | Dom Martin  | Belfast Blues (Live).WAV  | Buried Alive  |   | Keb' Mo'  | The Christmas Song  | The Spirit Of The Holiday [EP] Christmas  | Buddy Guy & Junior Wells [Live]  | Blue Monday  | Pure Raw Blues 1  |   | Anna Elizabeth Laube  | Crying  | Wild Outside  |   | Michael Falzarano  | Jingle Bells Jingle jam 2  | A Kaleidoscope Christmas  | Big Mama Thornton & The Johnny Otis Orchestra  | Rock A Bye Baby  | Gems From The Peacock Vaults  | Vasti Jackson  | No More Christmas Blues  | Blind Raccoon Christmas Sampler  | Cripple Clarence Lofton  | Brown Skin Girls  | Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1 (1935-1939)  | Elly Wininger  | Blues For Christmas  | Christmas Sngles 2023  | (Rick) Del Castillio  | Oh Holy Night  | Merry Castillio Christmas  | Bo Diddley  | You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover  | Jungle Music (The Blues Collection)  | Doug Ferony  | Jingle Bells  | Let's Have A Rockin Christmas Vol. 3  | Val Starr & The Blues Rocket  | Bluesy Christmas  | Bluesy Christmas  |   | Ben Levin  | Lump Of Coal (Featuring Lil' Jimmy Reed)  | Ben Levin - Presents A Holiday Blues Revue

This is, incredibly, Peter A. Collins' 120th NYTimes crossword. His sweet spot seems to be Wednesdays, but he has published (unsurprisingly, with 120 puzzles in the archives) every day of the week, this is his 8th Saturday. It would not be too much of a spoiler to say that we loved it, but for the deets check out today's podcast to see why.Also, it's Saturday, and for our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), we picked ... nope, again, we run a tight ship here at JAMDTNYTC HQ, so we'll let you discover our pick when you download today's episode.Show note imagery: The lady herself, Big MAMA ThorntonWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

The first of two episodes covering the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. For Part I, I invited Darren Hines, Jordan Collins, Cliff O'Neill and Andrea Lewis to talk about their experiences watching the ceremony live and in person! The ceremony took place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday October 19th. Topics discussed include our favorite speeches (from both presenters and inductees), favorite musical performances and who they want to see honored at next year's ceremony. Part II, with different guests who also attended the 2024 ceremony, will be recorded and released in the coming days. Send us a text

Earlier this week, several legendary female artists–including Cher, Mary J. Blige and Big Mama Thornton–were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But despite this recognition, the history of women in popular music has always been marked by struggle. How Women Made Music, a new book from NPR Music and edited by Alison Fensterstock, centers and celebrates that radical history by compiling archival interviews, essays and images from the past 50 years. In today's episode, NPR's Ann Powers talks with NPR's Scott Detrow about the multi-platform project that inspired the book and how female artists have changed history by making revolutionary music–not just by telling their stories.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A song with roots so hidden, yet so obviously appropriate they never should have been hidden, a big star does a cover no one bothers to forget, and an obvious path from a non-obvious choice. Mercury Blues, Originally by KC Douglas Trio, covered by Alan Jackson and by Meat Loaf.  Outro music is Houd Dog, by Big Mama Thornton — so we get really great bookends on this one. 

On Friday's show: We get the latest results from an election survey from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs. And two Houston elected officials traded barbs on Thursday in the latest round of a political fight that's been escalating over the last few months.Also this hour: Our non-experts consider The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And musician Big Mama Thornton will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this weekend. She recorded "Hound Dog" at Houston's Peacock Records, and it was a No. 1 hit three years before Elvis Presley put his mark on it. We reflect on her life and musical career.

Professor and author Maureen Mahon (Black Diamond Queens: African-American Women and Rock and Roll) joins Joe & Kristen to discuss 2024 Musical Excellence inductee into the Rock Hall, Big Mama Thornton. This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MUSICThe estate of late drummer Joey Jordison has settled its lawsuit against his former band, Slipknot.The Diddy Update: People are still buzzing about the insane amount of baby oil found when the feds raided Diddy's homes and his lawyer is offering up an explanation. Ringo Starr has canceled the final two shows of his current tour due to a nasty cold.Former Dio and Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich has been diagnosed with throat cancer.  Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced the first wave of performers and presenters for the induction ceremony on October 19th in Cleveland. This year's inductees are Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest. Alexis Korner, John Mayall and Big Mama Thornton will be given the Musical Influence Award and Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield will be given the Musical Excellence Award. The inductees who will be performing are Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, and Dionne Warwick. The other performers and presenters are Busta Rhymes, Dr. Dre, Demi Lovato, Dua Lipa, Ella Mai, James Taylor, Jelly Roll, Julia Roberts, Keith Urban, Lucky Daye, Method Man, Roger Daltrey, Sammy Hagar, Slash and The Roots. The Hall says more will be announced. The show will stream live on Disney+ at 6pm on October 19th. A three hour highlights show will air on ABC on New Year's Day.Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee had a close call when a coyote tried to abduct his dog Neena from the backyard of his Brentwood, California home. The coyote grabbed the 10-year-old dachshund, but Lee's wife, Brittany, says she “climbed up the wall and grabbed her out of its mouth. Thank God she's a little bit fat because he couldn't make it over the wall with her." The abduction was caught on tape and Brittany later went on Los Angeles TV to warn other dog ownersQueens of the Stone Age have rescheduled most of the dates they postponed due to Josh Homme's recovery from emergency surgery in July. The shows are in Boston on June 10th and 11th, Cincinnati June 18th, Madison, Wisconsin on June 20th and Chicago June 21st.Josh Homme and Troy Van Leeuwen from Queens of the Stone Age, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, and Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode will take part in Mark Lanegan 60: A Celebration December 5th at The Roundhouse in London. Lanegan, who sang for Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, died in 2022 at the age of 57.AND FINALLY"Rolling Stone" magazine put together a list of the 101 greatest soundtracks of all time. 1. "Purple Rain", 19842. "Help!", 19653. "The Harder They Come", 1972AND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ON CELEBRITIES! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MUSIC The estate of late drummer Joey Jordison has settled its lawsuit against his former band, Slipknot. The Diddy Update: People are still buzzing about the insane amount of baby oil found when the feds raided Diddy's homes and his lawyer is offering up an explanation. Ringo Starr has canceled the final two shows of his current tour due to a nasty cold. Former Dio and Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich has been diagnosed with throat cancer.   Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced the first wave of performers and presenters for the induction ceremony on October 19th in Cleveland. This year's inductees are Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest. Alexis Korner, John Mayall and Big Mama Thornton will be given the Musical Influence Award and Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield will be given the Musical Excellence Award. The inductees who will be performing are Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, and Dionne Warwick. The other performers and presenters are Busta Rhymes, Dr. Dre, Demi Lovato, Dua Lipa, Ella Mai, James Taylor, Jelly Roll, Julia Roberts, Keith Urban, Lucky Daye, Method Man, Roger Daltrey, Sammy Hagar, Slash and The Roots. The Hall says more will be announced. The show will stream live on Disney+ at 6pm on October 19th. A three hour highlights show will air on ABC on New Year's Day. Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee had a close call when a coyote tried to abduct his dog Neena from the backyard of his Brentwood, California home. The coyote grabbed the 10-year-old dachshund, but Lee's wife, Brittany, says she “climbed up the wall and grabbed her out of its mouth. Thank God she's a little bit fat because he couldn't make it over the wall with her." The abduction was caught on tape and Brittany later went on Los Angeles TV to warn other dog owners Queens of the Stone Age have rescheduled most of the dates they postponed due to Josh Homme's recovery from emergency surgery in July. The shows are in Boston on June 10th and 11th, Cincinnati June 18th, Madison, Wisconsin on June 20th and Chicago June 21st. Josh Homme and Troy Van Leeuwen from Queens of the Stone Age, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, and Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode will take part in Mark Lanegan 60: A Celebration December 5th at The Roundhouse in London. Lanegan, who sang for Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, died in 2022 at the age of 57. AND FINALLY "Rolling Stone" magazine put together a list of the 101 greatest soundtracks of all time.  1. "Purple Rain", 1984 2. "Help!", 1965 3. "The Harder They Come", 1972 AND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ON CELEBRITIES! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode of Across The Margin : The Podcast presents an interview with Alan Swyer, an award-winning filmmaker whose recent documentaries have dealt with Eastern spirituality in the Western world, the criminal justice system, diabetes, boxing, singer Billy Vera, and beyond. In the realm of music, among his productions is an album of Ray Charles love songs. His novel The Beard was recently published by Harvard Square Editions. His latest documentary, When Houston Had The Blues — the focus of this episode — shines a bright light on a vibrant Black music scene that has never gotten its just due…until now. Houston's early and indelible mark on American music and the blues — often overlooked despite its rich history — is celebrated in the soulful, feature-length documentary, When Houston Had the Blues. While Houston may not come to most people's minds as a major “music city” like Memphis, Chicago or New Orleans, it has a legacy that few other cities can match. Years before Elvis hit the charts with “Hound Dog,” it was originally recorded by Houston's Big Mama Thornton (arguably the defining version). And long before Motown, Houston was home to one of the most successful Black music empires in the country. When Houston Had the Blues features an extensive collection of photos from the '40s and ‘50s and vintage/contemporary performances by Bobby “Blue” Bland, Chic “Juke Boy” Bonner, Charles Brown, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Jewel Brown, C.J. Chenier, Arnett Cobb, Albert Collins, Diunna Greenleaf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Albert King, Freddie King, Trudy Lynn, David “Guitar Shorty” Kearney, Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, Katie Webster aka The Swamp Boogie Queen, Don Wilkerson and more. With a unique timber and flavor unlike any other town in America, even other Texan cities, Houston's blues scene — ranging from “gut bucket” to highly sophisticated — has long been a melting pot of music, influenced by salsa, tejano, cajun, zydeco (then known as la-la), jazz, country and, later, rock ‘n' roll. Stream Houston Had The Blues on iTunes / Apple TV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.Welcome to Guess the Year! This is an interactive, competitive podcast series where you will be able to play along and compete against your fellow listeners. Here is how the scoring works:1 point: get the year correct within 10 years (e.g., you guess 1975 and it is between 1965-1985)4 points: get the year correct within 5 years (e.g., you guess 2004 and it is between 1999-2009)7 points: get the year correct within 2 years (e.g., you guess 1993 and it is between 1991-1995)10 points: get the year dead on!Guesses can be emailed to drandrewmay@gmail.com or texted using the link at the top of the show notes (please leave your name).I will read your scores out before the next episode, along with the scores of your fellow listeners! Please email your guesses to Andrew no later than 12pm EST on the day the next episode posts if you want them read out on the episode (e.g., if an episode releases on Monday, then I need your guesses by 12pm EST on Wednesday; if an episode releases on Friday, then I need your guesses by 12 pm EST on Monday). Note: If you don't get your scores in on time, they will still be added to the overall scores I am keeping. So they will count for the final scores - in other words, you can catch up if you get behind, you just won't have your scores read out on the released episode. All I need is your guesses (e.g., Song 1 - 19xx, Song 2 - 20xx, Song 3 - 19xx, etc.). Please be honest with your guesses! Best of luck!!The answers to today's ten songs can be found below. If you are playing along, don't scroll down until you have made your guesses. .....Have you made your guesses yet? If so, you can scroll down and look at the answers......Okay, answers coming. Don't peek if you haven't made your guesses yet!.....Intro song: Play the Game by Queen (1980)Song 1: Dunkie Butt by 12 Gauge (1994)Song 2: Lemon Boy by Cavetown (2018)Song 3: Start Wearing Purple by Gogol Bordello (2005)Song 4: Big Mama's New Love by Big Mama Thornton (1975)Song 5: House of Gold by twenty one pilots (2011/2013)Song 6: Hard Habit to Break by Chicago (1984)Song 7: King Tut by Steve Martin & the Toot Uncommons (1978)Song 8: Before I Break by Uncle Tupelo (1990)Song 9: United States of Whatever by Liam Lynch (2002)Song 10: Grand Optimist by City and Colour (2011)

