Shout Sister Shout : The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe • book

Shout Sister Shout : The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe • Book by Gayle F. Wald

The extraordinary story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the gospel singer and electrifying guitarist whose music helped lay the foundations of rock ’n’ roll. In Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, author Gayle F. Wald restores a pioneering performer to her rightful place in music history, exploring the life of a woman whose exuberant singing, dazzling guitar playing and fearless musical vision crossed boundaries between gospel, blues, rhythm and blues and popular music.

Drawing on the memories of more than 150 people who knew or worked with Tharpe, alongside newspaper reports, archives and memorabilia, Wald traces a remarkable career that challenged musical and social conventions. Tharpe influenced generations of performers, including Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry. Her pioneering electric guitar work and fusion of sacred gospel with secular musical styles helped shape the sound of modern popular music, while her story also exposes how easily influential women can be written out of music history.

This 272-page paperback edition is essential reading for fans of early rock ’n’ roll, gospel, blues and rhythm and blues, as well as anyone interested in the roots of modern music. Thoroughly researched and built around the testimony of those who knew her, Shout, Sister, Shout! celebrates a groundbreaking artist whose influence deserves to be heard loud and clear. A vital addition to any music lover’s bookshelf.