Big Maybelle's (May 1, 1924 -- January 23, 1972) mountainous stature matched the sheer soulful power of her massive vocal talent. Her deep, gravelly voice was as singular as her many hits for Okeh and Savoy, which ranged from down-in-the-alley blues to pop-slanted ballads. Originator of "Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On" and many other now-standards, her drug addiction caused various problems and led to her early death at the age of 47.. ...show more

Big Maybelle's (May 1, 1924 -- January 23, 1972) mountainous stature matched the sheer soulful power of her massive vocal talent. Her deep, gravelly voice was as singular as her many hits for Okeh and Savoy, which ranged from down-in-the-alley blues to pop-slanted ballads. Originator of "Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On" and many other now-standards, her drug addiction caused various problems and led to her early death at the age of 47.. ...show less