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The Godmother of Rock ’n’ Roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a rocker before they even existed. Pioneer of the electric guitar, in her view, playing it better than any man could, she blended gospel, blues, and R&B in new ways. The first gospel superstar, and the first crossover artist to rock up gospel music, her influence on future generations of musicians, would shape popular music. Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Eric Clapton, and Johnny Cash have all acknowledged the debt they owe to this highly unique performer. She was in a relationship with singer Marie Knight in the 1940s, an open secret in the music business, and has in later years become an icon among the global LGTBQ+ community. Her 1964 performance at a disused railway station in the north of England recorded by Granada Television was seen by future rockers, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Mick Jagger, and Jeff Beck, all of whom have acknowledged that the broadcast proved pivotal in the formation of their own bands. This carefully curated collection brings together Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s hits for the discerning listener keen to discover the true roots of rock ’n’ roll music.
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