Sister Rosetta Tharpe began recording on the electric guitar in 1941, for her first Decca sides with Lucky Millinder's band. She was one of the first true fusion artists, combining multiple styles of music in her delivery.
At this point in time, hundreds of thousands of black Americans were on the move, leaving the farms of the South and Southwest for better-paying manufacturing jobs up North and out West, where blacks' lives weren't at the same level of risk.
Since the late 1930s, war was raging in Europe and Asia with the rise of fascism. By 1941, America's involvement was less about if the country would mobilize and more about when that would take place. Despite the country's isolationists, the government had already begun plans to repurpose factories as makers of tanks, planes, guns, ammunition, uniforms and supplies.
As blacks took jobs in plants involved in defense production and related businesses, they represented a new audience for swing, blues, gospel. After the war, many of these styles were merged into hybrids of swing, blues and gospel that became known in 1949 as R&B. Tharpe was on the cutting edge, especially as an electric guitar pioneer. She would deeply influence the rise of Chicago's electric blues and rock 'n' roll.
Here's a documentary on Tharpe and what made her special. Tomorrow, I will have a review of a new Tharpe release...
At this point in time, hundreds of thousands of black Americans were on the move, leaving the farms of the South and Southwest for better-paying manufacturing jobs up North and out West, where blacks' lives weren't at the same level of risk.
Since the late 1930s, war was raging in Europe and Asia with the rise of fascism. By 1941, America's involvement was less about if the country would mobilize and more about when that would take place. Despite the country's isolationists, the government had already begun plans to repurpose factories as makers of tanks, planes, guns, ammunition, uniforms and supplies.
As blacks took jobs in plants involved in defense production and related businesses, they represented a new audience for swing, blues, gospel. After the war, many of these styles were merged into hybrids of swing, blues and gospel that became known in 1949 as R&B. Tharpe was on the cutting edge, especially as an electric guitar pioneer. She would deeply influence the rise of Chicago's electric blues and rock 'n' roll.
Here's a documentary on Tharpe and what made her special. Tomorrow, I will have a review of a new Tharpe release...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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