SISTER ROSETTA THARPE (1915-1973) was one of gospel music’s first superstars, the first gospel performer to record for a major record label and an early crossover from gospel to secular music.
Tharpe became known as the “original soul sister” of recorded music and has been cited as an influence by Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and Little Richard.
Born Rosetta Nubin in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, on March 20, 1915, Tharpe began performing at age 4, billed as “Little Rosetta Nubin, the singing and guitar playing miracle”. As a child, she could sing and keep on pitch and hold a melody. Her vocal qualities, however, paled beside her abilities on the guitar—she played individual tones, melodies, and riffs instead of just strumming chords. This talent was all the more remarkable because, at the time, few black women played guitar.
Her family moved to Chicago in the late 1920s, where she played blues and jazz in private and performed gospel music in public settings. After several years of working with her mother and on the advice of several Chicago promoters, Nubin moved to New York in the mid-1930s. She married minister Thomas A. Thorpe in 1934. The marriage was short-lived; after their divorce, Rosetta kept the last name, changing the spelling to “Tharpe” for use as her stage name. Later, in the 1940s, Tharpe was married a second time, to promoter Fosh Allen.
In 1938, Tharpe was signed to Decca Records and was successful immediately. Versions of Thomas A. Dorsey’s “This Train” and “Hide Me in Thy Bosom,” released as “Rock Me,” were smash hits featuring Tharpe on guitar and Lucky Millinder’s jazz orchestra as accompaniment. These releases started a trend for Tharpe, who recorded both traditional numbers for her gospel fan base and up-tempo, secular-influenced tunes for her growing white audience.
The popularity of her singles led to Tharpe’s inclusion in John Hammond’s black music extravaganza, “From Spirituals to Swing,” held in Carnegie Hall in New York City on December 23, 1938. After this well-publicized event, Tharpe went on a concert tour throughout the northeast. Tharpe’s popularity was so great that she was only one of two black gospel acts—the other was the Dixie Hummingbirds—to record “V-Discs” for U.S. troops overseas. In the late 1940s, Tharpe returned to more strictly religious songs, recording “Didn’t It Rain” (1947) and “Up Above My Head” (1947) with Marie Knight, a Sanctified shouter with a strong contralto and a more subdued style than Tharpe.
Tharpe continued her success in the religious market. Such was Tharpe’s popularity that on July 3, 1951, 25,000 people paid to see Tharpe’s third marriage to Russell Morrison, her manager, in a ceremony held at Washington DC’s Griffith Stadium.
Tharpe and Marie Knight parted ways after unsuccessfully trying to enter the blues music market. As a result of the foray into the pop music market, Tharpe’s popularity waned; soon her concert dates dropped off, and she lost her recording contract with Decca. Tharpe kept working and had signed with Mercury Records by the late 1950s. She first toured Europe in 1957 and made return trips in the 1960s, making several live recordings while overseas.
Although she never realized her comeback, Tharpe continued to perform. A stroke in 1970 necessitated a leg amputation and caused speech difficulties, but it only slowed her down. Tharpe continued to tour and perform until her death in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 9, 1973, the eve of a scheduled recording session. She was buried in Northwood Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in an unmarked grave. In 2008, a concert was held to raise funds for a marker for her grave and January 11 was declared Sister Rosetta Tharpe Day in Pennsylvania.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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Another UNSUNG legend. Thank you for your contributions.
amazing
Wow, I’ve never heard of her at all. Once again Dakar you’ve managed to enlighten me on a legend.
Her ending was sad but she was never forgotten. I assume they succeeded in raising those funds for the marker and naming a aday after her which is awesome
Nice! Wish I could hear her sing…
Never heard of her, but interesting
I love these history FACTS!!! Keep them coming!!!
I really luxuriate in these African American Spotlight posts. They aren’t only educational, but inspiring and gives you a sense of pride in being AFRICAN american.
Thank you for the Black History Spotlight. May I suggest some articles on the characters in “Cadillac Records” particularly Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf? Their stories intrigued me the most!
***Never heard of her, now I need to go on Youtube to listen to her sang. Good job
***with these Black Spotlights.
***Is it me or does she look like Queen Latifah a little in the left pix…….hmmm
This is amazing I wish I could hear her sing too, I’ll see if she’s on youtube at all. Dakar I think you should look up Nina Mae McKinney, she was the world’s first black actress on talking picture, she was also the first black beauty before Lena Horne an Dorthy Dandrige. But very few even know her name, I didn’t even know her until a report I had to do for finals, very interesting lady..
This is why I love concreteloop! THANK YOU for sharing this.
I found a youtube clip of her – she kills the guitar!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ&mode=related&search=
Foxy a Frohic..I was thinking the same thing. Lil Walters would be an exceptional one to cover. His story was very intriguing to me in the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-HfTIJ7_Xg&feature=related
She was AMAZING!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-HfTIJ7_Xg&feature=related
Wow. I’ve never heard of her before but thats very interesting. Maybe BET should give her some shine during one of their celebration’s of gospel.
i’m a liitle lazy but i heard about Saarjite Baartman and i would like to request that you research and do a post about her. Thanks Angela!
#16: Saarjite Baartman was one of the first BHS I wrote.
I want to express my gratitude for these expressions of love of our culture with these postings. Thank you so much!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-HfTIJ7_Xg
I can tell she was a classy Lady!
Sister Tharpe performing Live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-HfTIJ7_Xg
Thanks So Much Cl! Very interesting. Another legend.
I love, love ,just love these post! I’m always guranateed to learn something new, when I read the BHS. I’m from Pa and I’ve never heard of the Sis Tharpe or the day named after her. Will do more research. THANKS J and CL! Keep up the good work!
Damn shame that she was buried in an unmarked grave. She sound like she was successfull. I wonder how she was paid because she obviously died broke. These entertainers today that we make milionaires ought to be thankful that it’s a new day and age.
I’ve never heard of her and they should tell her story on that show called unsung on tv1.
okay, i have not frequented this site for that long, Thanks!
Thank you for bringing to light this Gospel giant! For further reading on Sister Rosetta Tharpe please read SHOUT! SISTER SHOUT! or Singing in My Soul
Queen Latifah would be a great actress to portray her in a movie!
Thanks J. Dakar, another great read!
Had a college class on U.S. popular music. Heard about Rosetta Tharpe there. Her and Big Mama Thornton. Saw this awesome clip of Big Mama Thornton singing the original “Hound Dog” which Elvis later covered and made popular. Love the posts on Black History.
This is so refreshing and enlightening! Maybe you should do 50% posts of our forefathers/mothers and 50% of the current entertainers! They truly worked hard to get the recognition they got, and probably not all they deserved!! This is what’s up! LOVE IT!!!
This is great, you get a real since of pride the things african americans contributed to society.
very dope history on Ms. Rosetta Nubin but please… truncate this post if you want to get your message across
too long
Now you know she had talent cuz, back then u didnt get a chance if you were talented or gifted…..Now a days…..u know
*weren’t