What female blues singer did a gutsy rendition of hound dog?

Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton

Made Elvis's version sound like a Pollyanna rehearsal, didn't it, Jenny? The cavman tips his Stetson to you.

Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, an LA songwriting duo, wrote "Hound Dog" for Big Mama, a very popular R & B artist, in 1952. Her recording went to No.1 on the R & B charts in April of 1953. Later, Freddie Bell and the Bellboys did a novelty cover of the song. Presley heard Bell's version and used the song as a novelty part of his Las Vegas act. Presley did the song on Milton Berle's TV show, and then Steve Allen's. On Allen's, he appeared in a white tux singing to a Basset hound. Presley was very still during the performance, and the song was very stilted. Ed Sullivan then paid Presley $50,000 for 3 performances on his how. (Thank you, Col. Parker!) On September 5, 1956, Presley sang "Hound Dog" on Sullivan's show to an estimated 54 million viewers. Presley's cover of the song first hit BillBoard's charts in the summer of 1956. Lieber and Stoller also wrote "Jailhouse Rock" and "Kansas City."

Thanks, DG, you're a walking encylopedia. I love this place!