National Hot fudge sundae day.  Entertainment from 2006. Erfort latrine disaster, Italy's safest ship sank , First woman to do a Space Walk, Todays birthdays - James Barry, Walter Brennen, Estelle Getty, Tom Dawes, Iman, Matt LeBlanc, Louise Brown 1st invitro baby.  Big Mama Thornton died.Intro - Pour some sugar on me - Def Leppard    https://defleppard.com/Hat fudge - The Hungry Food GroupPromiscuous - Nelly Furtado  TimbalandThe world - Brad PaisleyBirthdays - In da club - 50 Cent   https://www.50cent.com/Golden Girls TV themeAlka Seltzer commercialFriends TV themeHound dog - Big Mama ThorntonExit - Its not love - Dokken   https://www.dokken.net/Follow Jeff Stampka on cooolmedia.com or facebook 

The Sunday "Earthchxrch" services remain so fulfilling, the soaring voices with their justice lyrics delivered with the 200 mph wind of recent storms. The choir sings I Go The Mountain and I'm Filled with the Fabulous Unknown from our new album. And we celebrate in this Earth Riot some of our greatest "necessary interruptions": Sister Rosetta Tharp, Elvis Presley and Big Mama Thornton, James Brown and Richard Strauss's Thus Spake Zarathustra. The Earth will rock our world until we don't recognize what we are doing, and then the survivors can begin again. 

With an ACM Top New Female Vocalist win and nearly 20 Canadian Country Music Awards, the chart-topping Carolyn Dawn Johnson chats about everything from her songwriting successes to her artist career to her co-writing with Chris Stapleton.PART ONEPaul and Scott dive deep on their opinions about the recently-announced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction class of 2024.PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Carolyn Dawn Johnson.ABOUT CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSONCanadian-born singer, songwriter, producer, and musician Carolyn Dawn Johnson moved to Nashville in the mid-1990s and started getting her songs recorded by artists such as Patty Loveless, Suzy Bogguss, Kathy Mattea, and Jo Dee Messina. Her breakthrough came in 1999 with Chely Wright's recording of "Single White Female," which hit #1 on the country charts. Wright's follow-up recording of Johnson's "Downtime" also became a Top 5 hit. Carolyn was named Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year by Music Row magazine in 2000 and landed a record deal of her own with the Arista Nashville label. Her self-produced debut, Room with a View, hit the Top 10 in the US and earned Gold status in Canada. The singles "Complicated“ and "I Don't Want You to Go“ were both Top 10 hits in the US. She won the Academy of Country Music's Top New Female Vocalist award and swept the Canadian Country Music Awards. The follow-up album, Dress Rehearsal, also debuted in the Top 10. To date, Carolyn has earned nearly 20 Canadian Country Music Awards for songwriting, performing, and producing. As an artist she has toured with Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, and Merle Haggard. As a backup vocalist and musician she's toured with Ashley McBryde, Miranda Lambert, and Martina McBride. After a hiatus as an artist she has recently begun recording new music while continuing to enjoy success as a writer, including Chris Stapleton's "The Day I Die,“ a song Carolyn and Chris wrote together that appeared on his 2023 album Higher.  

En EEUU el Salón de la Fama del Rock and Roll se reivindica con algunas figuras que llevaban años esperando. En la categoría de intérpretes, entran los veteranos Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool and the Gang, Ozzy Osbourne y A Tribe Called Quest. Como Influencia Musical se admitió a Alexis Korner, John Mayall y Big Mama Thornton. En la Excelencia Musical ingresan Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick y Norman Whitfield. Deberán esperar unos años más Mariah Carey, Oasis, Lenny Kravitz, y Sinéad O’Connor.

This week our hosts Brittany and Rob look at one of the longest, craziest stories in pop music: the never-ending saga of “Hound Dog.” Big Mama Thornton came out with this massive R&B belter in 1952 and was the first hit from the legendary writing team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. The song comes in at #318 on the list, and instantly became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring countless cover versions, answer songs, rewrites and sequels in blues, pop, and country. The most notable was Elvis Presley's version of Hound Dog” in 1956, but he wasn't covering Big Mama Thornton's song – these were two very different tunes with the same title, and the only thing they had in common was the opening line, “You ain't nothing but a hound dog.” In this episode, Brittany and Rob dive deep into the secret history of “Hound Dog” and why time has simplified the story to being between Big Mama and Elvis. Rolling Stone senior writer Angie Martoccio also joins us to look at the song and its complex cultural afterlife. Together we celebrate the greatness of Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, and the incredible power of her “Hound Dog”. For a song that's continued to change constantly throughout the past 70 years after it first became a hit, there's really no other story in music history like this one. From Jimi Hendrix to Doja Cat, we look at how “Hound Dog” keeps on inspiring sequels and likely will for the rest of history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Ben Wynne, Ph.D. (Univ. of N. Georgia) is our guest this week to talk about his latest book, "A Hound Dog Tale: Big Mama, Elvis and the Song that Changed Everything"  (Louisiana State Univ. Press 2024). This is a fascinating interview about a song that was a major rhythm & blues hit for Big Mama Thornton and a ground-breaking success for Elvis Presley a few years later. Through his research, Wynne is able to explain how this song through is many incarnations and having spurred two major lawsuits defined and re-defined the culture and business of popular music in the years that followed and to this day. This book is highly recommended!Errata: Craig got the title wrong both times ... it's "A Hound Dog Tale...," not "Hound Dog...."-->Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/tT8d3pVUsN-->You can support Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including the books featured in this episode, through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandrunsHooks & Runs - www.hooksandruns.comHooks & Runs on TikTok -  https://www.tiktok.com/@hooksandrunsHooks & Runs on Twitter - https://twitter.com/thehooksandrunsAndrew Eckhoff on Tik TokLink: https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffestRex von Pohl (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (Premium Beat)       

El programa va a estar dedicado a cuatro leyendas de la música popular. Tres que nos dijeron adiós hace ya algún tiempo: la impresionante cantante e instrumentista de blues y ritmo y ritmo-blues BIG MAMA THORNTON, el histórico pianista cubano RUBÉN GONZÁLEZ y ese inolvidable guitarrista que fue y seguirá siendo uno de nuestros músicos más internacionales, MANOLO SANLÚCAR. La otra leyenda seleccionada sigue en activo; hace no mucho que actuó en Zaragoza …Se le considera un número 1 en el mundo, el gaitero y compositor CARLOS NÚÑEZ.

Where else but the heart of Saturday night? We've got an eclectic collection of performances that take you ‘there and back' this Friday morning on Deeper Roots. No theme. No tribute. No genre sweep. Just a collection of some great sounds from the past (and present). Little themes that reach deep and a few awesome covers that you may not be familiar with. We're making our way to the outskirts of the bayou with Cookie & The Cupcakes and Jo-el Sonnier, then into some gritty blues from Muddy Waters and RL Burnside, and we'll also have some rollicking country and soul from Big Mama Thornton, Buck Owens, Mickey Baker, and Calvin Boze. Add a dose of Billie Holiday, LaVern Baker, and Tow Waits…and there you have it. Some surprises and some favorites all rolled up on this Friday morning blue plate special.

durée : 00:59:27 - Banzzaï du mercredi 31 janvier 2024 - par : Nathalie Piolé - La playlist jazz de Nathalie Piolé.

On today's episode we explore the racialized, gendered, sexualized, and overarchingly monetized, tension of that music, and its relationship to normative socials and economics of whiteness – all through the lens of one of the legendary creators and original influencers of music that became known as rock and roll. That's someone who is popularly, although not popularly enough, known as Big Mama Thornton – not famous enough for penning songs that white artists made a killing from, like Elvis' version of Hound Dog and Janis Joplin's version of Ball n Chain. We spend the hour discussing a biography that begins by rejecting even the name that she was marketed with. The book is called Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters, and our guest is the author of that book, Lynnée Denise, who is an academic, an author and a global practitioner of sound, language, and Black Atlantic thought, who coined the term “DJ Scholarship”, which shifts the role of the DJ from a party purveyor to an archivist and cultural worker. Her research contends with how iterations of sound system culture construct a living archive and refuge for a Black queer diaspora.  Check out Lynnée Denise‘ website: https://www.djlynneedenise.com/ Buy the book here: https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477321188/ —- Subscribe to this podcast: https://plinkhq.com/i/1637968343?to=page Get in touch: lawanddisorder@kpfa.org Follow us on socials @LawAndDis: https://twitter.com/LawAndDis; https://www.instagram.com/lawanddis/ The post Appropriating Rock n Roll from Legendary Artist Willie ‘Big Mama' Mae Thornton w/ Lynnée Denise appeared first on KPFA.

