Post by VETAHEAD

Sister Rosetta Tharpe (March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist. She was the first great recording star of gospel music and among the first gospel musicians to appeal to R&B and rock-and-roll audiences. She was a pioneer in her guitar technique and was among the first popular recording artists to use heavy distortion on her electric guitar, presaging the rise of electric blues, having influenced early rock-and-roll musicians such as Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. Tharpe pushed spiritual music into the mainstream and helped pioneer the rise of pop-gospel. Her 1945 hit "Strange Things Happening Every Day", cited as a precursor of rock-and-roll, was the first gospel record to cross over, hitting no. 2 on the Billboard "race records" chart, the term then used for what later became the R&B chart. On 2017, she was chosen for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence. Every month we'll highlight an influential female historical figure. We do this hoping to bring light to all the contributions women have done throughout the years. VETAHEAD is, proudly, a female founded and operated company. #TheFutureIsFemale Photo: Pictorial Press