A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Episode 5: Rosetta Tharpe and “This Train”

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Nov 5, 2018
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INSIGHT

Rock and Roll's Dominance by Men

  • Rock and roll's history is dominated by men, pushing out women and minorities.
  • This trend continues with richer white men dominating poorer ones, making the genre conservative.
ANECDOTE

Sister Rosetta Tharpe at Spirituals to Swing

  • Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a bisexual Black woman, pioneered rock and roll guitar but was portrayed as less sophisticated.
  • John Hammond's 'Spirituals to Swing' concerts presented her religious music as less advanced than big band music.
INSIGHT

The Rise of Gospel Music

  • Black gospel music developed alongside big band music, contrary to the narrative of linear evolution.
  • Thomas A. Dorsey revolutionized gospel music, blending Christian hymns with blues and jazz influences.
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