Rosetta Tharpe - Short History

Rosetta Tharpe (March 20, 1915 October 9, 1973) was a pioneering Gospel singer, songwriter and recording artist who attained great popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and early rock accompaniment. She became the first great recording star of Gospel music in the late 1930s and also became known as the "original soul sister" of recorded music.

Willing to cross the line between sacred and secular by performing her inspirational music of 'light' in the 'darkness' of the nightclubs and concert halls with big bands behind her, her witty, idiosyncratic style also left a lasting mark on more conventional gospel artists, such as Ira Tucker, Sr., of the Dixie Hummingbirds. While she offended some conservative churchgoers with her forays into the world of pop music, she never left gospel music.

A number of musicians, ranging from Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis to Isaac Hayes and Aretha Franklin, have identified her—or, more particularly, her singing, guitar playing and showmanship—as an important influence on them. Little Richard referred to the stomping, shouting Gospel music legend as his favorite singer when he was a child. In 1945, she heard Richard sing prior to her concert at the Macon City Auditorium and later invited him on stage to sing with her. Following the show, she paid him for his performance. Johnny Cash's daughter Rosanne similarly stated in an interview with Larry King that Tharpe was her father's favorite singer. She was held in particularly high esteem by UK jazz/blues singer George Melly.

Tharpe's performances were curtailed by a stroke in 1970, after which she lost the use of her legs. She died in 1973 after another stroke, on the eve of a scheduled recording session. She was buried in Northwood Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in an unmarked grave. In 2008, a concert was held to raise funds for a marker for her grave and January 11 was declared Sister Rosetta Tharpe Day in Pennsylvania.


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[sfaster]

The Mother of Rock and Roll! period.

[greendiamonte]

omg look at this lady on the guitar, I can't believe I have never heard of her before today!

[Bamaboompa]

@boriagi So, would you kiss Sister Rosetta with that mouth?

[GReYSTOKE2012]

'Rock n Roll' invented... not by Chuck Berry, not by Fats Domino, not by Bo Diddley, not by Little Richard, not by Leadbetter, not by Elvis Presley, not by Jerry lee Lewis, not even by The Beatles or The Rolling Stones....no... invented by this woman.

My God! I can now die, go see her in heaven and bring her the news.

[annikee59]

Is Queen Latifah related to her? Striking resemblance. What an amazing woman! Thanks!

[russinroll]

amazing, fantastic, the realy mother's rock in roll, blues every .... oh!lord..R I P rosseta..love you...

[nonjohn]

Rosetta Tharpe should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Her performances at the Spirituals to Swing Concerts on Dec. 23, 1938 are unequivocally Rock and Roll.

[thenowuk]

amazing! 30 years before hendrix

[bugsycline]

Tharpe Lived by the gospel and there for didn't fall into the traps that a lot of other artists fell into. (alchohol,drugs,gambling , etc...)

so my guess is, she was good with her money, wich might suggest that she may have kept all those guitars. but who knows? I've been trying to find out for sometime, but no one seems to know the answer... or cares.... (sad but true)

[bugsycline]

actually that guitar was named by the gibson factory as a LES PAUL.

for a few short years around 61- early 63 Gibson discontinued the single cutaway models and introduced what would later be called an "sg". the guitar in this video actually says "les paul custom" on the instrument it's self.

This is but one guitar that was in the tharpe collection. I have dozen of pictures of her. and each photo shoot she has a different guitar that would make vintage guys cry

[boriagi]

Where's that SG? God Damn it. Fucking awsome guitar playing!!!!

[Sheamusj]

Wow! Wow!! Wow!!! BTW... Did I mention Sister Rosetta Thorpe is WOW!!!!

Thank you from Canada.