Sister Rosetta Tharpe | |
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.jpg) Tharpe in 1938 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Rosetta Nubin (or Rosether Atkins) (1915-03-20)March 20, 1915 Cotton Plant, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | October 9, 1973(1973-10-09) (aged 58) Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1919–1973 |
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (bornRosetta Nubin, March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973)[1] was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with herGospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics andelectric guitar. She was rooted in a pentecostal church and became the first great recording star of gospel music, and was among the first gospel musicians to appeal toRhythm and blues andRock and roll audiences, later being referred to as "the original soul sister" and "theGodmother of rock and roll".[2][3][4][5] She influenced early rock-and-roll musicians, includingTina Turner,Little Richard,Chuck Berry,Johnny Cash,Carl Perkins,Elvis Presley, andJerry Lee Lewis.[6][7][8]
Tharpe was a pioneer in her guitar technique; she was among the first popular recording artists to use heavydistortion on her electric guitar, opening the way to the rise ofelectric blues. Her guitar-playing technique had a profound influence on the development ofBritish blues in the 1960s. Her European tour withMuddy Waters in 1964, with a stop inManchester on May 7, is cited by British guitarists such asEric Clapton,Jeff Beck, andKeith 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 withbig bands behind her, Tharpe pushed spiritual music into the mainstream and helped pioneer the rise of pop-gospel, beginning in 1938 with the recording "Rock Me" and with her 1939 hit "This Train".[2][6] Her unique music left a lasting mark on more conventional gospel artists such as Ira Tucker, Sr., of theDixie Hummingbirds.[10] While controversial among conservative religious groups due to her forays into thepop world, she never left gospel music.[10]
Tharpe's 1944 release "Down by the Riverside" was selected for theNational Recording Registry of theU.S. Library of Congress in 2004, which noted that it "captures her spirited guitar playing and unique vocal style, demonstrating clearly her influence on early rhythm-and-blues performers" and cited her influence on "many gospel,jazz, androck artists".[11] ("Down by the Riverside" was recorded by Tharpe on December 2, 1948, in New York City, and issued as Decca single 48106.[12]) Her 1945 hit "Strange Things Happening Every Day", recorded in late 1944, featured Tharpe's vocals andelectric guitar, withSammy Price (piano), bass and drums. It was the first gospel record tocross over, hitting no. 2 on theBillboard "race records" chart, the term then used for what later became theR&B chart, in April 1945.[2][13] The recording has been cited as a precursor of rock and roll, and alternatively has been called thefirst rock and roll record.[14][7] In May 2018, Tharpe was posthumously inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence.[15]
Tharpe was born on March 20, 1915, as Rosetta Nubin inCotton Plant, Arkansas, to Katie Bell Nubin and Willis Atkins, who werecotton 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 amandolin player, deaconess-missionary, and women's speaker for theChurch of God in Christ (COGIC), which was founded in 1897 byCharles Harrison Mason, a blackPentecostal 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.[17] In the mid-1920s, Tharpe and her mother settled inChicago, Illinois, where they performed religious concerts at the Roberts Temple COGIC on 40th Street, occasionally traveling to perform at church conventions throughout the country. Tharpe developed considerable fame as a musical prodigy, standing out in an era when prominent black female guitarists were rare.[18]
In 1934, at age 19, she married Thomas Thorpe, a COGIC preacher, who accompanied her mother and her on many of their tours. The marriage lasted only a few years, but she decided to adopt a version of her husband's surname as her stage name, Sister Rosetta Tharpe.[17] In 1938, she left her husband and moved with her mother to New York City. Although she married several times, she performed as Rosetta Tharpe for the rest of her life.
