Sister Rosetta Tharpe: The True Pioneer of Gospel Rock

Bearing witness, breaking the code

Hello friends, it’s been two weeks and it’s time for a new episode of MUSIC & MEANING. This time out, we give props and respect to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a groundbreaking musician and Jesus follower who merged gospel and rock music. In a time when the deck was stacked against her, Sister Rosetta Tharpe stood tall and delivered gospel performances that could turn a skeptic into a believer. Her profound legacy was finally acknowledged with a 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

Sister Rosetta's role as an architect of rock guitar and the true pioneer of gospel rock is unassailable. Bearing witness is producer/songwriter Tommy Sims (Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton) offering his take on Tharpe's influence. And if that's not enough, we're taking a musical pilgrimage to a Nashville recording studio. Here, we'll meet session guitarist, Jerry McPherson, who will break the code on Sister Rosetta's iconic guitar sound.

Tune in, turn up, and let's get schooled in the art of gospel rock by the source, Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Nashvillians! There are still some seats left for the Nashville book launch of Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much at Parnassus Books, March 12, 2024. Event ticket price comes with a signed book. Hope to see you there.

For those of you who like to pre-order, please do so here.

For those folks who really like perks and extras of the Christian-centric variety, publisher ThomasNelson has put together some for you. They give you a list of their pre-order partners, you give your email addy and show proof of purchase, and you get free stuff! Check it out HERE.