By: HISTORY.com Editors
“Hound Dog” is recorded for the first time by Big Mama Thornton
On August 13, 1952, four years before Elvis Presley would make “Hound Dog” his longest running no. 1 hit, the song is recorded for the very first time by the rhythm-and-blues singer Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton in Los Angeles, California. Since Presley's version ran 11 weeks at the top of the pop music charts, it's often been mistakenly assumed to be his original.
Big Mama Thornton was a native of Montgomery, Alabama, who came of age on the R&B circuit in the 1940s after starting her professional career in 1941 at the age of 14. In 1951, she signed her first record contract with Peacock Records and was soon paired with another of its artists, bandleader Johnny Otis, who brought Thornton out to join his band in California.
It was there, in late 1952, that Otis asked two young songwriters on the Los Angeles music scene if they would write something, especially for Thornton. Those songwriters were Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, who would go on to have an enormous impact on R&B and early rock and roll through their work with groups like the Coasters and the Drifters. But hits like "Yakkity Yak,” “Charlie Brown,” “Stand By Me,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Love Potion No. 9″ were still ahead of Lieber and Stoller when they did what Otis asked and came back to him with a 12-bar country blues tune called “Hound Dog.”
On this day in 1952, Big Mama Thornton and the Johnny Otis Band recorded “Hound Dog” and turned it into a smash hit on the R&B charts, where it stayed at #1 for seven weeks. It wasn’t Thornton’s recording, however, that inspired Elvis to record "Hound Dog” three years later. Presley’s inspiration came from a rewrite by a singer named Freddie Bell, who changed the original lyrics to include the now-familiar “Cryin’ all the time” and “You ain’t never caught a rabbit.” During his first Las Vegas engagement in the spring of 1956, Elvis Presley heard Freddie Bell and the Bellboys performing the reworked “Hound Dog” and added it to his repertoire almost immediately.
How ‘Race Records’ Turned Black Music Into Big Business
The recordings, which became a national phenomenon, captured artists like Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong—but most artists were exploited and forgotten.
The recordings, which became a national phenomenon, captured artists like Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong—but most artists were exploited and forgotten.
Also on This Day in History
Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on August 13th
Related
Arts & Entertainment
42 videos
A real-life black bear owned by a Canadian soldier serving in World War I inspired the famous children’s book.
Abbott and Costello turned a simple baseball misunderstanding into one of the most famous comedy routines of all time.
The star of ‘I Love Lucy’ was also a pioneering force behind the camera.
About the author
HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Christian Zapata, Cristiana Lombardo and Adrienne Donica.
Fact Check
We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.
Citation Information
- Article Title
- “Hound Dog” is recorded for the first time by Big Mama Thornton
- Author
- HISTORY.com Editors
- Website Name
- History
- Date Accessed
- October 21, 2026
- Publisher
- A&E Television Networks
- Last Updated
- August 14, 2025
- Original Published Date
- April 01, 2010