Get to know Krystal Ramseur who read us the story of Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. Hear about Krystal's work with the National Council of Negro Women and in improvisational comedy. Krystal also shares how she identifies with Big Mama Thornton in their shared efforts to be true to themselves. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This interview was produced by Deborah Goldstein with sound design and mixing by John Marshall Media. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Our executive producers are Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was a Black American blues singer with a unique style and a powerful voice. She helped shape rock and roll as we know it today. This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It's based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Deborah Goldstein with sound design and mixing by Reel Audiobooks. It was written by Apryl Lee and edited by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Krystal Ramseur. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Our executive producers are Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!

Air Week: November 6-12, 2023 Big Mama Thornton Willie Mae Thornton was a trailblazer, who in making her own rules paved the way for other groundbreaking female artists like Janis Joplin and Madonna. Known as “Big Mama,” Thornton scored her only hit record in early 1953 when “Hound Dog” topped the national Rhythm & Blues […]

Episode 169 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Piece of My Heart" and the short, tragic life of Janis Joplin. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode available, on "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Resources There are two Mixcloud mixes this time. As there are so many songs by Big Brother and the Holding Company and Janis Joplin excerpted, and Mixcloud won't allow more than four songs by the same artist in any mix, I've had to post the songs not in quite the same order in which they appear in the podcast. But the mixes are here — one, two . For information on Janis Joplin I used three biographies -- Scars of Sweet Paradise by Alice Echols, Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warren, and Buried Alive by Myra Friedman. I also referred to the chapter '“Being Good Isn't Always Easy": Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Dusty Springfield, and the Color of Soul' in Just Around Midnight: Rock and Roll and the Racial Imagination by Jack Hamilton. Some information on Bessie Smith came from Bessie Smith by Jackie Kay, a book I can't really recommend given the lack of fact-checking, and Bessie by Chris Albertson. I also referred to Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday by Angela Y. Davis And the best place to start with Joplin's music is this five-CD box, which contains both Big Brother and the Holding Company albums she was involved in, plus her two studio albums and bonus tracks. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Before I start, this episode contains discussion of drug addiction and overdose, alcoholism, mental illness, domestic abuse, child abandonment, and racism. If those subjects are likely to cause you upset, you may want to check the transcript or skip this one rather than listen. Also, a subject I should probably say a little more about in this intro because I know I have inadvertently caused upset to at least one listener with this in the past. When it comes to Janis Joplin, it is *impossible* to talk about her without discussing her issues with her weight and self-image. The way I write often involves me paraphrasing the opinions of the people I'm writing about, in a mode known as close third person, and sometimes that means it can look like I am stating those opinions as my own, and sometimes things I say in that mode which *I* think are obviously meant in context to be critiques of those attitudes can appear to others to be replicating them. At least once, I have seriously upset a fat listener when talking about issues related to weight in this manner. I'm going to try to be more careful here, but just in case, I'm going to say before I begin that I think fatphobia is a pernicious form of bigotry, as bad as any other form of bigotry. I'm fat myself and well aware of how systemic discrimination affects fat people. I also think more generally that the pressure put on women to look a particular way is pernicious and disgusting in ways I can't even begin to verbalise, and causes untold harm. If *ANYTHING* I say in this episode comes across as sounding otherwise, that's because I haven't expressed myself clearly enough. Like all people, Janis Joplin had negative characteristics, and at times I'm going to say things that are critical of those. But when it comes to anything to do with her weight or her appearance, if *anything* I say sounds critical of her, rather than of a society that makes women feel awful for their appearance, it isn't meant to. Anyway, on with the show. On January the nineteenth, 1943, Seth Joplin typed up a letter to his wife Dorothy, which read “I wish to tender my congratulations on the anniversary of your successful completion of your production quota for the nine months ending January 19, 1943. I realize that you passed through a period of inflation such as you had never before known—yet, in spite of this, you met your goal by your supreme effort during the early hours of January 19, a good three weeks ahead of schedule.” As you can probably tell from that message, the Joplin family were a strange mixture of ultraconformism and eccentricity, and those two opposing forces would dominate the personality of their firstborn daughter for the whole of her life.  Seth Joplin was a respected engineer at Texaco, where he worked for forty years, but he had actually dropped out of engineering school before completing his degree. His favourite pastime when he wasn't at work was to read -- he was a voracious reader -- and to listen to classical music, which would often move him to tears, but he had also taught himself to make bathtub gin during prohibition, and smoked cannabis. Dorothy, meanwhile, had had the possibility of a singing career before deciding to settle down and become a housewife, and was known for having a particularly beautiful soprano voice. Both were, by all accounts, fiercely intelligent people, but they were also as committed as anyone to the ideals of the middle-class family even as they chafed against its restrictions. Like her mother, young Janis had a beautiful soprano voice, and she became a soloist in her church choir, but after the age of six, she was not encouraged to sing much. Dorothy had had a thyroid operation which destroyed her singing voice, and the family got rid of their piano soon after (different sources say that this was either because Dorothy found her daughter's singing painful now that she couldn't sing herself, or because Seth was upset that his wife could no longer sing. Either seems plausible.) Janis was pushed to be a high-achiever -- she was given a library card as soon as she could write her name, and encouraged to use it, and she was soon advanced in school, skipping a couple of grades. She was also by all accounts a fiercely talented painter, and her parents paid for art lessons. From everything one reads about her pre-teen years, she was a child prodigy who was loved by everyone and who was clearly going to be a success of some kind. Things started to change when she reached her teenage years. Partly, this was just her getting into rock and roll music, which her father thought a fad -- though even there, she differed from her peers. She loved Elvis, but when she heard "Hound Dog", she loved it so much that she tracked down a copy of Big Mama Thornton's original, and told her friends she preferred that: [Excerpt: Big Mama Thornton, "Hound Dog"] Despite this, she was still also an exemplary student and overachiever. But by the time she turned fourteen, things started to go very wrong for her. Partly this was just down to her relationship with her father changing -- she adored him, but he became more distant from his daughters as they grew into women. But also, puberty had an almost wholly negative effect on her, at least by the standards of that time and place. She put on weight (which, again, I do not think is a negative thing, but she did, and so did everyone around her), she got a bad case of acne which didn't ever really go away, and she also didn't develop breasts particularly quickly -- which, given that she was a couple of years younger than the other people in the same classes at school, meant she stood out even more. In the mid-sixties, a doctor apparently diagnosed her as having a "hormone imbalance" -- something that got to her as a possible explanation for why she was, to quote from a letter she wrote then, "not really a woman or enough of one or something." She wondered if "maybe something as simple as a pill could have helped out or even changed that part of me I call ME and has been so messed up.” I'm not a doctor and even if I were, diagnosing historical figures is an unethical thing to do, but certainly the acne, weight gain, and mental health problems she had are all consistent with PCOS, the most common endocrine disorder among women, and it seems likely given what the doctor told her that this was the cause. But at the time all she knew was that she was different, and that in the eyes of her fellow students she had gone from being pretty to being ugly. She seems to have been a very trusting, naive, person who was often the brunt of jokes but who desperately needed to be accepted, and it became clear that her appearance wasn't going to let her fit into the conformist society she was being brought up in, while her high intelligence, low impulse control, and curiosity meant she couldn't even fade into the background. This left her one other option, and she decided that she would deliberately try to look and act as different from everyone else as possible. That way, it would be a conscious choice on her part to reject the standards of her fellow pupils, rather than her being rejected by them. She started to admire rebels. She became a big fan of Jerry Lee Lewis, whose music combined the country music she'd grown up hearing in Texas, the R&B she liked now, and the rebellious nature she was trying to cultivate: [Excerpt: Jerry Lee Lewis, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"] When Lewis' career was derailed by his marriage to his teenage cousin, Joplin wrote an angry letter to Time magazine complaining that they had mistreated him in their coverage. But as with so many people of her generation, her love of rock and roll music led her first to the blues and then to folk, and she soon found herself listening to Odetta: [Excerpt: Odetta, "Muleskinner Blues"] One of her first experiences of realising she could gain acceptance from her peers by singing was when she was hanging out with the small group of Bohemian teenagers she was friendly with, and sang an Odetta song, mimicking her voice exactly. But young Janis Joplin was listening to an eclectic range of folk music, and could mimic more than just Odetta. For all that her later vocal style was hugely influenced by Odetta and by other Black singers like Big Mama Thornton and Etta James, her friends in her late teens and early twenties remember her as a vocal chameleon with an achingly pure soprano, who would more often than Odetta be imitating the great Appalachian traditional folk singer Jean Ritchie: [Excerpt: Jean Ritchie, "Lord Randall"] She was, in short, trying her best to become a Beatnik, despite not having any experience of that subculture other than what she read in books -- though she *did* read about them in books, devouring things like Kerouac's On The Road. She came into conflict with her mother, who didn't understand what was happening to her daughter, and who tried to get family counselling to understand what was going on. Her father, who seemed to relate more to Janis, but who was more quietly eccentric, put an end to that, but Janis would still for the rest of her life talk about how her mother had taken her to doctors who thought she was going to end up "either in jail or an insane asylum" to use her words. From this point on, and for the rest of her life, she was torn between a need for approval from her family and her peers, and a knowledge that no matter what she did she couldn't fit in with normal societal expectations. In high school she was a member of the Future Nurses of America, the Future Teachers of America, the Art Club, and Slide Rule Club, but she also had a reputation as a wild girl, and as sexually active (even though by all accounts at this point she was far less so than most of the so-called "good girls" – but her later activity was in part because she felt that if she was going to have that reputation anyway she might as well earn it). She also was known to express radical opinions, like that segregation was wrong, an opinion that the other students in her segregated Texan school didn't even think was wrong, but possibly some sort of sign of mental illness. Her final High School yearbook didn't contain a single other student's signature. And her initial choice of university, Lamar State College of Technology, was not much better. In the next town over, and attended by many of the same students, it had much the same attitudes as the school she'd left. Almost the only long-term effect her initial attendance at university had on her was a negative one -- she found there was another student at the college who was better at painting. Deciding that if she wasn't going to be the best at something she didn't want to do it at all, she more or less gave up on painting at that point. But there was one positive. One of the lecturers at Lamar was Francis Edward "Ab" Abernethy, who would in the early seventies go on to become the Secretary and Editor of the Texas Folklore Society, and was also a passionate folk musician, playing double bass in string bands. Abernethy had a great collection of blues 78s. and it was through this collection that Janis first discovered classic blues, and in particular Bessie Smith: [Excerpt: Bessie Smith, "Black Mountain Blues"] A couple of episodes ago, we had a long look at the history of the music that now gets called "the blues" -- the music that's based around guitars, and generally involves a solo male vocalist, usually Black during its classic period. At the time that music was being made though it wouldn't have been thought of as "the blues" with no modifiers by most people who were aware of it. At the start, even the songs they were playing weren't thought of as blues by the male vocalist/guitarists who played them -- they called the songs they played "reels". The music released by people like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Son House, Robert Johnson, Kokomo Arnold and so on was thought of as blues music, and people would understand and agree with a phrase like "Lonnie Johnson is a blues singer", but it wasn't the first thing people thought of when they talked about "the blues". Until relatively late -- probably some time in the 1960s -- if you wanted to talk about blues music made by Black men with guitars and only that music, you talked about "country blues". If you thought about "the blues", with no qualifiers, you thought about a rather different style of music, one that white record collectors started later to refer to as "classic blues" to differentiate it from what they were now calling "the blues". Nowadays of course if you say "classic blues", most people will think you mean Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker, people who were contemporary at the time those white record collectors were coming up with their labels, and so that style of music gets referred to as "vaudeville blues", or as "classic female blues": [Excerpt: Mamie Smith, "Crazy Blues"] What we just heard was the first big blues hit performed by a Black person, from 1920, and as we discussed in the episode on "Crossroads" that revolutionised the whole record industry when it came out. The song was performed by Mamie Smith, a vaudeville performer, and was originally titled "Harlem Blues" by its writer, Perry Bradford, before he changed the title to "Crazy Blues" to get it to a wider audience. Bradford was an important figure in the vaudeville scene, though other than being the credited writer of "Keep A-Knockin'" he's little known these days. He was a Black musician and grew up playing in minstrel shows (the history of minstrelsy is a topic for another day, but it's more complicated than the simple image of blackface that we are aware of today -- though as with many "more complicated than that" things it is, also the simple image of blackface we're aware of). He was the person who persuaded OKeh records that there would be a market for music made by Black people that sounded Black (though as we're going to see in this episode, what "sounding Black" means is a rather loaded question). "Crazy Blues" was the result, and it was a massive hit, even though it was marketed specifically towards Black listeners: [Excerpt: Mamie Smith, "Crazy Blues"] The big stars of the early years of recorded blues were all making records in the shadow of "Crazy Blues", and in the case of its very biggest stars, they were working very much in the same mould. The two most important blues stars of the twenties both got their start in vaudeville, and were both women. Ma Rainey, like Mamie Smith, first performed in minstrel shows, but where Mamie Smith's early records had her largely backed by white musicians, Rainey was largely backed by Black musicians, including on several tracks Louis Armstrong: [Excerpt: Ma Rainey, "See See Rider"] Rainey's band was initially led by Thomas Dorsey, one of the most important men in American music, who we've talked about before in several episodes, including the last one. He was possibly the single most important figure in two different genres -- hokum music, when he, under the name "Georgia Tom" recorded "It's Tight Like That" with Tampa Red: [Excerpt: Tampa Red and Georgia Tom, "It's Tight Like That"] And of course gospel music, which to all intents and purposes he invented, and much of whose repertoire he wrote: [Excerpt: Mahalia Jackson, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"] When Dorsey left Rainey's band, as we discussed right back in episode five, he was replaced by a female pianist, Lil Henderson. The blues was a woman's genre. And Ma Rainey was, by preference, a woman's woman, though she was married to a man: [Excerpt: Ma Rainey, "Prove it on Me"] So was the biggest star of the classic blues era, who was originally mentored by Rainey. Bessie Smith, like Rainey, was a queer woman who had relationships with men but was far more interested in other women.  