Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Two things bother me about musicians from the 20's, 30's and 40's:

1. I don't know that much about them.
2. Not many other people do either.

I just discovered Sister Rosetta Tharpe via Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour*. I'd never heard of her before, but her influence is pervasive. Sister Rosetta (1915-1973) was possibly the first true crossover artist, moving from gospel to jazz, but also wielding a powerful influence in rock n' roll circles. Such names as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Isaac Hayes and others have called Tharpe an important figure in their musical development. Rosanne Cash once stated that Tharpe was her father Johnny Cash's favorite singer.

Tharpe was born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, but moved with her mother to Chicago in 1921. Rosetta learned how to play blues and jazz on her guitar, an instrument she normally played to accompany her evangelist mother. By 1938, Tharpe had recorded several songs for the Decca label and was soon playing The Cotton Club with Cab Calloway and Benny Goodman. Her gospel fans cried foul, upset that Rosetta had dragged the church into "dens of iniquity," but the club-goers loved her.

For the next several years, Tharpe couldn't be stopped. She recorded a whole slew of songs (several she wrote herself) and was one of only two gospel singers whose discs were shipped overseas to troops during WWII.

During the 1950's, Tharpe settled firmly back into gospel music, but couldn't hold onto the popularity she'd enjoyed with the clubs in the 30's and 40's. Europe was kinder to Rosetta, offering her solid audiences for several tours in the 50's and 60's. In 1970, while touring Europe with Muddy Waters, Rosetta took ill and later suffered a stroke. Even with distorted speech and an amputated leg, Rosetta planned to enter the studio on May 8, 1973 to record a new album. She never finished it. The next day, another stroke put her into a coma from which she never awakened.

The 4-disc boxed set Sister Rosetta Tharpe – The Original Soul Sister from Proper Records (UK) contains 81 tunes that are nothing short of astounding. Tharpe's blues influences are evident in both her guitar playing and her powerful, yet pleasant voice. Don't let the "gospel" label prevent you from experiencing this outstanding artist. This is music that shouldn't be forgotten from an artist who is timeless.

Several of the Proper Label recordings are available here at very reasonable prices. I'm thinking my next purchase may have to be Doughboys, Playboys & Cowboys: The Golden Years of Western Swing.


* Here are some of the other acts I've heard on Theme Time that I plan to investigate:

Warren Storm (The Godfather of Swamp-Pop Music)
Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell
The Swan Silvertones
Roy Brown
Sonny Boy Williamson
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown