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Sister Rosetta Tharpe was the hottest rocker of her time; in fact, she was the only rocker. Long before Elvis thought about picking up a guitar, Tharpe was making a name for herself as the "first great recording star of gospel music" and the "original soul sister" of recorded music.
Born in 1915, Tharpe was the daughter of cotton pickers and achieved great success in the 1930s and 1940s. Her sound was unique and often shocked conservative churchgoers with its blend of spiritual lyrics and early rock and roll accompaniment. At the height of her career, she toured Europe as part of the Blues and Gospel Caravan with Muddy Waters and Otis Spann. Many musicians including Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Isaac Hayes and Aretha Franklin said her singing, guitar playing and showmanship influenced their own music. Even Johnny Cash claimed that Tharpe was his favorite singer when he was a child.
Tharpe's career was cut short in 1970 when she suffered a stroke after having her leg amputated due to complications from diabetes. She subsequently passed away after suffering a second stroke in 1973. She is buried at Northwood cemetary in Philidelphia, but thanks to the magic of youtube.com, her music lives on.
Information provided by wikipedia.com
http://www.youtube.com/embed/T0tnh0xeDzw
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was the hottest rocker of her time; in fact, she was the only rocker. Long before Elvis thought about picking up a guitar, Tharpe was making a name for herself as the "first great recording star of gospel music" and the "original soul sister" of recorded music.
Born in 1915, Tharpe was the daughter of cotton pickers and achieved great success in the 1930s and 1940s. Her sound was unique and often shocked conservative churchgoers with its blend of spiritual lyrics and early rock and roll accompaniment. At the height of her career, she toured Europe as part of the Blues and Gospel Caravan with Muddy Waters and Otis Spann. Many musicians including Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Isaac Hayes and Aretha Franklin said her singing, guitar playing and showmanship influenced their own music. Even Johnny Cash claimed that Tharpe was his favorite singer when he was a child.
Tharpe's career was cut short in 1970 when she suffered a stroke after having her leg amputated due to complications from diabetes. She subsequently passed away after suffering a second stroke in 1973. She is buried at Northwood cemetary in Philidelphia, but thanks to the magic of youtube.com, her music lives on.
Information provided by wikipedia.com
http://www.youtube.com/embed/T0tnh0xeDzw