There were stories that Bessie Smith actually got her start in the business by being kidnapped by Ma Rainey, and forced into performing on the same bills as her in the vaudeville show she was touring in, and that Rainey taught Smith to sing blues in the process. In truth, Rainey mentored Smith more in stagecraft and the ways of the road than in singing, and neither woman was only a blues singer, though both had huge success with their blues records.  Indeed, since Rainey was already in the show, Smith was initially hired as a dancer rather than a singer, and she also worked as a male impersonator. But Smith soon branched out on her own -- from the beginning she was obviously a star. The great jazz clarinettist Sidney Bechet later said of her "She had this trouble in her, this thing that would not let her rest sometimes, a meanness that came and took her over. But what she had was alive … Bessie, she just wouldn't let herself be; it seemed she couldn't let herself be." Bessie Smith was signed by Columbia Records in 1923, as part of the rush to find and record as many Black women blues singers as possible. Her first recording session produced "Downhearted Blues", which became, depending on which sources you read, either the biggest-selling blues record since "Crazy Blues" or the biggest-selling blues record ever, full stop, selling three quarters of a million copies in the six months after its release: [Excerpt: Bessie Smith, "Downhearted Blues"] Smith didn't make royalties off record sales, only making a flat fee, but she became the most popular Black performer of the 1920s. Columbia signed her to an exclusive contract, and she became so rich that she would literally travel between gigs on her own private train. She lived an extravagant life in every way, giving lavishly to her friends and family, but also drinking extraordinary amounts of liquor, having regular affairs, and also often physically or verbally attacking those around her. By all accounts she was not a comfortable person to be around, and she seemed to be trying to fit an entire lifetime into every moment. From 1923 through 1929 she had a string of massive hits. She recorded material in a variety of styles, including the dirty blues: [Excerpt: Bessie Smith, "Empty Bed Blues] And with accompanists like Louis Armstrong: [Excerpt: Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong, "Cold in Hand Blues"] But the music for which she became best known, and which sold the best, was when she sang about being mistreated by men, as on one of her biggest hits, "'Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do" -- and a warning here, I'm going to play a clip of the song, which treats domestic violence in a way that may be upsetting: [Excerpt: Bessie Smith, "'Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do"] That kind of material can often seem horrifying to today's listeners -- and quite correctly so, as domestic violence is a horrifying thing -- and it sounds entirely too excusing of the man beating her up for anyone to find it comfortable listening. But the Black feminist scholar Angela Davis has made a convincing case that while these records, and others by Smith's contemporaries, can't reasonably be considered to be feminist, they *are* at the very least more progressive than they now seem, in that they were, even if excusing it, pointing to a real problem which was otherwise left unspoken. And that kind of domestic violence and abuse *was* a real problem, including in Smith's own life. By all accounts she was terrified of her husband, Jack Gee, who would frequently attack her because of her affairs with other people, mostly women. But she was still devastated when he left her for a younger woman, not only because he had left her, but also because he kidnapped their adopted son and had him put into a care home, falsely claiming she had abused him. Not only that, but before Jack left her closest friend had been Jack's niece Ruby and after the split she never saw Ruby again -- though after her death Ruby tried to have a blues career as "Ruby Smith", taking her aunt's surname and recording a few tracks with Sammy Price, the piano player who worked with Sister Rosetta Tharpe: [Excerpt: Ruby Smith with Sammy Price, "Make Me Love You"] The same month, May 1929, that Gee left her, Smith recorded what was to become her last big hit, and most well-known song, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out": [Excerpt: Bessie Smith, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out"] And that could have been the theme for the rest of her life. A few months after that record came out, the Depression hit, pretty much killing the market for blues records. She carried on recording until 1931, but the records weren't selling any more. And at the same time, the talkies came in in the film industry, which along with the Depression ended up devastating the vaudeville audience. Her earnings were still higher than most, but only a quarter of what they had been a year or two earlier. She had one last recording session in 1933, produced by John Hammond for OKeh Records, where she showed that her style had developed over the years -- it was now incorporating the newer swing style, and featured future swing stars Benny Goodman and Jack Teagarden in the backing band: [Excerpt: Bessie Smith, "Gimme a Pigfoot"] Hammond was not hugely impressed with the recordings, preferring her earlier records, and they would be the last she would ever make. She continued as a successful, though no longer record-breaking, live act until 1937, when she and her common-law husband, Lionel Hampton's uncle Richard Morgan, were in a car crash. Morgan escaped, but Smith died of her injuries and was buried on October the fourth 1937. Ten thousand people came to her funeral, but she was buried in an unmarked grave -- she was still legally married to Gee, even though they'd been separated for eight years, and while he supposedly later became rich from songwriting royalties from some of her songs (most of her songs were written by other people, but she wrote a few herself) he refused to pay for a headstone for her. Indeed on more than one occasion he embezzled money that had been raised by other people to provide a headstone. Bessie Smith soon became Joplin's favourite singer of all time, and she started trying to copy her vocals. But other than discovering Smith's music, Joplin seems to have had as terrible a time at university as at school, and soon dropped out and moved back in with her parents. She went to business school for a short while, where she learned some secretarial skills, and then she moved west, going to LA where two of her aunts lived, to see if she could thrive better in a big West Coast city than she did in small-town Texas. Soon she moved from LA to Venice Beach, and from there had a brief sojourn in San Francisco, where she tried to live out her beatnik fantasies at a time when the beatnik culture was starting to fall apart. She did, while she was there, start smoking cannabis, though she never got a taste for that drug, and took Benzedrine and started drinking much more heavily than she had before. She soon lost her job, moved back to Texas, and re-enrolled at the same college she'd been at before. But now she'd had a taste of real Bohemian life -- she'd been singing at coffee houses, and having affairs with both men and women -- and soon she decided to transfer to the University of Texas at Austin. At this point, Austin was very far from the cultural centre it has become in recent decades, and it was still a straitlaced Texan town, but it was far less so than Port Arthur, and she soon found herself in a folk group, the Waller Creek Boys. Janis would play autoharp and sing, sometimes Bessie Smith covers, but also the more commercial country and folk music that was popular at the time, like "Silver Threads and Golden Needles", a song that had originally been recorded by Wanda Jackson but at that time was a big hit for Dusty Springfield's group The Springfields: [Excerpt: The Waller Creek Boys, "Silver Threads and Golden Needles"] But even there, Joplin didn't fit in comfortably. The venue where the folk jams were taking place was a segregated venue, as everywhere around Austin was. And she was enough of a misfit that the campus newspaper did an article on her headlined "She Dares to Be Different!", which read in part "She goes barefooted when she feels like it, wears Levi's to class because they're more comfortable, and carries her Autoharp with her everywhere she goes so that in case she gets the urge to break out into song it will be handy." There was a small group of wannabe-Beatniks, including Chet Helms, who we've mentioned previously in the Grateful Dead episode, Gilbert Shelton, who went on to be a pioneer of alternative comics and create the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, and Shelton's partner in Rip-Off Press, Dave Moriarty, but for the most part the atmosphere in Austin was only slightly better for Janis than it had been in Port Arthur. The final straw for her came when in an annual charity fundraiser joke competition to find the ugliest man on campus, someone nominated her for the "award". She'd had enough of Texas. She wanted to go back to California. She and Chet Helms, who had dropped out of the university earlier and who, like her, had already spent some time on the West Coast, decided to hitch-hike together to San Francisco. Before leaving, she made a recording for her ex-girlfriend Julie Paul, a country and western musician, of a song she'd written herself. It's recorded in what many say was Janis' natural voice -- a voice she deliberately altered in performance in later years because, she would tell people, she didn't think there was room for her singing like that in an industry that already had Joan Baez and Judy Collins. In her early years she would alternate between singing like this and doing her imitations of Black women, but the character of Janis Joplin who would become famous never sang like this. It may well be the most honest thing that she ever recorded, and the most revealing of who she really was: [Excerpt: Janis Joplin, "So Sad to Be Alone"] Joplin and Helms made it to San Francisco, and she started performing at open-mic nights and folk clubs around the Bay Area, singing in her Bessie Smith and Odetta imitation voice, and sometimes making a great deal of money by sounding different from the wispier-voiced women who were the norm at those venues. The two friends parted ways, and she started performing with two other folk musicians, Larry Hanks and Roger Perkins, and she insisted that they would play at least one Bessie Smith song at every performance: [Excerpt: Janis Joplin, Larry Hanks, and Roger Perkins, "Black Mountain Blues (live in San Francisco)"] Often the trio would be joined by Billy Roberts, who at that time had just started performing the song that would make his name, "Hey Joe", and Joplin was soon part of the folk scene in the Bay Area, and admired by Dino Valenti, David Crosby, and Jerry Garcia among others. She also sang a lot with Jorma Kaukonnen, and recordings of the two of them together have circulated for years: [Excerpt: Janis Joplin and Jorma Kaukonnen, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out"] Through 1963, 1964, and early 1965 Joplin ping-ponged from coast to coast, spending time in the Bay Area, then Greenwich Village, dropping in on her parents then back to the Bay Area, and she started taking vast quantities of methamphetamine. Even before moving to San Francisco she had been an occasional user of amphetamines – at the time they were regularly prescribed to students as study aids during exam periods, and she had also been taking them to try to lose some of the weight she always hated. But while she was living in San Francisco she became dependent on the drug. At one point her father was worried enough about her health to visit her in San Francisco, where she managed to fool him that she was more or less OK. But she looked to him for reassurance that things would get better for her, and he couldn't give it to her. He told her about a concept that he called the "Saturday night swindle", the idea that you work all week so you can go out and have fun on Saturday in the hope that that will make up for everything else, but that it never does. She had occasional misses with what would have been lucky breaks -- at one point she was in a motorcycle accident just as record labels were interested in signing her, and by the time she got out of the hospital the chance had gone. She became engaged to another speed freak, one who claimed to be an engineer and from a well-off background, but she was becoming severely ill from what was by now a dangerous amphetamine habit, and in May 1965 she decided to move back in with her parents, get clean, and have a normal life. Her new fiance was going to do the same, and they were going to have the conformist life her parents had always wanted, and which she had always wanted to want. Surely with a husband who loved her she could find a way to fit in and just be normal. She kicked the addiction, and wrote her fiance long letters describing everything about her family and the new normal life they were going to have together, and they show her painfully trying to be optimistic about the future, like one where she described her family to him: "My mother—Dorothy—worries so and loves her children dearly. Republican and Methodist, very sincere, speaks in clichés which she really means and is very good to people. (She thinks you have a lovely voice and is terribly prepared to like you.) My father—richer than when I knew him and kind of embarrassed about it—very well read—history his passion—quiet and very excited to have me home because I'm bright and we can talk (about antimatter yet—that impressed him)! I keep telling him how smart you are and how proud I am of you.