Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Shredding for the Lord
€6.40
DOWNLOADABLE E-BOOK
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Sister Rosetta Tharpe didn’t just sing gospel – she set it on fire. With a Gibson guitar slung over her shoulder and a voice that could swing from church-shaking joy to sly, soul-deep swagger, she built the bridge between sacred music and rock and roll – and danced across it in high heels.
This lively, genre-bending biography traces the full arc of Tharpe’s extraordinary life, from her early days as a child prodigy on the Pentecostal revival circuit to her reign as one of the most dazzling, daring performers of the 20th century. Written in a vivid, witty, and irreverent tone befitting its subject, the book celebrates a woman who refused to stay in her lane, broke all the rules with grace and grit, and made sure the Lord’s praises came with a backbeat.
You’ll meet Rosetta the preacher’s daughter and Rosetta the showbiz hurricane. Rosetta the gospel star who played nightclubs. Rosetta the queer pioneer whose duets with Marie Knight sizzled with harmony and subtext. Rosetta the electric guitar virtuoso who inspired Elvis, Little Richard, and Johnny Cash – long before any of them had record deals or rhinestones. While history has often buried her under footnotes and omissions, this book brings her center stage, right where she belongs.
Along the way, you’ll ride shotgun on tours through war zones and dance halls, revisit her stadium wedding that doubled as a gospel blowout, and feel the thrill of her comeback in Europe, where British teens watched her play in a rain-soaked train station and walked away ready to start rock bands. Through it all, she never stopped testifying – with strings, with sass, and with a sound that refused to be boxed in.
Complete with a curated discography, a timeline of her life, selected lyrics, and reflections on her technique, gear, and legacy, this is a gospel you won’t hear in Sunday school. It’s a joyful noise full of feedback, foot-stomps, and fabulousness. For fans of music history, cultural rebels, and anyone who loves a good guitar riff with their resurrection, this is Sister Rosetta Tharpe – loud, proud, and finally getting the encore she deserves.