Shonka Dukureh, Singer Who Starred in ‘Elvis’ as Big Mama Thornton, Dies at 44

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorKobalt, one of the world’s largest music publishers, has removed its entire 700,000-song catalog from Facebook and Instagram in the United States, a rep for the company confirms to Variety.The company’s U.S. licensing contract with Meta, parent of the two social-media giants, has expired and the two parties have failed to reach a new deal.

Elvis Presley separated from his wife Priscilla, The King began dating Miss Tennessee model Linda Thompson. From 1972-6, she lived with the star at Graceland and the couple shared his bedroom upstairs in the mansion. To this day, the music icon's private space isn't open to the public, but now his old flame has shared a rare photo from up there.

Baz Luhrmann, the director of the biopic Elvis, has paid tribute following the death of one of the stars of the film Shonka Dukureh, honouring her ‘tremendous talent’.Last month, Dukureh made her film debut playing Big Mama Thornton in the movie, opposite Austin Butler as the titular character, with one of her most memorable moments being when she belted out Hound Dog.This week, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department confirmed that the performer was found in the bedroom of her apartment, which she shared with her two young children. No foul play is suspected, and a cause of death is yet to be classified following the autopsy results.Tributes have come pouring in for the late star, with Luhrmann sharing a series of pictures of Dukureh on Instagram, including one of him kissing her on the forehead while on the set of Elvis.‘A special light went out today and all of the Elvis movie family are heartbroken by the loss of Shonka Dukureh,’ the 59-year-old wrote in his caption.‘From the moment she came into our world, Shonka brought joy, spirit and of course her voice and her music.’Luhrmann said that whenever Dukureh was on set, on stage or in the room, ‘everyone always felt uplifted’.‘Shonka was just starting to find a larger audience for her tremendous talent, and I got to see her uplift whole crowds of people at Coachella and beyond,’ he said.‘A favorite word of Shonka’s, in daily use, was “blessings,” and I, along with the entire Elvis cast, crew and musical collaborators, feel truly blessed to have had time with her.

Celebrities are expressing their heartbreak over the sudden death of Shonka Dukureh.

Less than one month after the release of the 2022 Elvis biopic, Shonka Dukureh, who played Big Mama Thornton in the film, was found dead in her Nashville home. She was 44.

Doja Cat and Baz Luhrmann have paid tribute to Elvis actress Shonka Dukureh following her death. Dukureh, who made her movie debut as blues singer Big Mama Thornton in Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic, was found dead at her home in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday at the age of 44. The actress made a notable appearance in the film singing Thornton's biggest hit Hound Dog - which Presley later recorded - and her rendition of the song was sampled on Doja's single Vegas, taken from the Elvis soundtrack.

Director Baz Luhrmann said he felt “truly blessed” to have had time with Shonka Dukureh, who starred in his Elvis biopic, before her sudden death at age 44.

Baz Luhrmann says he and the cast of 'Elvis' are devastated by the sudden death of cast member Shonka Dukureh. The recently acclaimed actress, who had just drawn plaudits for her role as blues singer Big Mama Thornton in the Elvis Presley biopic, was tragically found dead in her apartment by one of her young children on Thursday (21. 07.

Baz Luhrmann has said he felt “truly blessed” to have had time with Shonka Dukureh, who starred in his Elvis biopic, before her death aged 44. The actress, who played Big Mama Thornton in the film about superstar Elvis Presley, was found dead in a bedroom at her home in Nashville. It was one of her children who found her unresponsive and went to the apartment of a neighbour, who called emergency services.

Actress and singer Shonka Dukureh, who starred in the biopic Elvis, has died at the age of 44. She played Big Mama Thornton in the film about superstar Elvis Presley and was found dead in a bedroom at her home in Nashville.

Actress Shonka Dukereh, who stars in the new Elvis Presley film, has died aged 44.TMZ reported that she was first discovered by one of her young children in her Nashville apartment on Thursday morning (22 July). In her latest project Shonka played blues singer Big Mama Thornton in the new Elvis biopic. On discovering her body her child is said to have alerted a neighbour who then called 911 for help.

Amid all praise and critical acclaim for the new Baz Luhrmann-directed biopic, Elvis, Priscilla Presley finds herself defending her ex-husband against the longstandingnarrative that he was racist.Elvis Presley is depicted as being deeply moved by the civil rights movement and the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the film, which stars Austin Butler in the title role.

Elvis biopic, has died at the age of 44.Dukureh was found dead by police on Thursday (July 21) in her home in Nashville, after one of her two young children found her unresponsive and sought help from a neighbour, who called 911. According to police, there is no evidence of foul play.

Priscilla Presley is setting the record straight when it comes to late husband Elvis Presley‘s relationship with the Black community.

Shonka Dukureh, one of the stars of the new Elvis film, has died aged 44. The recently acclaimed actress was found dead in her apartment by one of her young children, just after recently drawing plaudits for her role as blues singer Big Mama Thornton in the Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic. TMZ reported she was found dead in the bedroom of her apartment in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday.

“Elvis” actress and blues singer Shonka Dukureh was found dead in her Nashville apartment Thursday, ET can confirm. She was 44.

From the thrill of a lifetime to its untimely end, all in less than six months…

who died in 2014 at age 94, wrote or co-wrote “If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” He is also credited with popularizing “We Shall Overcome,” an anthem of the civil rights movement.“He was not only a champion of traditional American music, he was also celebrated as a unifying power by promoting a variety of causes, such as civil rights, workers’ rights, social justice, the peace movement and protecting the environment,” said Tom Foti, the postal service’s product solutions vice president.While Seeger, a lifelong activist, was exiled from commercial airplay in the 1950s and 1960s after an appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee for his Communist affiliations, his career never slowed and he continued to record and tour.He won Grammy Awards, was inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll halls of fame, and earned both the National Medal of the Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors.He remained an activist late into his life — walking through the streets of Manhattan leading an Occupy Movement protest in 2011.Seeger joins a long list of musical performers to appear on a US postage stamp, including Elvis Presley, Thelonious Monk, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.The Seeger stamps are sold in panes of 16 resembling a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve, according to the postal service.

A shocking loss. Elvis star Shonka Dukureh was found dead in her Nashville, Tennesse, home on Thursday, July 21. She was 44.

Shonka Dukureh, who just made her film debut in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, was found dead in her Nashville, Tenn. apartment on Thursday, police said. She was 44 and was found in her bedroom.

"Elvis" actress Shonka Dukureh, who played Big Mama Thorton, was found dead Thursday in a bedroom at her apartment in Nashville, police confirmed. She was 44.  The Metro Nashville Police Department said there were no signs of foul play.