…" She went back to Lamar, her mother started sewing her a wedding dress, and for much of the year she believed her fiance was going to be her knight in shining armour. But as it happened, the fiance in question was described by everyone else who knew him as a compulsive liar and con man, who persuaded her father to give him money for supposed medical tests before the wedding, but in reality was apparently married to someone else and having a baby with a third woman. After the engagement was broken off, she started performing again around the coffeehouses in Austin and Houston, and she started to realise the possibilities of rock music for her kind of performance. The missing clue came from a group from Austin who she became very friendly with, the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, and the way their lead singer Roky Erickson would wail and yell: [Excerpt: The 13th Floor Elevators, "You're Gonna Miss Me (live)"] If, as now seemed inevitable, Janis was going to make a living as a performer, maybe she should start singing rock music, because it seemed like there was money in it. There was even some talk of her singing with the Elevators. But then an old friend came to Austin from San Francisco with word from Chet Helms. A blues band had formed, and were looking for a singer, and they remembered her from the coffee houses. Would she like to go back to San Francisco and sing with them? In the time she'd been away, Helms had become hugely prominent in the San Francisco music scene, which had changed radically. A band from the area called the Charlatans had been playing a fake-Victorian saloon called the Red Dog in nearby Nevada, and had become massive with the people who a few years earlier had been beatniks: [Excerpt: The Charlatans, "32-20"] When their residency at the Red Dog had finished, several of the crowd who had been regulars there had become a collective of sorts called the Family Dog, and Helms had become their unofficial leader. And there's actually a lot packed into that choice of name. As we'll see in a few future episodes, a lot of West Coast hippies eventually started calling their collectives and communes families. This started as a way to get round bureaucracy -- if a helpful welfare officer put down that the unrelated people living in a house together were a family, suddenly they could get food stamps. As with many things, of course, the label then affected how people thought about themselves, and one thing that's very notable about the San Francisco scene hippies in particular is that they are some of the first people to make a big deal about what we now  call "found family" or "family of choice". But it's also notable how often the hippie found families took their model from the only families these largely middle-class dropouts had ever known, and structured themselves around men going out and doing the work -- selling dope or panhandling or being rock musicians or shoplifting -- with the women staying at home doing the housework. The Family Dog started promoting shows, with the intention of turning San Francisco into "the American Liverpool", and soon Helms was rivalled only by Bill Graham as the major promoter of rock shows in the Bay Area. And now he wanted Janis to come back and join this new band. But Janis was worried. She was clean now. She drank far too much, but she wasn't doing any other drugs. She couldn't go back to San Francisco and risk getting back on methamphetamine. She needn't worry about that, she was told, nobody in San Francisco did speed any more, they were all on LSD -- a drug she hated and so wasn't in any danger from. Reassured, she made the trip back to San Francisco, to join Big Brother and the Holding Company. Big Brother and the Holding Company were the epitome of San Francisco acid rock at the time. They were the house band at the Avalon Ballroom, which Helms ran, and their first ever gig had been at the Trips Festival, which we talked about briefly in the Grateful Dead episode. They were known for being more imaginative than competent -- lead guitarist James Gurley was often described as playing parts that were influenced by John Cage, but was equally often, and equally accurately, described as not actually being able to keep his guitar in tune because he was too stoned. But they were drawing massive crowds with their instrumental freak-out rock music. Helms thought they needed a singer, and he had remembered Joplin, who a few of the group had seen playing the coffee houses. He decided she would be perfect for them, though Joplin wasn't so sure. She thought it was worth a shot, but as she wrote to her parents before meeting the group "Supposed to rehearse w/ the band this afternoon, after that I guess I'll know whether I want to stay & do that for awhile. Right now my position is ambivalent—I'm glad I came, nice to see the city, a few friends, but I'm not at all sold on the idea of becoming the poor man's Cher.” In that letter she also wrote "I'm awfully sorry to be such a disappointment to you. I understand your fears at my coming here & must admit I share them, but I really do think there's an awfully good chance I won't blow it this time." The band she met up with consisted of lead guitarist James Gurley, bass player Peter Albin, rhythm player Sam Andrew, and drummer David Getz.  To start with, Peter Albin sang lead on most songs, with Joplin adding yelps and screams modelled on those of Roky Erickson, but in her first gig with the band she bowled everyone over with her lead vocal on the traditional spiritual "Down on Me", which would remain a staple of their live act, as in this live recording from 1968: [Excerpt: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Down on Me (Live 1968)"] After that first gig in June 1966, it was obvious that Joplin was going to be a star, and was going to be the group's main lead vocalist. She had developed a whole new stage persona a million miles away from her folk performances. As Chet Helms said “Suddenly this person who would stand upright with her fists clenched was all over the stage. Roky Erickson had modeled himself after the screaming style of Little Richard, and Janis's initial stage presence came from Roky, and ultimately Little Richard. It was a very different Janis.” Joplin would always claim to journalists that her stage persona was just her being herself and natural, but she worked hard on every aspect of her performance, and far from the untrained emotional outpouring she always suggested, her vocal performances were carefully calculated pastiches of her influences -- mostly Bessie Smith, but also Big Mama Thornton, Odetta, Etta James, Tina Turner, and Otis Redding. That's not to say that those performances weren't an authentic expression of part of herself -- they absolutely were. But the ethos that dominated San Francisco in the mid-sixties prized self-expression over technical craft, and so Joplin had to portray herself as a freak of nature who just had to let all her emotions out, a wild woman, rather than someone who carefully worked out every nuance of her performances. Joplin actually got the chance to meet one of her idols when she discovered that Willie Mae Thornton was now living and regularly performing in the Bay Area. She and some of her bandmates saw Big Mama play a small jazz club, where she performed a song she wouldn't release on a record for another two years: [Excerpt: Big Mama Thornton, "Ball 'n' Chain"] Janis loved the song and scribbled down the lyrics, then went backstage to ask Big Mama if Big Brother could cover the song. She gave them her blessing, but told them "don't" -- and here she used a word I can't use with a clean rating -- "it up". The group all moved in together, communally, with their partners -- those who had them. Janis was currently single, having dumped her most recent boyfriend after discovering him shooting speed, as she was still determined to stay clean. But she was rapidly discovering that the claim that San Franciscans no longer used much speed had perhaps not been entirely true, as for example Sam Andrew's girlfriend went by the nickname Speedfreak Rita. For now, Janis was still largely clean, but she did start drinking more. Partly this was because of a brief fling with Pigpen from the Grateful Dead, who lived nearby. Janis liked Pigpen as someone else on the scene who didn't much like psychedelics or cannabis -- she didn't like drugs that made her think more, but only drugs that made her able to *stop* thinking (her love of amphetamines doesn't seem to fit this pattern, but a small percentage of people have a different reaction to amphetamine-type stimulants, perhaps she was one of those). Pigpen was a big drinker of Southern Comfort -- so much so that it would kill him within a few years -- and Janis started joining him. Her relationship with Pigpen didn't last long, but the two would remain close, and she would often join the Grateful Dead on stage over the years to duet with him on "Turn On Your Lovelight": [Excerpt: Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, "Turn on Your Lovelight"] But within two months of joining the band, Janis nearly left. Paul Rothchild of Elektra Records came to see the group live, and was impressed by their singer, but not by the rest of the band. This was something that would happen again and again over the group's career. The group were all imaginative and creative -- they worked together on their arrangements and their long instrumental jams and often brought in very good ideas -- but they were not the most disciplined or technically skilled of musicians, even when you factored in their heavy drug use, and often lacked the skill to pull off their better ideas. They were hugely popular among the crowds at the Avalon Ballroom, who were on the group's chemical wavelength, but Rothchild was not impressed -- as he was, in general, unimpressed with psychedelic freakouts. He was already of the belief in summer 1966 that the fashion for extended experimental freak-outs would soon come to an end and that there would be a pendulum swing back towards more structured and melodic music. As we saw in the episode on The Band, he would be proved right in a little over a year, but being ahead of the curve he wanted to put together a supergroup that would be able to ride that coming wave, a group that would play old-fashioned blues. He'd got together Stefan Grossman, Steve Mann, and Taj Mahal, and he wanted Joplin to be the female vocalist for the group, dueting with Mahal. She attended one rehearsal, and the new group sounded great. Elektra Records offered to sign them, pay their rent while they rehearsed, and have a major promotional campaign for their first release. Joplin was very, very, tempted, and brought the subject up to her bandmates in Big Brother. They were devastated. They were a family! You don't leave your family! She was meant to be with them forever! They eventually got her to agree to put off the decision at least until after a residency they'd been booked for in Chicago, and she decided to give them the chance, writing to her parents "I decided to stay w/the group but still like to think about the other thing. Trying to figure out which is musically more marketable because my being good isn't enough, I've got to be in a good vehicle.” The trip to Chicago was a disaster. They found that the people of Chicago weren't hugely interested in seeing a bunch of white Californians play the blues, and that the Midwest didn't have the same Bohemian crowds that the coastal cities they were used to had, and so their freak-outs didn't go down well either. After two weeks of their four-week residency, the club owner stopped paying them because they were so unpopular, and they had no money to get home. And then they were approached by Bob Shad. (For those who know the film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, the Bob Shad in that film is named after this one -- Judd Apatow, the film's director, is Shad's grandson) This Shad was a record producer, who had worked with people like Big Bill Broonzy, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, and Billy Eckstine over an eighteen-year career, and had recently set up a new label, Mainstream Records. He wanted to sign Big Brother and the Holding Company. They needed money and... well, it was a record contract! It was a contract that took half their publishing, paid them a five percent royalty on sales, and gave them no advance, but it was still a contract, and they'd get union scale for the first session. In that first session in Chicago, they recorded four songs, and strangely only one, "Down on Me", had a solo Janis vocal. Of the other three songs, Sam Andrew and Janis dueted on Sam's song "Call on Me", Albin sang lead on the group composition "Blindman", and Gurley and Janis sang a cover of "All Is Loneliness", a song originally by the avant-garde street musician Moondog: [Excerpt: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "All is Loneliness"] The group weren't happy with the four songs they recorded -- they had to keep the songs to the length of a single, and the engineers made sure that the needles never went into the red, so their guitars sounded far more polite and less distorted than they were used to. Janis was fascinated by the overdubbing process, though, especially double-tracking, which she'd never tried before but which she turned out to be remarkably good at. And they were now signed to a contract, which meant that Janis wouldn't be leaving the group to go solo any time soon. The family were going to stay together. But on the group's return to San Francisco, Janis started doing speed again, encouraged by the people around the group, particularly Gurley's wife. By the time the group's first single, "Blindman" backed with "All is Loneliness", came out, she was an addict again. That initial single did nothing, but the group were fast becoming one of the most popular in the Bay Area, and almost entirely down to Janis' vocals and on-stage persona. Bob Shad had already decided in the initial session that while various band members had taken lead, Janis was the one who should be focused on as the star, and when they drove to LA for their second recording session it was songs with Janis leads that they focused on. At that second session, in which they recorded ten tracks in two days, the group recorded a mix of material including one of Janis' own songs, the blues track "Women is Losers", and a version of the old folk song "the Cuckoo Bird" rearranged by Albin. Again they had to keep the arrangements to two and a half minutes a track, with no extended soloing and a pop arrangement style, and the results sound a lot more like the other San Francisco bands, notably Jefferson Airplane, than like the version of the band that shows itself in their live performances: [Excerpt: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Coo Coo"] After returning to San Francisco after the sessions, Janis went to see Otis Redding at the Fillmore, turning up several hours before the show started on all three nights to make sure she could be right at the front. One of the other audience members later recalled “It was more fascinating for me, almost, to watch Janis watching Otis, because you could tell that she wasn't just listening to him, she was studying something. There was some kind of educational thing going on there. I was jumping around like the little hippie girl I was, thinking This is so great! and it just stopped me in my tracks—because all of a sudden Janis drew you very deeply into what the performance was all about. Watching her watch Otis Redding was an education in itself.” Joplin would, for the rest of her life, always say that Otis Redding was her all-time favourite singer, and would say “I started singing rhythmically, and now I'm learning from Otis Redding to push a song instead of just sliding over it.” [Excerpt: Otis Redding, "I Can't Turn You Loose (live)"] At the start of 1967, the group moved out of the rural house they'd been sharing and into separate apartments around Haight-Ashbury, and they brought the new year in by playing a free show organised by the Hell's Angels, the violent motorcycle gang who at the time were very close with the proto-hippies in the Bay Area. Janis in particular always got on well with the Angels, whose drugs of choice, like hers, were speed and alcohol more than cannabis and psychedelics. Janis also started what would be the longest on-again off-again relationship she would ever have, with a woman named Peggy Caserta. Caserta had a primary partner, but that if anything added to her appeal for Joplin -- Caserta's partner Kimmie had previously been in a relationship with Joan Baez, and Joplin, who had an intense insecurity that made her jealous of any other female singer who had any success, saw this as in some way a validation both of her sexuality and, transitively, of