Behind Blue Eyes

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

A friend of mine told me to look up Sister Rosetta Tharpe on YouTube and I would be pleasantly impressed. That was an understatement.

Here is just one of the videos of her songs. You have to watch the whole video to see this women really work that double cutaway Les Paul Custom guitar. [I stand corrected, she is playing a Gibson SG in this clip. They don't even look remotely alike. D'oh!]  The best part is that she can transition effortlessly from rocking Gospel to a face-melting* guitar solo and back without a missing a beat.

Popular in the '30s and '40s she surely had an impact on both Gospel and the influences that became Rock and Roll. Apparently her popularity began to fade when she would not choose one or the other.

Regardless, iTunes has 8 albums with Sister Rosetta.

I love both aspects of these songs. She has a sweet way of delivering the Gospel part that makes the songs such an easy listen. But, the ever-present electric guitar adds an element that satisfies the '60s kid in me. Wonderful.

Now I add a new book to my reading list. I guess my friend was not the only person know about the Sister Rosetta Tharpe story. (Looks like a standard Les Paul on the book cover.)

A agree with the title of the book - Shout, Sister, Shout. I would like to add, Swing That Axe!

It is sad that popular music audiences cannot seem to grasp an artist that is planted firmly in two genres. I always figured that once The Byrds released Sweetheart of the Rodeo , they knew they were doomed. They managed to offend two audiences at once.

* A technical guitar term used by Dewey Finn in the movie "School of Rock"