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On October 31, 1938, aged 23, Tharpe recorded for the first time – four sides forDecca Records.[19] The first gospel songs recorded by Decca, "Rock Me", "That's All", "My Man and I", and "The Lonesome Road", were instant hits, establishing Tharpe as an overnight sensation and one of the first commercially successful gospel recording artists.[17] "Rock Me" influenced many rock-and-roll singers, such asElvis Presley,Little Richard, andJerry Lee Lewis. In 1942, music criticMaurie Orodenker, describing Tharpe's "Rock Me", wrote, "It's Sister Rosetta Tharpe for the rock and roll spiritual singing."[20][21]
She had signed a 10-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 groupthe Jordanaires.[8]
Tharpe's appearances withCab Calloway atHarlem'sCotton Club in October 1938 and inJohn Hammond's "Spirituals to Swing" concert at Carnegie Hall on December 23, 1938, gained her more fame, along with notoriety.[23] Performing gospel music for secular nightclub audiences and alongside blues and jazz musicians and dancers was unusual, and in conservative religious circles, a woman playing the guitar in such settings was frowned upon. Tharpe fell out of favor with segments of the gospel community.[17]
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 theApollo.[25]Tharpe continued recording duringWorld War II, one of only two gospel artists able to recordV-discs for troops overseas.[2]
Her song "Strange Things Happening Every Day", recorded in 1944 withSammy Price, Decca's houseboogie woogie pianist, showcased her virtuosity as a guitarist and her witty lyrics and delivery. It was the first gospel song to appear on theBillboard magazineHarlem Hit Parade. This 1944 record has been called thefirst rock and roll record.[14] Tharpe toured throughout the 1940s, backed by various gospel quartets, includingthe Dixie Hummingbirds.
In 1946, Tharpe sawMarie Knight perform at aMahalia Jackson concert in New York City. 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] According to Tharpe's biographerGayle Wald, she and Knight also became lovers.[27]
Starting in 1949, their popularity took a sudden downturn and their relationship started to fade.[27] 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.[28] 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 theAltria Theater. Supporting her for that concert were the Twilight Singers, whom Rosetta adopted as her background singers for future concerts, renaming them the Rosettes.[29]
Tharpe attracted 25,000 paying customers to her wedding to her manager, Russell Morrison (her third marriage), followed by a vocal performance atGriffith Stadium inWashington, DC, in 1951. In 1952, Tharpe andRed Foley recorded the B-side "Have a Little Talk with Jesus", which is likely the first interracial duet recorded in the US.[30] Only in 1968 didBilly Vera andJudy Clay have a hit as an interracial duet, "Storybook Children".[30]
In 1956, Tharpe recorded an album with the gospel quartetthe Harmonizing Four, titledGospel Train. In 1957, Tharpe was booked for a month-long tour of the UK by British trombonistChris Barber.
In April and May 1964, Tharpe toured Europe as part of the Blues and Gospel Caravan, alongside Muddy Waters andOtis Spann,Ransom Knowling, and Little Willie Smith,Reverend Gary Davis,Cousin Joe,Sonny Terry, andBrownie McGhee. Tharpe was introduced on stage and accompanied on piano by Cousin Joe.[31] Under the auspices ofGeorge Wein, the Caravan was stage-managed byJoe Boyd.[32] A concert, in the rain, was recorded byGranada Television at the disused railway station atWilbraham Road,Manchester, in May 1964. The band performed on one platform, while the audience was seated on the opposite platform.[33]
According to Chris Lee of the University of Salford, the 1964 Manchester show "influenced nearly everyone who saw it" and was as important as theSex Pistols'June and July 1976 show at the city'sLesser Free Trade Hall, which spurred attendeesMorrissey,Mark E. Smith, and the musicians who would becomeJoy Division andBuzzcocks into action.[9]
Tharpe's biographer said in 2018, "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 astroke in 1970, after which one of her legs was amputated as a result of complications fromdiabetes.[34] On October 9, 1973, the eve of a scheduled recording session, she died inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, as a result of another stroke. She was buried atNorthwood Cemetery in Philadelphia.[35][36]