her talent. If she was dating Baez's ex's lover, that in some way put her on a par with Baez, and when she told friends about Peggy, Janis would always slip that fact in. Joplin and Caserta would see each other off and on for the rest of Joplin's life, but they were never in a monogamous relationship, and Joplin had many other lovers over the years. The next of these was Country Joe McDonald of Country Joe and the Fish, who were just in the process of recording their first album Electric Music for the Mind and Body, when McDonald and Joplin first got together: [Excerpt: Country Joe and the Fish, "Grace"] McDonald would later reminisce about lying with Joplin, listening to one of the first underground FM radio stations, KMPX, and them playing a Fish track and a Big Brother track back to back. Big Brother's second single, the other two songs recorded in the Chicago session, had been released in early 1967, and the B-side, "Down on Me", was getting a bit of airplay in San Francisco and made the local charts, though it did nothing outside the Bay Area: [Excerpt: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Down on Me"] Janis was unhappy with the record, though, writing to her parents and saying, “Our new record is out. We seem to be pretty dissatisfied w/it. I think we're going to try & get out of the record contract if we can. We don't feel that they know how to promote or engineer a record & every time we recorded for them, they get all our songs, which means we can't do them for another record company. But then if our new record does something, we'd change our mind. But somehow, I don't think it's going to." The band apparently saw a lawyer to see if they could get out of the contract with Mainstream, but they were told it was airtight. They were tied to Bob Shad no matter what for the next five years. Janis and McDonald didn't stay together for long -- they clashed about his politics and her greater fame -- but after they split, she asked him to write a song for her before they became too distant, and he obliged and recorded it on the Fish's next album: [Excerpt: Country Joe and the Fish, "Janis"] The group were becoming so popular by late spring 1967 that when Richard Lester, the director of the Beatles' films among many other classics, came to San Francisco to film Petulia, his follow-up to How I Won The War, he chose them, along with the Grateful Dead, to appear in performance segments in the film. But it would be another filmmaker that would change the course of the group's career irrevocably: [Excerpt: Scott McKenzie, "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)"] When Big Brother and the Holding Company played the Monterey Pop Festival, nobody had any great expectations. They were second on the bill on the Saturday, the day that had been put aside for the San Francisco acts, and they were playing in the early afternoon, after a largely unimpressive night before. They had a reputation among the San Francisco crowd, of course, but they weren't even as big as the Grateful Dead, Moby Grape or Country Joe and the Fish, let alone Jefferson Airplane. Monterey launched four careers to new heights, but three of the superstars it made -- Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, and the Who -- already had successful careers. Hendrix and the Who had had hits in the UK but not yet broken the US market, while Redding was massively popular with Black people but hadn't yet crossed over to a white audience. Big Brother and the Holding Company, on the other hand, were so unimportant that D.A. Pennebaker didn't even film their set -- their manager at the time had not wanted to sign over the rights to film their performance, something that several of the other acts had also refused -- and nobody had been bothered enough to make an issue of it. Pennebaker just took some crowd shots and didn't bother filming the band. The main thing he caught was Cass Elliot's open-mouthed astonishment at Big Brother's performance -- or rather at Janis Joplin's performance. The members of the group would later complain, not entirely inaccurately, that in the reviews of their performance at Monterey, Joplin's left nipple (the outline of which was apparently visible through her shirt, at least to the male reviewers who took an inordinate interest in such things) got more attention than her four bandmates combined. As Pennebaker later said “She came out and sang, and my hair stood on end. We were told we weren't allowed to shoot it, but I knew if we didn't have Janis in the film, the film would be a wash. Afterward, I said to Albert Grossman, ‘Talk to her manager or break his leg or whatever you have to do, because we've got to have her in this film. I can't imagine this film without this woman who I just saw perform.” Grossman had a talk with the organisers of the festival, Lou Adler and John Phillips, and they offered Big Brother a second spot, the next day, if they would allow their performance to be used in the film. The group agreed, after much discussion between Janis and Grossman, and against the wishes of their manager: [Excerpt: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Ball and Chain (live at Monterey)"] They were now on Albert Grossman's radar. Or at least, Janis Joplin was. Joplin had always been more of a careerist than the other members of the group. They were in music to have a good time and to avoid working a straight job, and while some of them were more accomplished musicians than their later reputations would suggest -- Sam Andrew, in particular, was a skilled player and serious student of music -- they were fundamentally content with playing the Avalon Ballroom and the Fillmore and making five hundred dollars or so a week between them. Very good money for 1967, but nothing else. Joplin, on the other hand, was someone who absolutely craved success. She wanted to prove to her family that she wasn't a failure and that her eccentricity shouldn't stop them being proud of her; she was always, even at the depths of her addictions, fiscally prudent and concerned about her finances; and she had a deep craving for love. Everyone who talks about her talks about how she had an aching need at all times for approval, connection, and validation, which she got on stage more than she got anywhere else. The bigger the audience, the more they must love her. She'd made all her decisions thus far based on how to balance making music that she loved with commercial success, and this would continue to be the pattern for her in future. And so when journalists started to want to talk to her, even though up to that point Albin, who did most of the on-stage announcements, and Gurley, the lead guitarist, had considered themselves joint leaders of the band, she was eager. And she was also eager to get rid of their manager, who continued the awkward streak that had prevented their first performance at the Monterey Pop Festival from being filmed. The group had the chance to play the Hollywood Bowl -- Bill Graham was putting on a "San Francisco Sound" showcase there, featuring Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead, and got their verbal agreement to play, but after Graham had the posters printed up, their manager refused to sign the contracts unless they were given more time on stage. The next day after that, they played Monterey again -- this time the Monterey Jazz Festival. A very different crowd to the Pop Festival still fell for Janis' performance -- and once again, the film being made of the event didn't include Big Brother's set because of their manager. While all this was going on, the group's recordings from the previous year were rushed out by Mainstream Records as an album, to poor reviews which complained it was nothing like the group's set at Monterey: [Excerpt: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Bye Bye Baby"] They were going to need to get out of that contract and sign with somewhere better -- Clive Davis at Columbia Records was already encouraging them to sign with him -- but to do that, they needed a better manager. They needed Albert Grossman. Grossman was one of the best negotiators in the business at that point, but he was also someone who had a genuine love for the music his clients made.  And he had good taste -- he managed Odetta, who Janis idolised as a singer, and Bob Dylan, who she'd been a fan of since his first album came out. He was going to be the perfect manager for the group. But he had one condition though. His first wife had been a heroin addict, and he'd just been dealing with Mike Bloomfield's heroin habit. He had one absolutely ironclad rule, a dealbreaker that would stop him signing them -- they didn't use heroin, did they? Both Gurley and Joplin had used heroin on occasion -- Joplin had only just started, introduced to the drug by Gurley -- but they were only dabblers. They could give it up any time they wanted, right? Of course they could. They told him, in perfect sincerity, that the band didn't use heroin and it wouldn't be a problem. But other than that, Grossman was extremely flexible. He explained to the group at their first meeting that he took a higher percentage than other managers, but that he would also make them more money than other managers -- if money was what they wanted. He told them that they needed to figure out where they wanted their career to be, and what they were willing to do to get there -- would they be happy just playing the same kind of venues they were now, maybe for a little more money, or did they want to be as big as Dylan or Peter, Paul, and Mary? He could get them to whatever level they wanted, and he was happy with working with clients at every level, what did they actually want? The group were agreed -- they wanted to be rich. They decided to test him. They were making twenty-five thousand dollars a year between them at that time, so they got ridiculously ambitious. They told him they wanted to make a *lot* of money. Indeed, they wanted a clause in their contract saying the contract would be void if in the first year they didn't make... thinking of a ridiculous amount, they came up with seventy-five thousand dollars. Grossman's response was to shrug and say "Make it a hundred thousand." The group were now famous and mixing with superstars -- Peter Tork of the Monkees had become a close friend of Janis', and when they played a residency in LA they were invited to John and Michelle Phillips' house to see a rough cut of Monterey Pop. But the group, other than Janis, were horrified -- the film barely showed the other band members at all, just Janis. Dave Getz said later "We assumed we'd appear in the movie as a band, but seeing it was a shock. It was all Janis. They saw her as a superstar in the making. I realized that though we were finally going to be making money and go to another level, it also meant our little family was being separated—there was Janis, and there was the band.” [Excerpt: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Bye Bye Baby"] If the group were going to make that hundred thousand dollars a year, they couldn't remain on Mainstream Records, but Bob Shad was not about to give up his rights to what could potentially be the biggest group in America without a fight. But luckily for the group, Clive Davis at Columbia had seen their Monterey performance, and he was also trying to pivot the label towards the new rock music. He was basically willing to do anything to get them. Eventually Columbia agreed to pay Shad two hundred thousand dollars for the group's contract -- Davis and Grossman negotiated so half that was an advance on the group's future earnings, but the other half was just an expense for the label. On top of that the group got an advance payment of fifty thousand dollars for their first album for Columbia, making a total investment by Columbia of a quarter of a million dollars -- in return for which they got to sign the band, and got the rights to the material they'd recorded for Mainstream, though Shad would get a two percent royalty on their first two albums for Columbia. Janis was intimidated by signing for Columbia, because that had been Aretha Franklin's label before she signed to Atlantic, and she regarded Franklin as the greatest performer in music at that time.  Which may have had something to do with the choice of a new song the group added to their setlist in early 1968 -- one which was a current hit for Aretha's sister Erma: [Excerpt: Erma Franklin, "Piece of My Heart"] We talked a little in the last episode about the song "Piece of My Heart" itself, though mostly from the perspective of its performer, Erma Franklin. But the song was, as we mentioned, co-written by Bert Berns. He's someone we've talked about a little bit in previous episodes, notably the ones on "Here Comes the Night" and "Twist and Shout", but those were a couple of years ago, and he's about to become a major figure in the next episode, so we might as well take a moment here to remind listeners (or tell those who haven't heard those episodes) of the basics and explain where "Piece of My Heart" comes in Berns' work as a whole. Bert Berns was a latecomer to the music industry, not getting properly started until he was thirty-one, after trying a variety of other occupations. But when he did get started, he wasted no time making his mark -- he knew he had no time to waste. He had a weak heart and knew the likelihood was he was going to die young. He started an association with Wand records as a songwriter and performer, writing songs for some of Phil Spector's pre-fame recordings, and he also started producing records for Atlantic, where for a long while he was almost the equal of Jerry Wexler or Leiber and Stoller in terms of number of massive hits created. His records with Solomon Burke were the records that first got the R&B genre renamed soul (previously the word "soul" mostly referred to a kind of R&Bish jazz, rather than a kind of gospel-ish R&B). He'd also been one of the few American music industry professionals to work with British bands before the Beatles made it big in the USA, after he became alerted to the Beatles' success with his song "Twist and Shout", which he'd co-written with Phil Medley, and which had been a hit in a version Berns produced for the Isley Brothers: [Excerpt: The Isley Brothers, "Twist and Shout"] That song shows the two elements that existed in nearly every single Bert Berns song or production. The first is the Afro-Caribbean rhythm, a feel he picked up during a stint in Cuba in his twenties. Other people in the Atlantic records team were also partial to those rhythms -- Leiber and Stoller loved what they called the baion rhythm -- but Berns more than anyone else made it his signature. He also very specifically loved the song "La Bamba", especially Ritchie Valens' version of it: [Excerpt: Ritchie Valens, "La Bamba"] He basically seemed to think that was the greatest record ever made, and he certainly loved that three-chord trick I-IV-V-IV chord sequence -- almost but not quite the same as the "Louie Louie" one.  He used it in nearly every song he wrote from that point on -- usually using a bassline that went something like this: [plays I-IV-V-IV bassline] He used it in "Twist and Shout" of course: [Excerpt: The Isley Brothers, "Twist and Shout"] He used it in "Hang on Sloopy": [Excerpt: The McCoys, "Hang on Sloopy"] He *could* get more harmonically sophisticated on occasion, but the vast majority of Berns' songs show the power of simplicity. They're usually based around three chords, and often they're actually only two chords, like "I Want Candy": [Excerpt: The Strangeloves, "I Want Candy"] Or the chorus to "Here Comes the Night" by Them, which is two chords for most of it and only introduces a third right at the end: [Excerpt: Them, "Here Comes the Night"] And even in that song you can hear the "Twist and Shout"/"La Bamba" feel, even if it's not exactly the same chords. Berns' whole career was essentially a way of wringing *every last possible drop* out of all the implications of Ritchie Valens' record. And so even when he did a more harmonically complex song, like "Piece of My Heart", which actually has some minor chords in the bridge, the "La Bamba" chord sequence is used in both the verse: [Excerpt: Erma Franklin, "Piece of My Heart"] And the chorus: [Excerpt: Erma Franklin, "Piece of My Heart"] Berns co-wrote “Piece of My Heart” with Jerry Ragavoy. Berns and Ragavoy had also written "Cry Baby" for Garnet Mimms, which was another Joplin favourite: [Excerpt: Garnet Mimms, "Cry Baby"] And Ragavoy, with other collaborators

