Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a legend. She was born March 20th, 1915. At age 3, her mother would place her on a piano in front of 100s of people and she would sing the gospel. She took up guitar at an early age and ended up being the inspiration for Chuck Berry, Elvis and a host of others who would crowd into rooms swelling with dancing youth to catch a glimpse of her electrifying performances. She is credited with inventing the tour bus as she was traveling so much and in segregated towns it just made sense to have her own space. She traveled the world and broke so many barriers and I feel it is important to know about her gifts and contribution to music. Her sound is unmistakably heard in Chuck Berry’s music. To honor her we celebrate her birthday and share her gifts when we can. Didn’t It Rain is one of my personal favorites.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe is credited with being the first to crossover spiritual and secular music. From Wikipedia: 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. Source Wikipedia