Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Sister Rosetta Tharpe | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Rosetta Nubin (or Rosether Atkins) |
Born | Cotton Plant, Arkansas, U.S. | March 20, 1915
Died | October 9, 1973 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 58)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1919–1973 |
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (born Rosetta Nubin, March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973)[1] was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and electric guitar. She was the first great recording star of gospel music, and was among the first gospel musicians to appeal to rhythm and blues and rock and roll audiences, later being referred to as "the original soul sister" and "the Godmother of rock and roll".[2][3][4][5] She influenced early rock-and-roll musicians including Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and also later guitarists, such as Eric Clapton.[6][7][8]
Tharpe was a pioneer in her guitar technique; she was among the first popular recording artists to use heavy distortion on her electric guitar, opening the way to the rise of electric blues. Her guitar-playing technique had a profound influence on the development of British blues in the 1960s. Her European tour with Muddy Waters in 1964, with a stop in Manchester on May 7, is cited by British guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Keith Richards.[9]
Willing to cross the line between sacred and secular by performing her music of "light" in the "darkness" of nightclubs and concert halls with
Tharpe's 1944 release "
Childhood
Tharpe was born on March 20, 1915, as Rosetta Nubin in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, to Katie Bell Nubin and Willis Atkins, who were cotton pickers. However, researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc give her birth name as Rosether Atkins (or Atkinson), her mother's name being Katie Harper.[16] Little is known of her father except that he was a singer. Tharpe's mother Katie was also a singer and a mandolin player, deaconess-missionary, and women's speaker for the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), which was founded in 1897 by Charles Harrison Mason, a black Pentecostal bishop, who encouraged rhythmic musical expression, dancing in praise and allowing women to sing and teach in church. Encouraged by her mother, Tharpe began singing and playing the guitar as Little Rosetta Nubin at the age of six and was cited as a musical prodigy.[2][17]
About 1921, at age six, Tharpe had joined her mother as a regular performer in a traveling evangelical troupe. Billed as a "singing and guitar playing miracle", she accompanied her mother in performances that were part sermon and part gospel concert before audiences across the American South.
Career
Early career
On October 31, 1938, aged 23, Tharpe recorded for the first time – four sides for
She had signed a ten-year contract with Lucky Millinder. Tharpe officially joined Millinder's swing band in 1941 and continued touring with the band throughout the 1940s.[22] Her records caused an immediate furor: many churchgoers were shocked by the mixture of gospel-based lyrics and secular-sounding music, but secular audiences loved them. Tharpe played on several occasions with the white singing group the Jordanaires.[8]
Tharpe's appearances with
By 1943 she considered rebuilding a strictly gospel act, but she was contractually required to perform more worldly material.[24] Her nightclub performances, in which she would sometimes sing gospel songs amid scantily clad showgirls, caused her to be shunned by some in the gospel community.
During this time masculinity was directly linked to guitar skills. Tharpe was often offered the intended compliment that she could "play like a man", demonstrating her skills at guitar battles at the Apollo.[25]
Tharpe continued recording during
Her song "
In 1946, Tharpe saw Marie Knight perform at a Mahalia Jackson concert in New York. Tharpe recognized a special talent in Knight. Two weeks later, Tharpe showed up at Knight's doorstep, inviting her to go on the road. They toured the gospel circuit for a number of years, during which they recorded hits such as "Up Above My Head" and "Gospel Train".[26]
Later career
Starting in 1949, their popularity took a sudden downturn. Mahalia Jackson was starting to eclipse Tharpe in popularity, and Knight harbored a desire to break free as a solo act into popular music. Furthermore, around this time, Knight lost her children and mother in a house fire.[27] That same year, to commemorate Tharpe's first anniversary of being a homeowner in Richmond, Virginia, Tharpe put on a concert at what is now the Altria Theater. Supporting her for that concert were the Twilight Singers, whom Rosetta adopted as her background singers for future concerts, renaming them The Rosettes.[28]
Tharpe attracted 25,000 paying customers to her wedding to her manager, Russell Morrison (her third marriage), followed by a vocal performance at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., in 1951. In 1952, Tharpe and Red Foley recorded the B-side "Have a Little Talk with Jesus", which is likely the first interracial duet recorded in the US.[29] It was not until 1968 that Billy Vera and Judy Clay had a hit with an interracial duet, "Storybook Children".[29]
In 1956, Tharpe recorded an album with the gospel quartet The Harmonizing Four, titled Gospel Train. In 1957, Tharpe was booked for a month-long tour of the UK by British trombonist Chris Barber.
