Sister Rosetta Tharpe

FIRST commercially successful gospel singer
Born Rosetta Nubin, she was a musical prodigy, who was playing guitar and singing on stage by age four
Her mother was a musician and preacher, and at six years old Tharpe was traveling and performing with her mother's group
In 1938, Tharpe got a record deal with Decca Records and released an album of gospel songs that was an instant success
Blended elements of blues, jazz, gospel, and folk music to develop her own unique style that defied categorization
Some protested her music, declaring it profane to perform gospel music outside of church -- others were shocked to see a woman playing guitar
Over her career, Tharpe performed at Carnegie Hall, and worked with some of the best musicians of the day, including blues legend Muddy Waters, Cab Calloway, and Benny Goodman
One of the earliest adopters of electric guitar, she is often credited as the true creator of rock and roll

Bibliography: Doyle, Caitlin. Girls Can Do Anything: From Sports to Innovation, Art to Politics, Meet Over 200 Women Who Got There First. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2016. Print.

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