Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • Summer 2025 27 Bk Reviews WHY WILLIE MAE THORNTON MATTERS By Lynnée Denise University of Texas Press, 2023 A part of the Music Matters series from University of Texas Press, Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters examines aspects of the life and legacy of the blues singer and harmonica player usually known as Big Mama Thornton (1926–1984). It is not strictly a biography; the author instead chooses to present essays on different parts of Thornton's life that represented who she was. In one chapter, "The Black South Matters," Denise discusses Thornton's home state of Alabama and its role in the birth of the blues. To do this, she explores the state's intrinsic qualities born from generations of suppression of Black humanity, a legacy of slavery. In subsequent chapters, the author explores how Thornton's gender-nonconforming presentation and behavior, as well as her race, affected her. She also addresses more broadly how Black women were pigeonholed into particular genres, limiting their exposure and audiences' access to them. This made Thornton especially vulnerable, whose music intersected with various genres such as jazz, rock, blues, and folk; Thornton never gave up fighting against these obstacles, though unfortunately this characteristic only made things more difficult for her. It also delves into two specific songs that originated with Willie Mae Thornton, but whose complete histories have been obscured. "Hound Dog" was written especially for Thornton by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and ended up being her only hit record. However, Elvis Presley's subsequent recording has so overshadowed Thornton's performance that very few know she was the first one to sing it. Thornton was also composer for "Ball 'n' Chain," but Janis Joplin fell in love with it. She gained Thornton's permission to perform and record it, changing some tempos and rearranging parts of it. Joplin, however, was always conscious that it was Thornton's song and made sure she received royalties. Unfortunately, no images appeared in the book, which I feel would have enhanced the narrative. Also, unusually for a book published by a university press, no index was included, making it more challenging to return to specific topics I wanted to revisit. Nevertheless, Denise is an eloquent and persuasive writer. She concludes that Willie Mae Thornton indeed matters due to her accomplishments and persistence, reinforcing the reputation of blues music as a demonstration of strength and survival. Kathi Bower Peterson is a graduate of Indiana University, where she majored in music history and oboe, and was a member of the Iota Epsilon chapter. She also has an MM (in musicology) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MLIS from San Jose State University. She has been the librarian at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla, California since 1997 and currently serves as the treasurer of the San Diego Alumnae Chapter, as well as the Coordinator of Scholarships for SAI Philanthropies, Inc. SOUTH SIDE IMPRESARIOS: HOW RACE WOMEN TRANSFORMED CHICAGO'S CLASSICAL MUSIC SCENE By Samantha Ege University of Illinois Press, 2024 S amantha Ege's new book focuses on Black women in Chicago during the time between the two world wars, and their tireless efforts to promote and encourage the performance of classical music. This contributed to Chicago becoming a site of a Black Renaissance, despite dealing with the prejudices of both racism and sexism. Without the organizations and networks these women created and utilized, much of this music would be lost to us today. Ege begins with the philosophical and social underpinnings of her work, as well as to the role classical music played in the lives of Black women. This effectively demonstrates that, contrary to the narrative that has long predominated, this field was not just a white, male genre. She goes on to clearly demonstrate the artistic climate that made interwar Chicago the perfect locale for Black women to flourish, plus establish effective networks and strategies to promote the composition and performance of classical music. It explores the lively cultural landscape of Chicago, primarily as it included music, but also touching on dance and politics. Ege also describes the work of eminent music critic Nora Douglas Holt, whose position as a columnist for the Chicago Defender, one of the most influential publications in the African-American community, was unquestionably vital in promoting and sustaining classical music. It also focuses on the career of composer Florence Price, how Price was one of many who benefited from the networks and projects of Black women leaders in Chicago. The author also provides a detailed account of the obstacles Black performers and composers faced in their pursuit of a career in music, including problematic perceptions of the capabilities and musical heritage of African Americans on the part of white, masculine cultural gatekeepers. The book concludes with a tribute to Maude Roberts George and her indefatigable work as president of Chicago Music Association and the National Association of Negro Musicians, her role as a music critic for the Chicago Defender (succeeding Nora Douglas Holt), and her underwriting of concerts—not to mention the accolades she received as a soprano performing throughout Chicago. Ege is an eloquent and compelling writer, and the attention she brings to a forgotten group of women, whose musical contributions still resonate today, is invaluable.

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