Houston is home to the most successful musical talent in the world. But decades ago, the city was once the epicenter for the blues genre. Why has the city's blues history been neglected for so long? Stay tuned as host Eddie Robinson chats unguarded with acclaimed filmmaker, Drew Barnett-Hamilton. Her new documentary, When Houston Had The Blues, is currently touring the festival circuit with an astonishing goal of putting the city of Houston on the map as a major music city. The film explores the blues scene and culture from back in the day – from Texas bluesman and guitarist Sam “Lightnin'” Hopkins; superstar singer Bobby “Blue” Bland; to renowned blues saxophonist Grady Gaines and influential songstress ‘Big Mama' Thornton – even rock pioneer Little Richard signed a recording contract with a label based out of Houston. Barnett-Hamilton takes I SEE U on a vintage musical journey that showcases the artists, the performance venues, and the Bayou City's unique role in defining this remarkable genre.

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was born on December 11, 1926, in Alabama. Raised in a religious household, she discovered her passion for music at a young age, singing in the church choir and learning to play the harmonica and drums. Thornton's musical journey took her to Houston, Texas, where she became a fixture in the local blues scene during the 1940s. Her deep voice and dynamic stage presence earned her the nickname "Big Mama." In 1953, Big Mama Thornton recorded her biggest hit, "Hound Dog," later recorded by Elvis Presley. Beyond her contributions to the blues, Big Mama Thornton's work extended to rock 'n' roll, heavily influencing the rock stars of the 1950s and 1960s. The legendary blues singer passed away on July 25, 1984, at the age of 57. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey Friends & Kin!   FYI: THIS, JUST LIKE ALL EPISODES OF HAND ME MY PURSE, CONTAINS PROFANITY. THIS PODCAST IS FOR ADULTS AND CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT. Now that we've gotten that out of the way... _________   Friends and Kin, this is episode No. 52 of Hand Me My Purse the podcast! For those of you who are new to this show - WELCOME! Take off your coat, and your shoes, sit down and stay awhile… This conversation is centered around celebrating Juneteenth & Black Music Month. This is a month that was created by former president Jimmy Carter to celebrate Black people's contributions to music! I touch on how our ancestors used music and the gift of song to make their way to freedom. I dive into the beautifully tragic reality that makes up how enslaved Africans made it to the Western world and how even though our ancestors endured this - they still had a song in their spirit. We in turn continue to sing their song, to express through music the songs written onto our DNA.   I hope you enjoy this episode! Leave a rating and review for the show! Check out the links below for the Jam No. 52 & some links of music for some LEGENDS I mentioned ins the episode, Big Mama Thornton & Sister Rosetta Tharpe. These two women are absolute ancestral embodiments of BLACK GIRL MAGIC!!!✨   Oh, and what are y'all sippin' on?    "GO WHERE YOU ARE LOVED. NOT WHERE YOU ARE TOLERATED..." MeMe's Jam No. 52 Big Mama Thornton Sister Rosetta Tharpe FIND A THERAPIST. _______  Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts. Stitcher. Spotify. Google Podcasts. Pandora.   I love you guys so much & I'm honored to share my time & energy with you – ESPECIALLY IF YOU KEEP COMING BACK! I can't wait until the next time we get to do this again!    And as always, "Thank you for your support..." (said exactly like the 80s Bartles and Jaymes commercials)   xoxo   MeMe  ***************** J O I N * T H E * S Q U A D Instagram Facebook Twitter HAND ME MY PURSE. SPOTIFY PLAYLIST ********************* Music:  Gloomy TunezSee omny.fm/listener for privacy information.

