The Queen of Rock and Roll

by Stephen Furlow
OMA Associate Director for Community Engagement & Partnership

Alright friends,

At this point in our journey, I am sure you are expecting me to use my voice to provide a summary for a particular musical genre, which will include the creation, relation, inspiration, or influence provided by Black artists, performers, and composers in the United States. However, this time, you would only be half-right! I am actually going to leave space for some other voices to present their findings, while providing some captivating visual representation, historically accurate information, and quality satire to explain the story of our next area of Black musical invention; Quick question? Are you ready to Rock & Roll?

Now before Beyoncé attempted to break the internet during this year’s Super Bowl XLVIII by announcing her release of a Country music album, there are a number of examples throughout history where Black women specifically are responsible for priming our ears to never before heard sounds; which we somehow now perceive as historically white male dominated areas of music. Our artist today, dubbed “The Queen of Rock and Roll” by many and the “Godmother of Rock and Roll” by some, is named Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Born in 1915 and passing away in 1973, Sister Tharpe’s time with us left behind an undeniable legacy, with her guitar skills and ability to improvise lyrically gave her an edge, and left a lasting impression on music that still resonates with audiences today. For more in depth information regarding her story from start to finish, consider reading the book Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, by Gayle Wald. There is also a ton of biographical information online for you to choose from, should you want more of a shallow swim.

We present two video options today. One video is by filmmaker and documentarian Mick Csaky. His original PBS and British Broadcasting Corporation one-hour documentary aired in 2011; and is titled, The Godmother of Rock & Roll. The purpose of the documentary was to pay homage Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and to recognize her overlooked contribution to American music and culture. The other option is presented by the ever-popular television show “Drunk History”. A show that challenges comedians to learn about the life of pioneers in history and then retell those stories while enjoying a spirited beverage. Though we do not condone inebriation or vulgarity, we do condone education and a good laugh with a talented comedian who is equally as excited to tell us a story, as we are to listen.

Please enjoy this week's conversation and Rock On! Thank you for reading!

Warning- because the Drunk History retelling contains strong language that some may find offensive, we will not be sharing the link with you via our media pages. We as OMA will only share the link to the PBS documentary - reposted by Claudia Assef in 2018.

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