1964 European tour
In April and May 1964, Tharpe toured Europe as part of the Blues and Gospel Caravan, alongside
According to Chris Lee of University of Salford, the 1964 Manchester show "influenced nearly everyone who saw it" and was as important as the Sex Pistols' 1976 show at the city's Lesser Free Trade Hall, which spurred attendees Morrissey, Mark E Smith and the musicians who would become Joy Division and Buzzcocks into action.[9]
Later life and death
Tharpe's biographer said in 2018 that "she influenced Elvis Presley, she influenced Johnny Cash, she influenced Little Richard". When asked about her music and about rock and roll, Tharpe is reported to have said, "Oh, these kids and rock and roll — this is just sped up rhythm and blues. I've been doing that forever".[15]
Tharpe's performances were curtailed by a stroke in 1970, after which one of her legs was amputated as a result of complications from
Musical influence
Tharpe's guitar style blended melody-driven urban blues with traditional folk arrangements and incorporated a pulsating swing that was a precursor of rock and roll.[17][35]
A
Little Richard referred to her as his favorite singer when he was a child. In 1947, she heard Richard sing before her concert at the Macon City Auditorium and later invited him on stage to sing with her; it was Richard's first public performance outside of the church. Following the show, she paid him for his performance, which inspired him to become a performer.[37] When Johnny Cash gave his induction speech at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, he referred to Tharpe as his favorite singer when he was a child. His daughter Rosanne Cash stated in an interview with Larry King that Tharpe was her father's favorite singer. Tharpe began recording with electric guitar in the 1940s, with "That's All", which has been cited as an influence on Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley.[17] Other musicians, including Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis,[7] and Isaac Hayes, have identified her singing, guitar playing, and showmanship as an important influence on them. She was held in particularly high esteem by UK jazz/blues singer George Melly. Tina Turner credits Tharpe, along with Mahalia Jackson, as an early musical influence. Such diverse performers as Meat Loaf, Neil Sedaka and Karen Carpenter have attested to the influence of Tharpe in the rhythmic energy she emanated in her performances (Carpenter's drum fills are especially reminiscent of Tharpe's "Chorlton Chug").[38]
According to a PBS article, Elvis was influenced by five artists, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe. “She had a major impact ... when you see Elvis Presley singing songs early in his career, I think you [should] imagine, he is channeling Rosetta Tharpe."[39]
In 2018 singer Frank Turner wrote and performed the song "Sister Rosetta" about her influence and how she deserved to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The single was released on July 3, 2019.[40]
According to Cleveland.com, Tharpe "plugged into an electric guitar in the late 1930s and became a rock star before the men considered the pioneers of rock and roll had dreamt of doing so. She's the "Godmother of rock and roll" who influenced every musician traditionally identified with helping launch the genre during the 1950s".[41]
Awards and legacy
A resurgence of interest in Tharpe's work led to a biography, several
In 2011 BBC Four aired a one-hour documentary, Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock & Roll, written and directed by UK filmmaker Mick Csaky. In 2013 the film was shown in the US as part of the PBS series American Masters.[46] The film has been aired numerous times in the UK and US, most recently in March 2015 to mark the 100th anniversary of Tharpe's birth. On March 20, 2015, the UK newspaper The Guardian published a 100th-birthday tribute by Richard Williams.[47] On September 12, 2016, the musical play Marie And Rosetta, based on the relationship between Tharpe and Marie Knight, opened at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York.
On October 5, 2017, Tharpe was listed as a nominee for the 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions. On December 13, 2017, she was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence.[48]
In 2017,
A musical about her life named "Shout, Sister, Shout!" based on the Gayle Wald biography of the same name, and written by playwright Cheryl West, was written in 2017 and performed that year at the Pasadena Playhouse, two years later at Seattle Repertory Theatre, and played at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. in 2023.[49]
Rolling Stone named Tharpe the 6th greatest guitarist of all time in 2023.[50]
Discography
Albums
- Gospel Songs (Decca, 1947)
- Blessed Assurance (Decca, 1951)
- Gospel Train (Mercury, 1956)
- The Gospel Truth (Mercury, 1959)
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe (MGM, 1960)
- Spirituals in Rhythm (Promenade, 1960)
- Sister on Tour (Verve, 1961)
- The Gospel Truth (Verve, 1962)
- Precious Memories (Savoy, 1968)
- Gospel Keepsakes (MCA, 1983)
- Live in 1960 (Southland, 1991)
- Live at the Hot Club de France (BMG/Milan, 1991)
- Live In France: The 1966 Concert In Limoges (2024)
Her complete works up to 1961 were issued as seven double-CD box sets by the French label Frémeaux & Associés.[51]
Charted singles
Year | Single | Chart Positions |
---|---|---|
US R&B[13] | ||
1945 | "Strange Things Happening Every Day" | 2 |
1948 | "Precious Memories" | 13 |
"Up Above My Head, I Hear Music in the Air" | 6 | |
1949 | " Silent Night (Christmas Hymn) "
|
6 |
References
- JSTOR 1214272.
- ^ a b c d e Ankeny, Jason. "Sister Rosetta Tharpe". AllMusic. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ McNeil, William K.; Buckalew, Terry. "Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915–1973)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ "Godmother of Rock and Roll | Sister Rosetta Tharpe". PBS. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ Wald 2007, p. vii.
- ^ a b "Sister Rosetta Tharpe". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ a b c DeLuca, Dan (February 26, 2007). "Sister Rosetta Tharpe got rock rolling long before Elvis". PopMatters. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ a b "The Godmother of Rock & Roll: Sister Rosetta Tharpe". BBC Four. May 24, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ a b c Long, Chris (May 7, 2014). "Muddy Waters and Sister Rosetta Tharpe's 'mind-blowing' station show". BBC.com. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- ^ a b Rose, Joel (March 20, 2009). "Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Etched In Stone At Last". NPR. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ "Librarian of Congress Names 50 Recordings to the 2004 National Recording Registry". Library of Congress. 2005. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ISBN 9780968644584.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 440.
