Ducoureh was found dead Thursday in a bedroom in the Nashville home she shared with her two young children, the Nashville Metro Police Department said. One of the children found her unresponsive and went to a neighbor’s apartment, who called 911. Police said there were no signs of foul play. The results of the autopsy are pending from the medical examiner. Dukureh played blues singer Big Mama Thornton in the Elvis Presley biopic, which was released worldwide in June. Dukureh’s rendition of the song Hound Dog, which Thornton recorded in 1952, four years before Presley, went viral on the internet after the film’s release. Allow Instagram content? This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is uploaded, as they may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click Allow and Continue. The actor and singer, who also shared the stage at Coachella this year with Doja Cat, had a theater degree from Fisk University and an education degree from Trevecca Nazarene, radio station WPLN-FM reported. In an interview with the station last month, Dukureh said she had previously worked as a second-grade teacher and had worked with inner-city youth through after-school and summer programs. She said those students got in touch after seeing her at Elvis.
