Trailblazers
December 2025
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Before Elvis became King of Rock and Roll, the genre had a “Godmother.” Sister Rosetta Tharpe made her mark in rock ‘n’ roll as a talented vocalist and guitarist. We celebrate this artist whose bold choices laid the foundation for a universal genre that’s taken many twists and turns throughout the decades. |
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973)
Photo: Encyclopedia Britannica “Oh, these kids and rock and roll — this is just sped up rhythm and blues. I've been doing that forever.” ~ Sister Rosetta Tharpe |
Sister Rosetta Tharpe was born Rosie Etta Atkins in 1915 in Cotton Plant, Arkansas. Dubbed the “Godmother of Rock and Roll,” she began her musical pursuits in the church and experimented with various genres including rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She was exceedingly skilled at playing the electric guitar, asserting her mastery as a woman guitarist and paving the way for others.
At the age of six, Sister Rosetta and her mother moved to the South Side of Chicago. As a mother-daughter duo, they began to tour with an evangelist troupe that performed throughout various locations in the South. Over the years, her talent developed in her favorite genres: gospel, jazz, and blues. At age 19, she married a preacher named Thomas Tharpe. Though her marriage to Thomas would not last, her time in church with him was where she donned her namesake: Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The pair performed radio shows where Thomas preached and Sister Rosetta performed, which only increased the guitarist’s popularity. The couple divorced in 1938. Her second marriage was to promoter Foch P. Allen in the early 1940s. This marriage also dissolved. But her newfound fame brought opportunities to perform at the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater in New York City. Around this time, she began to produce her first recorded performances. Though many of her songs still maintained gospel undertones, Sister Rosetta began to face overt backlash from religious groups regarding her music. Her critics also scrutinized her frequenting of nightclubs and performances that featured scantily clad background dancers. Many also called Tharpe’s masterful guitar playing into question, implying that she had strayed too far from traditional gender roles. In the 1940s, Jim Crow Laws were in place, which mandated that white and "colored" communities remain segregated. Even though she performed along white artists (such as the Jordanaires), she was required to sleep on buses and eat her meals outside of restaurants. Eventually, Sister Rosetta purchased her own tour bus to combat segregation. Though a lack of acceptance from the community that raised her was emotionally challenging, her audiences loved her music. She rose to the very top and became a national sensation. In 1951, Sister Rosetta found companionship with her manager, Russell Morrison. Her third and final wedding to Russell (that also doubled as a concert) attracted 25,000 fans. She recorded various albums with other musicians and toured across the U.S. and Europe. Her discography grew during this time, notably Precious Memories and Singing in My Soul (both produced in 1968). The latter of the two was nominated for an Emmy for Best Soul Gospel Performance. Sister Rosetta passed away in 1973. |
Some interesting facts...
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Sister Rosetta Performs her World Famous Song, "This Train"
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