Denise, Lynnée
Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters (Music Matters)
- ISBN 13:
- 9781477321188
- author:
- Denise, Lynnée
- format:
- Hardback
- publisher:
- University of Texas Press
- language:
- English
- Publication Year:
- 2023
- Pages:
- 240
- Dimensions:
- 20.3 x 12.7 x 3.8 centimetres (0
- Genre:
- Music, Genres & Styles, Blues,
- Condition:
- New
- Availability:
- Item usually sent within 10 working days
Description
Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters by Lynnée Denise is a biography in essays that explores the life of its subject as a DJ might dig through a crate of records. Born in Alabama in 1926, raised in the church, and later performing in vaudevillesque shows, Thornton's life events epitomize the blues.
The author pushes past stereotypes to reveal an artist who was an innovator across her four-decade-long career. Denise connects Thornton's performances to the music industry, interpreting her use of men's suits as a queering of the Chitlin Circuit and a preference for pants over dresses that didn't have a pocket for her harmonica.
This biography in essays samples elements of Thornton's art-and occasionally the author's own story-to create a nuanced portrait of an artist who defied conventions. By reclaiming Thornton's given name, Denise highlights the sound of Black musical resilience and offers a fresh perspective on a legendary performer.
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