Tharpe's guitar style blended melody-driven urban blues with traditional folk arrangements and incorporated a pulsating swing that was a precursor ofrock and roll.[17][37] ANational Public Radio article commented in 2017, "Rock 'n' roll was bred between the church and the nightclubs in the soul of a queer black woman in the 1940s named Sister Rosetta Tharpe",[38] (although no definitive evidence exists suggesting that she was anything other than heterosexual given her multiple marriages to men). 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.[39] 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 daughterRosanne Cash stated in an interview withLarry 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, includingAretha Franklin,Jerry Lee Lewis,[7] andIsaac Hayes, have identified her singing, guitar playing, and showmanship as an important influence on them. She was held in particularly high esteem by UK blues/jazz singerGeorge Melly.Tina Turner credits Tharpe, along with Mahalia Jackson, as an early musical influence. Such diverse performers asMeat Loaf,Neil Sedaka, andKaren 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").[40]
According to aPBS 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."[41]
In 2018, singerFrank Turner wrote and performed the song "Sister Rosetta" about her influence and how she deserved to be in theRock and Roll Hall of Fame. The single was released on July 3, 2019.[42]
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".[43]
A resurgence of interest in Tharpe's work led to a biography, severalNPR segments, scholarly articles, and honors. A biography titledShout, Sister, Shout! byGayle F. Wald was published in 2007.[44] TheUnited States Postal Service issued a 32-cent commemorative stamp to honor Tharpe on July 15, 1998.[45] In 2007, she was inducted posthumously into theBlues Hall of Fame. 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.[46] A gravestone was put in place later that year,[47] and a Pennsylvaniahistorical marker was approved for placement at her home in theYorktown neighborhood of Philadelphia.[47]
In 2011,BBC Four aired a one-hour documentary,Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The Godmother of Rock and Roll, written and directed by UK filmmaker Mick Csaky. In 2013, the film was shown in the US as part of thePBS seriesAmerican Masters.[48] 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, UK newspaperThe Guardian published a 100th-birthday tribute by Richard Williams.[49]
Between August and October 2016, the musical playMarie and Rosetta, based on the relationship between Tharpe and Marie Knight, was staged by theAtlantic Theater Company in New York City.[50]
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.[51]
In 2017, National Public Radio wrote about the artist's career and concluded with these comments: Tharpe "was a gospel singer at heart who became a celebrity by forging a new path musically... Through her unforgettable voice and gospel swing crossover style, Tharpe influenced a generation of musicians including Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry and countless others... She was, and is, an unmatched artist."[38]
A musical about her life namedShout, Sister, Shout!, based on theGayle Wald biography of the same name, and written in 2017 by playwrightCheryl West, was performed that year at thePasadena Playhouse, two years later atSeattle Repertory Theatre, and in 2023 atFord's Theatre in Washington, DC.[52]
Between May and July 2025, the musical productionMarie and Rosetta about Tharpe and her singing partner Marie Knight, written byGeorge Brant and originally staged by the Atlantic Theater Company at the Linda Gross Theater between August and October 2016,[50] was staged at theRose Theatre inKingston upon Thames[53] and theMinerva Theatre inChichester,[54] withBeverley Knight portraying Tharpe.
Rolling Stone named Tharpe the sixth-greatest guitarist of all time in 2023.[55]
In March 2025,Lizzo was announced as set to portray Sister Rosetta in the upcoming biopic byAmazon MGM Studios.[56]
In September 2025, Tharpe was selected for induction into theNational Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.[57]
Rosetta Tharpe's legacy continues to be actively preserved by her great-niece, TeAnna Atkins', an educator, writer, and historian. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Atkins has developed educational curricula, media projects, and public programs to honor Tharpe's groundbreaking contributions to gospel and rock and roll music. She manages the official family platforms, includingsisterrosettafamily.com, and collaborates with cultural institutions, theaters, and museums to promote Tharpe's influence on music history. Through her work, Atkins amplifies Tharpe's role as a pioneering artist and ensures that her contributions remain recognized across generations.[58]
Her complete works up to 1961 were issued as seven double-CD box sets by the French label Frémeaux & Associés.[59]
| 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 |
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.
