Singer and actor Shonka Dukureh, best known for playing Big Mama Thornton in the Baz Luhrmann film “Elvis,” is dead at 44.
Police said the gospel-singing mother or two was found dead in her Nashville, Tennessee, home shortly before 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
No cause of death has been reported, though there’s said to be no evidence of foul play. She was discovered by one of her children who went to a neighbor for help, according to People.
Police said Fisk was a graduate of Fisk University, which is historic Black school in Nashville that dates back to 1866. According to her website, that’s where she earned bachelor’s degree in theater. Dukureh reportedly went on to achieved a master’s degree in education from Trevecca Nazarene University, which is also in Nashville.
She had worked as an educator in Music City, USA. In April, she performed with recording artist Doja Cat at the Coachella music festival. Dukureh said in an interview a short time later that finding fame as star of stage and screen, she “didn’t even know it was a dream” of her until it came true.
According to her website, Dukureh was working an album called “The Lady Sings the Blues” that she had planned to release last month. That site described her as an undeniable talent who was “just getting started!”
Her performance as Thornton in “Elvis” included singing a bluesy rendition of “Hound Dog,” which was recorded by Thornton in 1952 and became a 1956 hit for Elvis Presley.
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