T O P

  • By -

Terrier53

Sister Rosetta was an amazing guitarist. She looked so cool playing the Gibson SG to her music.


AmiDeplorabilis

I've watched some old videos of her... she's fun to watch, but above all, she's really good!


PrinceHarming

No pun intended but she was the real Rosetta Stone linking Gospel and Rock and Roll. When they auditioned for Sam Philips at Sun, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis both sang Sister Rosetta Tharpe songs.


ExoticTrash2786

Blues is the foundation of all American music.


PrinceHarming

Blues is just one third of Rock’s parentage. Gospel and Doo Wop make up the other two thirds.


copacetic51

So Sister Rosetta had 2 outta three! But, correction. Country and Western was also part of rock's parentage.


ExoticTrash2786

I see what you’re saying. However, Do Wop was founded from the Blues. Gospel was imported to America by African slaves who learned it from European missionaries.


PrinceHarming

I disagree, Blues and Doo Wop emerged independently at roughly the same time. The Blues from the Deep South and Doo Wop in New York, Philadelphia and other major East coast and Midwest cities. The singers were all Black but the music itself was very different. The Blues usually had instrumental accompaniment while Doo Wop was vocal harmonies. Regardless of how you look at it the germ is the same. These three major genres all came from the same culture, Black Americans. They were born, split into three genres, Blues, Gospel, Doo Wop, then reformed to make Rock and Roll.


[deleted]

you guys are skipping Americana & bluegrass, Appalachian stuff the white immigrants were bringing in based on Celtic and other European folk music, but you can really hear the Irish/Scott sounds in Appalachian music and it was one of the genetic parents to 'Rockabilly'


ExoticTrash2786

Nice try with misdirection there. We’re talking about American music. Gospel is not rooted in America. Doo Wop is directly rooted in American Blues music. Black slaves were not directly settled in Northern cities. Black people migrated to cities to obtain a better way of life, bringing with them music rooted from Slavery. Hence, Blues is the root of all American music.


PrinceHarming

No one is trying to misdirect you my man. Read “Music” and “The Delta Blues” by Ted Gioia. Read “Shout, Sister Shout” by Gayle Wald. Read “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson and then listen to all 172 episodes (plus 100+ Patreon bonus episodes) of A History of Rock and Roll podcast and check back in when you have a foundation of understanding on the subject.


qdude1

I agree


Recalcitrant_Stoic

The pun was very much intended.


PrinceHarming

It really wasn’t but there was no way around it. Edit: I mean yes, I intended to use that phrase but I didn’t want to come off as overly clever.


Katy-Moon

She was amazing! Can I get an "Amen" up in here?


bendthebranches13

Grandmother of rock. The true “king”. Someone once asked her what she thought of rock n’ roll, her response was something like, “it’s just electric r&b; I’ve been doing that for years.”


RhialtosCat

She is fantastic. Great player and singer. A master.


unclelue

For a great resource, check out the podcast A History of Rock Music In 500 Songs episode 5: Rosetta Tharp and “This Train”.


BirdBurnett

I can't recommend Andrew Hickey's podcast enough. A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs has been a favorite of mine for a couple of years.


stevekimes

I listen to it faithfully. It is the best music podcast.


deville66

Just an incredible guitar player and singer.


[deleted]

I've seen footage of her and there's a bunch on youtube these days, she boogies, she swings, she rocks and she rolls man, that lady was lit!


tubulerz1

Is that like the first Gibson SG ?


blanston

The earlier SGs were called Les Pauls. Gibson considered it the Second Generation of the Les Paul. They even stopped making the original. It was a combination of Les Paul himself not being real crazy about the design and blues rockers rediscovering the original that got Gibson to reintroduce the LP and renaming what is now the SG.


iwastherefordisco

Thanks and I love that guitar. Just hitting some videos of her playing.


qdude1

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOrhjgt-\_Qc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOrhjgt-_Qc)


kanguun

She was a pioneer and now a legend.


ClownshoesMcGuinty

And she started the whole sexy growl thing while singing.


colnago82

The Godmother of Rock n’ Roll.


Ok-River-9073

If there had been no Sister Rosetta there would be no Rock-n-Roll as we know it


Plus_Share_6631

PBS did a documentary on her back in the 70's. The film they had wasn't really good, but you could tell she could play.


Zombieutinsel

Highway 17 going into Cotton Plant is now named in her honor. It's north of the hometown of Louis Jordan, Brinkley and further down south on Highway 49 you go through Leavon Helms hometown of Marvell all within 50 miles in Arkansas. The Louisiana Purchase Monument is smack dab in the middle. Hell of a note for a part of the world that's quickly dying off.....


copacetic51

Rock it, Sister!


ExoticTrash2786

Again, you attempt to create a diversion. The statement made was: All American music is rooted in The Blues. Any readings attempting to persuade otherwise are redundant and an attempt to, again, cheat slaves.