Mabel Louise Smith (May 1, 1924 - January 23, 1972), known as Big Maybelle, was an American Rhythm & Blues singer. She was born in Jackson, Tennessee where she sang gospel as a child and made her first recording in 1944.
In 1952 she was signed by Okeh records and in 1953 recorded "Gabbin' Blues", "Way Back Home" and "My Country Man". In 1955 she recorded "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On", produced by Quincy Jones, two years before Jerry Lee Lewis' version.
In 1955 she went over to Savoy where her biggest best seller, "Candy", was released in 1956. It went to No. 11 on the Billboard R&B chart on that same year. This is the B side "That's A Pretty Good Love".
After 1959 she recorded for a variety of labels and continued to perform into the early 1960s. Her last hit single was in 1967 with a cover of "96 Tears" by Question Mark & The Mysterians.
She died in 1972, in Cleveland, Ohio.
