The Roots’ Questlove On Why Sister Rosetta Tharpe Is In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

The original soul sister and “the Godmother of rock and roll”, Sister Rosetta Tharpe influenced early rock-and-roll musicians, including Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewi Without her, there’s no them as we know it. Her guitar playing technique had a profound influence on the development of British blues in the 1960s. A European tour with Muddy Waters in 1963 with a stop in Manchester is an important mark in the beginnings of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Keith Richards. This week, Tharpe was chosen for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influencema dlet Questlove take it from here, teaching us all of her unwavering influence.

Dude! The Good news just keeps coming AND coming!!!! I’ve been on the nominating committee of the RRHOF for a min and when I tell you I sat there looking at our options this year (we suggest the names—which I will say if it’s just us? It’s progressive….it’s when the voting body has a say that suddenly I get angered responses)—-man I cannot believe a DOUBLE MIRACLE occurred. I said with my own mouth this year “guys I wish I had faith in the voting committee but you know and I know they ain’t letting #NinaSimone & #SisterRosettaTharpe (look her up, the cousin #MarvinBerry in #BackToTheFuture was actually 20 years late in telling his cousin Chuck about that “new distorted guitar sound” in which she not only SHE pioneered but her shredding levels was WAY WAY WAY WAY advanced for the time period) Dude to see ONE of my chosen Hail Marys get in was awesome. But 2!!?? (And before y’all start I also been advocating and arguing for #JanetJackson #RufusAndChakaKhan #LLCoolJ #DeLaSoul #TheMeters #TheSpinners #TheMarvelettes #ATribeCalledQuest #LinkRay #Chic & a gazillion others as well) congrats to all the inductees including long time coming #BonJovi #MoodyBlues #TheCars #DireStraits—-all these names have been debated and argued #12AngryMen style for SO LONG I’m super excited now that fresh names will have to come down the pike. Maybe #TheZombies? Maybe #TheCommodores? Perhaps #ToddRundgren? #SonicYouth? #EricBAndRakim? #CaroleKing? #Sting? #WhitneyHouston? #WuTangClan? #OrnetteColeman!? #BadBrains?—-wow never expected this miracle @ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

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