Willie Mae Thornton was born on December 11, 1926, in Ariton, Alabama.
Willie Mae Thornton was born on December 11, 1926, in Ariton, Alabama. She was raised in a musical environment, with a father who was a Baptist minister and a mother who sang in the church choir. This upbringing had a significant influence on her musical style, which combined elements of gospel and blues, two foundational elements of her future career. Thornton's birth marks the beginning of what would become a trailblazing career in blues and rock and roll music.