Watch extended version: Pioneering women who birthed rock and roll | Stories of Big Mama Thornton and Sister Rosetta Tharpe Thornton recorded "Hound Dog" in 1952, but the world didn't hear it ...

Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" was a hit when released in 1956. But the original was recorded several years earlier by Big Mama Thornton.

Willie Mae grew up to become the legendary Big Mama Thornton, whose vibrant growling voice on her song "Hound Dog" broke ...

"Hound Dog" just took off like a jet. Don Robey's first major hit, the one that his empire is founded on, the one that is most responsible for his success, was by Big Mama Thornton, "Hound Dog." ...

In 1967 the songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller already had a string of hits in their book, from Big Mama Thornton and Elvis Presley‘s hit “Hound Dog,” the chart-topping ...