Sister, you been on my mind

I have been remiss.

I suck.

I really REALLY suck.

You see, I have failed to bring to your attention one woman I know is more important to the world of guitar than any other.

Neophytes  pay heed:  I am not talking about Orianthi (although I need to see her live, she is quite impressive), or Joan Jett, or Lita Ford, or Nancy Wilson, Samantha Fish, or Ana Popovic or....

Nope.  I'm talking about the true Godmother of Rock 'n Roll.  I'm talking about Sister Rosetta Tharpe. 

She was a monster...born in 1915 she was ahead of her time and there has never been anyone like her since.   She was raised in the church, sang and played guitar there from the delicate age of 4 and by the ripe old age of 6, she was already "on tour" with her mom as a traveling evangelist.   She was considered a prodigy. She certainly was en enigma.  A young black woman playing guitar was not a sight often seen in a church, much less elsewhere.  Hell, no young white woman was playing guitar like that at the time, and it would be decades before they really did.

But this is not a biography, so let's fast forward through her short-lived marriage(s), by the time she was 23, she recorded her first record, and the music world will never be the same.  Chuck Berry, Elvis, even Johnny Cash said she influenced them. It is so easy to hear why.  Our only view of her is from old videos that have surfaced on YouTube over the years.
She had swag before swag was born. Pure attitude and sass, she absolutely owned the stage.  Confidently making sounds with the guitar rarely heard at that time (in the 20's , 30's & 40's) much less from a woman. (GASP!)

Didn't It Rain
That's All 

Her confidence on stage was something to behold, her command of the guitar was more than impressive.  The audience totally engaged.  Even watching the old video her style was completely enthralling.  It was a mixture of gospel, blues and on the edge of early rock.  By the late 50's and early 60's she had already reached a cult status.  Evident in every video I could get my hands on.  The crowds loved her, appreciated her, and you know every young woman wanted to be her - because she was beyond cool...she picked up a guitar and the synergy was palpable.  The audience leaned us, drawn to the woman that demanded attention because anything else meant you had no pulse.

Watching her made me want to play.  She was so damn good, effortless. Her playing, singing and performance had eyes riveted to the screen.  Kinetic.  She was kinetic.  This ball of energy that lit up the room with sound and passion.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe .  I watched her play, then pulled up some video of Jimi Hendrix and knew I found someone else she had inspired.

So, tonight, before you decided to turn off the electronics, delve into the music tunnel, ride the Tube, hit the links and climb into the magical world of one bad ass woman on guitar.

This is one Sister we all wish we had a chance to know.

1915-1973