Sister Rosetta Tharpe

The godmother of rock 'n' roll who pioneered electric guitar techniques in 1930s gospel music

Long before Chuck Berry or Elvis, Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973) fused sacred gospel with blistering electric guitar riffs, creating the blueprint for rock music. Her 1938 recording "Rock Me" featured distorted power chords and stage theatrics that directly influenced Little Richard, Johnny Cash, and Keith Richards.

As a Black woman in Jim Crow America, Tharpe broke multiple barriers: First gospel artist signed to Decca Records (1938), first to use heavy reverb (1944's "Strange Things Happening Every Day"), and her 1964 Manchester concert demonstrated rock guitar techniques years before Hendrix. Her signature Gibson SG playing combined Delta blues slides with sanctified vocal melismas.

Despite criticism from religious circles, Tharpe's crossover success (Billboard charted 17 times) proved spiritual and secular music could coexist. Her 1945 wedding concert drew 25,000+ at Griffith Stadium, presaging stadium rock shows. Musicologists now credit her as central to rock's DNA - inducted posthumously into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2018, with her guitar style echoing in modern artists from Jeff Beck to Brittany Howard.