- ^ a b Wald 2007, p. 68.
- ^ a b Sister Rosetta Tharpe Gets Her Day In The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
- ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Sister Rosetta Tharpe". Biography.com. 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ Welky, Ali; Keckhaver, Mike (2013). Encyclopedia of Arkansas Music. University of Arkansas Press. p. 202.
- ^ Wald 2007, p. 42.
- ISBN 978-0-8108-8638-4. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
- ^ "Record Reviews". Billboard. May 30, 1942. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
- ^ Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Sister Rosetta Tharpe". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sister-Rosetta-Tharpe. Accessed 14 November 2023.
- OL 1088617M.
- ^ Wald 2007, p. 64.
- ^ Wald 2007, pp. 151–55.
- ^ Heim, Chris (2007). "Marie Knight: She's Got It!". Dirty Linen (10): 25–28.
- ^ Grimes, William (September 2, 2009). "Marie Knight, Gospel Singer, Is Dead at 89". The New York Times (Obituary). Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- ^ Belcher, Craig (April 9, 2018). "Her Gospel Truth". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
It's where she lived at the height of her popularity, where she purchased her first home, found her music director and assembled her backing vocalists, The Rosettes. ... Tharpe, exercising her growing power in the music business, acquired one popular local group and changed its name twice as she groomed the singers as her own backups. Eventually, she christened them The Rosettes.
- ^ a b Bernard, Diane. "The United States' first interracial love song". www.bbc.com. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ Rowe, Mike (2007). Booklet in The American Folk Blues Festival: The British Tours 1963–1966 (DVD). Reeling in the Years Productions. Catalogue EAN: (US) 6-02517-20588-8.
- ISBN 978-1-85242-910-2.
- ISBN 978-0-415-94179-2. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ Wald, Gayle (December 28, 2012). "American Masters/Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock and Roll (Timeline)". American Masters. PBS.
- ISBN 9780313344244. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
- ^ Cosby 2016.
- ^ a b "Forebears: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Godmother Of Rock 'N' Roll". NPR. August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ White 2003, p. 17.
- ^ Bego, Mark (2013). Tina Turner: Break Every Rule. p. 18.
- ^ "Six musicians who influenced Elvis Presley". PBS, American Masters. June 27, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ^ Skinner, Tom (July 3, 2019). "Frank Turner announces new album 'No Man's Land' with first single 'Sister Rosetta' – listen". NME. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
- ^ 50 most important African American music artists of all time
- ^ Remnick, David (August 13, 2018). ""Shout, Sister, Shout!," a Biography of Sister Rosette Tharpe". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ 2012 Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers, no. 3219.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Proclaims Sister Rosetta Tharpe Day on January 11, 2008 to Honor the Gospel Music Legend". webwire.com. January 2, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ a b Merz, Bob (December 16, 2008). "Sister Rosetta's Stone: Gospel Music Legend Memorialized after 35 Years". shoutsistershout.net. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ "American Masters (2013 season) – Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock & Roll". WNET TV. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
- ^ Williams, Richard (March 18, 2015). "Sister Rosetta Tharpe: the godmother of rock'n'roll". The Guardian. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
- ^ Andy Greene (December 13, 2017). "Nina Simone, Bon Jovi, Dire Straits Lead Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2018 Class". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ Williams, Alexis P. (March 20, 2023). "'Shout Sister Shout!' celebrates the legacy of Sister Rosetta Tharpe". Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ "The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ Complete Sister Rosetta Tharpe (in French), vol. 7, Frémeaux & Associés, 2015, retrieved March 23, 2015
Bibliography
- Boyer, Horace Clarence (1995). How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel. Elliott and Clark. ISBN 0-252-06877-7.
- Cosby, James A. (2016). Devil's Music Holy Rollers and Hillbillies: How America Gave Birth to Rock and Roll. McFarland & Co. pp. 2, 7–8, 112–13, 117–19, 138, 179. ISBN 978-1-4766-6229-9.
- ISBN 0-87910-034-6.
- Wald, Gayle (September 2003). "From Spirituals to Swing: Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Gospel Crossover". S2CID 143533324.
- Wald, Gayle (2007). Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-0984-0.
- White, Charles (2003). The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Authorised Biography. Omnibus Press. p. 17.
External links
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe Archived January 17, 2019, at the Wayback Machine discography at Record Connexion
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe discography at Discogs
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe at IMDb
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock & Roll, written and directed by Mick Csaky, PBS, American Masters, January 9, 2013
- The Gospel of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, National Public Radio, All Things Considered, January 17, 2004
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Etched in Stone at Last, National Public Radio, All Things Considered, March 20, 2009
- Premier Guitar – Forgotten Heroes: Sister Rosetta Tharpe
- Interview with Tharpe biographer Gayle F. Wald, WILL-AM radio, February 22, 2007
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.