31. The Gaymother of Rock n' Roll, O.G. Electric Lady: Sister Rosetta Tharpe
/Holy crap, y’all! It’s already AUGUST. Somehow this year has simultaneously lasted forever and also gone by way too quickly. We’re back in your podcatchers today with a new episode, this time introducing you all to the Godmother (or Gaymother) of Rock n’ Roll, the original stadium rockstar, and badass Black woman guitar virtuoso, Sister Rosetta Tharpe! Think Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry invented rock n’ roll? Think again! Sister Rosetta was shredding on guitar way before them, and it’s time she gets the credit she is due. She broke boundaries wherever she went, straddling the line between worldly and chaste, secular and gospel, and loved both men and women.
But first, let me introduce to you our friend and fantastic guest host for this episode, Aubree Calvin!
You can also find more from Aubree online below:
Aubree Writes on Facebook
@BreeinTX on Twitter
Aubree, or Bree to her friends and enemies alike, is a black, queer trans woman on the edge of turning 40. A southerner for most of her life, Aubree has family roots across the south. She loves studying politics, history, and learning about all aspects of queer culture. Aubree started her podcast, Southern Queeries, because she’s tired of society ignoring the south's diverse communities. Professionally, Aubree is a community college government professor and part time writer. When not talking, teaching, or writing, Aubree’s spending her free time with her wonderful wife and daughter.
Aubree and Leigh met through the Friends of Nancy facebook group (RIP Nancy Podcast), and we’re excited to have her join us for this episode and more!
You can hear more from Aubree on her brand new podcast with co-host India Bastien, Southern Queeries, all about LGBTQ life in the south! The first episodes just dropped, and are fantastic!
A Closer Look at Sister Rosetta Tharpe
publicity photo of Sister Rosetta in 1938 shortly after she had been signed to decca records, photo by james j. kriegsmann
Rosetta and marie, photographed together as a duo
Rosetta and Marie Knight signing autographs in st. louis after a show, 1947.
You could (and still can) actually purchase a record of the entire wedding ceremony/concert!
Please be delighted with us to listen to a portion of the wedding ceremony, where you can hear the absolute showmanship and pageantry! The preacher even continually pokes fun at the idea of Rosetta “obeying” Russell!
A selection of Rosetta’s music and performances:
Finally, in 2018, Rosetta was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. This video has some fantastic footage and info! Check it out:
If you want to learn more about Sister Rosetta Tharpe, check out our full list of sources and further reading below!
Film:
The Godmother of Rock & Roll: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, by Mick Csaky, 2014. You can watch it in entirety below on Vimeo:
Online Articles:
“The Most Elaborate Wedding Ever Staged: Sister Rosetta Tharpe at Griffith Stadium”
Marie Knight Dies at 84: gospel vocalist sang with Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Books and Print Articles:
Shout, Sister, Shout!: the Untold Story of Rock and Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe by Gayle Wald
Singing in my soul black gospel music in a secular age, Jackson, Jerma A. author, 2004 “Chapter 4: With Her Spirituals in Swing Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Gospel, and Popular Culture
The Fan Who Knew To Much: Aretha Franklin, The Rise of the Soap Opera, Children of the Gospel Church and Other Meditations by Anthony Heilbut
Pentecostals in America “Chapter 3:Gender, Sexualities, and Pentecostalism” Arlene Sanchez Walsh 2018
Rocking the Closet: How Little Richard, Johnnie Ray, Liberace, and Johnny Mathis Queered Pop Music . Vincent L. Stephens Series: New Perspectives on Gender in Music Copyright Date: 2019 Published by: University of Illinois Press
“From Spirituals to Swing: Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Gospel Crossover” by Gayle Wald in American Quarterly vol 55
