Shout, Sister, Shout! The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe

In this first-ever biography of "Sister" Rosetta Tharpe, Gayle Wald explores the nuances, contradictions and musical genius of a woman who defied the stereotypes of her day and laid the groundwork for generations of musicians to come. Long before "women in rock" became a media catchphrase, this African American guitar virtuoso proved in spectacular fashion that women could rock. Raised in the Pentecostal church, Tharpe came from the gospel tradition, but produced music that crossed boundaries, defied classification and disregarded the social and cultural etiquette of her age and place. She became one of the most celebrated singer-guitarists of her generation and a lasting influence on popular musicians from Elvis Presley to Little Richard. This is especially notable considering the sexual and racial stereotyping that African American women musicians faced during that period, and the historical (and perhaps contemporary) notion that women are not guitar greats. Known for her flamboyance and diva persona, Tharpe even staged her own wedding as a gospel concert-in a stadium that held 20,000 people! Wald's book introduces us to a musical heavyweight-charismatic and bold-whose legacy is finally being revived and introduced to a new generation.

Gayle F. Wald is a professor at George Washington University and the author of Crossing the Line. She wrote the liner notes for a critically acclaimed 2003 Rosetta Tharpe tribute album. Wald lives in Washington, D.C.