Recognised as the originator of pop gospel and a populariser of the electric guitar, Sister Rosetta Tharpe began performing songs at the age of six for her local church. Back then, she was known as Little Rosetta Nubin, and was already considered a musical prodigy.
Recognised as the originator of pop gospel and a populariser of the electric guitar, Sister Rosetta Tharpe began performing songs at the age of six for her local church. Back then, she was known as Little Rosetta Nubin, and was already considered a musical prodigy.
At 23, Tharpe made her first record: four sides for Decca Records backed by Lucky Millinder’s Jazz Orchestra. They were instant hits, establishing Tharpe as an overnight sensation. Soon, she was playing to crowds with Cab Calloway at Harlem's Cotton Club and Carnegie Hall.
Tharpe’s career spanned decades, inspiring greats like Dylan and Presley, and she continued to tour until her death in 1973. In 2018, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category.
