Red Dirt Farm and Studio

For feel good Friday.

You may not be familiar with her, yet she influenced some of our greatest musicians.

Born to cotton picking parents in Cotton Plant, Arkansas in 1915, she was considered a musical prodigy by age 4.  Yet she struggled most of her life to find acceptance for her rhythmic gospel style.  Many found her behavior and style of music to be outlandish and distasteful.

Recorded in Manchester England, 1964 – here is Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Didn’t it Rain.

*Sister Rosetta Tharpe (March 20, 1915 – October 9, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist. A pioneer of 20th-century music, Tharpe attained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings that were a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and rhythmic/early rock accompaniment. She became gospel music’s first crossover artist and its first great recording star, referred to later as “the original soul sister” and “the godmother of rock and roll”.^{[1][3][4]e[5][6]} She was an early influence on figures such as Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.^[5][7][8]

Doesn’t this make your toes tap and your hands clap!

Happy Friday.

xo kim

*source Wikipedia