A big woman who often dressed like a man, Big Mama Thornton sang as tough as one too. Her first hit, "Hound Dog," put her on the musical map, charting before Elvis's version, but a series of bad luck and bad deals kept her from the superstar heights she so obviously deserved. Still, her legend lives on with that inimitable voice, a jubilant performing style, and that big beautiful body belting out some of the best blues ever to come from the fairer sex. We'll even take her version of "Hound Dog" over Presley's. Other key tracks: "They Call Me Big Mama," "Yes Baby," and "You Don't Move Me No More"