Chris was a man possessed. “El Fanatico,” Ry Cooder called him. A song catcher, dedicated to recording the traditional, regional, down home music of America, his adopted home after his family left Germany at the close of WWII. Mance Lipscomb, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Big Mama Thornton, Clifton Chenier, Rose Maddox, Flaco Jimenez… the list is long and mighty. Chris Strachwitz was a keeper. His vault is jam-packed with 78s, 33s, 45s, reel-to-reels, cassettes, videos, photographs — an archive of all manner of recordings. And an avalanche of lifetime achievement awards — from the Grammy's, The Blues Hall of Fame, The National Endowment for the Arts – for some 60 years of recording and preserving the musical cultural heritage of this nation through his label, Arhoolie Records. In honor of Chris Strachwitz The Kitchen Sisters reprise The Passion of Chris Strachwitz, produced for The Goethe Institute's Big Pond series. With interviews with Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt. Also featuring selected interviews done by Chris Strachwitz with Howlin' Wolf and The Maddox Brothers and Rose. Produced by The Kitchen Sisters (Nikki Silva & Davia Nelson) with Nathan Dalton and Brandi Howell, mixed by Jim McKee. The Kitchen Sisters Present is part of the Radiotopia network from PRX.

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani education activist and the world's youngest Nobel Prize laureate. Since she was shot by a member of the Taliban at just 15, Malala has spent nearly a decade fighting for the educational rights of girls and women across the globe. Now she's turning her attention to Hollywood, as Executive Producer of the short documentary film Stranger At The Gate. She shares why she's made this move into the world of film. What happens if you and your partner disagree on whether or not to have children? If you have different opinions, do you walk away from an otherwise happy relationship? Relationship counsellor Val Sampson and Woman's Hour listener Sarah discuss the healthiest ways to navigate the situation. As the selection of finalists for the Woman's Hour Power List 2023 gets well underway, we speak to one woman who's been put forward for consideration. Yvette Curtis is the founder of Wave Wahines, a surf club for women and girls. She talks about the power of grassroots sport and the importance of diversity in surfing. One month after a powerful earthquake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, hundreds of thousands of people still need adequate shelter and sanitation. But why are women and girls disproportionately feeling the aftershocks of the disaster? Novelist and political scientist Elif Shafak shares updates on the situation. Willie Mae Thornton, better known as Big Mama Thornton, wrote the hits ‘Ball N' Chain' and ‘Hound Dog' which won Elvis Presley great acclaim. But why is her contribution to rock and roll rarely recognised? The poet, writer and performer Pamela Sneed discusses the life and legacy of Big Mama Thornton. Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Hatty Nash

Emily Watson is starring in a new film ‘God's Creatures,' set in a remote Irish fishing village. She plays a mother torn between protecting her son and her own sense of right and wrong. When she provides an alibi for him, the lie rips apart their family and local community. Emily joins Woman's Hour to talk about her character, women in the oyster farming industry and her career up to now. Krupa Padhy talks to academic Kathleen Stock about The Lesbian Project, a new organisation she is launching today alongside journalist Julie Bindel and the tennis star Martina Navratilova to combat “lesbian erasure” in the UK today. They say they've been subsumed into what they describe as “the expanding LGBTQ+ rainbow” which means they've lost their autonomous identity with distinct interests and needs. Willie Mae Thornton, better known as Big Mama Thornton, wrote the song ‘Ball and Chain' which won Elvis Presley great acclaim. She is one of the architects of rock n roll that has been wiped from the performance canon. The poet, writer and performer Pamela Sneed joins Krupa to discuss the life and legacy of Big Mama Thornton. One month after a powerful earthquake devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, officials put the number of deaths in Turkey alone at almost 50 thousand, and in Syria, more than 6,000 people are known to have lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands of people still need adequate shelter and sanitation but it's women and girls in Turkey who are disproportionately feeling the aftershocks, and stories of abuse are beginning to emerge. Krupa talks to Elif Shafak, a novelist and political scientist about the situation. The cost of childcare in England, Scotland and Wales has risen over the last year by 5.6%. On top of that, less than one in five local authorities in England have enough childcare provision for disabled children. Megan Jarvie, Head of Coram Family and Childcare talks to Krupa about Coram's Family and Childcare report out today, which is calling on the government to review and reform their childcare spending. Presenter: Krupa Padhy Studio Manager: Michael Millham

Here we are friends, another week closer to 2023! Today we dive back into our older episodes. This guest is definitely living label free and putting her beautiful mark on the world

Talk Art special episode!!! We meet leading artist NIKITA GALE! It's Frieze London and we explore an incredible new art installation for BMW Open Work by Frieze. Artist Nikita Gale worked with BMW i7 designers to present the site-specific installation “63/22” in the BMW Lounge at the fair from October 12-16, 2022.Curated by Attilia Fattori Franchini, BMW Open Work by Frieze invites an artist to develop an ambitious project utilising BMW design and technology to pursue their practice in innovative new directions. BMW Open Work offers artists the possibility of engaging in a rich dialogue with BMW engineers, designers, and experts from different fields to create unique artistic projects.Investigating the politics of sound and its surrounding, Nikita Gale's practice enquires themes of invisibility and audibility, recasting the complicated dynamic between performer and spectator. Within the work, notions are subverted and destabilized. Nikita Gale's interest in the history of sound continues with “63/22”, in which the artist reflects on the relationship between automotive and sound technologies, already closely associated since the 1960s. In fact, the Gibson Firebird, one of the most popular electric guitars, was designed by a car designer in 1963. Emerging from an intense dialogue with BMW i7 designers and engineers whilst reinforcing BMW's commitment to art and music, Gale presents for Frieze London 2022 a sculptural installation comprising of five customised electric guitars. The guitars will be named historically significant and iconic Black women guitarists: Memphis Minnie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Barbara Lynn, Big Mama Thornton, and Joan Armatrading. Activated in the lounge through a series of live acts performed by musicians invited by Gale, the guitars will play through the BMW i7, transforming the car into a sound amp, amplifying the relationship between the car, sound technologies and creativity. The guitars have been created in collaboration with BMW i7 designers and realised by a UK-based luthier, Ian Malone. View more: https://frieze.com/bmw-open-workGale's work employs objects and materials like barricades, concrete, microphone stands, and spotlights to address the ways in which space and sound are politicized. Gale's broad-ranging installations blur formal and disciplinary boundaries, engaging with concerns of mediation and automation in contemporary performance. Follow: @NikitaGale on Instagram. Gale is represented by Commonwealth & Council (LA), Reyes | Finn (Detroit), and 56 Henry (NYC).Follow @BMWGroupCulture to learn more about BMW's commitment to art, more than 50 years supporting artists and culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baz Luhrmann's hit box office hit biopic Elvis has spurred new interest in the music of The King. Elvis Presley's streaming subscribers has grown by two million listeners on Spotify since the film's release according to ChartMetric, and if you're hearing a lot more “Hound Dog” these days, it might be partially due to the success of Doja Cat's hit song “Vegas,” which updates – and interpolates – the song for contemporary listeners.  Doja Cat's version samples from the original 1953 “Hound Dog,” sung by Big Mama Thornton and written by acclaimed songwriter team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller (whose credits also include Presley's “Jailhouse Rock” and Ben E. King's “Stand By Me”). The original is a sauntering blues song with a raunchy tale about a two timing man; Presley, who is frequently said to have stolen the song from Thorton, instead sings a tepid lyric about an actual dog, and radically changes the groove.  But in an interview with Rolling Stone, Stoller says Presley didn't steal the song at all. Rather, he adapted one of many covers of the song, specifically the version performed by the Las Vegas lounge act Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. Their “Hound Dog” borrows its upbeat rhythm from a song responding to the original “Hound Dog,” titled “Bear Cat.” It's a similar rhythm to the one we hear on the contemporary Doja Cat version, “Vegas,” which heavily features samples of Thornton's original vocals: listening closely reveals a song that synthesizes a complicated music history by uniting the best parts of the many versions of “Hound Dog.”  Listen to the latest episode of Switched On Pop and uncover the long legacy of “Hound Dog.” Songs Discussed Big Mama Thorton - Hound Dog Elvis - Hound Dog Doja Cat - Vegas Esther Phillips - Hound Dog Jack Turner - Hound Dog Rufus Thomas - Bear Cat Freddie Bell and the Bellboys T.L.C. - No Scrubs Sporty Thievz - No Pigeons  W.C. Handy - St. Louis Blues Duke Ellington - Conga brava Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Didn't It Rain Fats Domino - Mardi Gras in New Orleans Dave Bartholomew - Country Boy Little Richard - Slipping' And Sliding' Jack Harlow - Dua Lipa Future - Puffin on Zootiez Hitkidd, Gorilla - F.N.F. (Let's Go) Bad Bunny - Después de la Playa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices