American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe became popular in the 1930s and 40s with her gospel recordings, spiritual lyricism and electric guitar wizardry. She was one of the first recording stars of gospel music to appeal to wider audiences hence her monikers, ‘original soul sister’ and “The Godmother of Rock and Roll.”
In 1946 Rosetta teamed up with gospel singer Marie Knight to develop a musical act and tour as a duo. Knight became a partner both in performance terms and in life. The two produced a hit song entitled “Up Above My Head,” and also teamed up on the tracks “Precious Memories,” “Didn’t It Rain,” and “Beams of Heaven.” The women made their mark by breaking through to the mainstream rhythm and blues charts. Their popularity and relationship faded within a few years however and Rosetta and Marie resumed solo careers.
In 1957 Tharpe was booked for a month-long tour of the UK by trombonist Chris Barber. By 1964 she was touring Europe and returned to England as part of the Blues and Gospel Tour alongside Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. On May 7th the train carrying them came to the former Wilbraham Road Station in south Manchester for what turned out to be an unforgettable 40-minute piece of musical history as their performance was filmed for television on the station platform. The gig would become known as The Blues and Gospel Train.
TV producer Johnnie Hamp tells the story:
The station was dressed up to look like one from the American South, but typically for Manchester, the weather did not echo that area’s dustbowl conditions. Shortly after the train which carried the audience the few miles south from Manchester’s city centre pulled in, a storm lashed the station.
The downpour would have been his worst memory of the show had it not led to the best. Sister Rosetta came to me and asked if she could change her opening number to “Didn’t It Rain?” and when she strapped on her guitar, it was astounding.
As Guitarworld reported at the time: “Armed with her beloved, three-pickup 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Custom, Tharpe treated those in attendance and millions of viewers who would later watch the broadcast at home to a display of powerful, hard-driving blues guitar fire that was years ahead of its time.”
A number of aspiring guitarists were reportedly influenced by this event including Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards and Brian Jones. They would be inspired to help create the blues scene in the UK that led to the mid-60s British Invasion.
Fast forward 60 years, and the UK premiere of the critically acclaimed Marie and Rosetta — a play with music — will tell the true story of Rosetta Tharpe and her protégé Marie Knight, featuring gospel and blues hits. The latter includes “Didn’t It Rain” and “Peace In The Valley” accompanied by a band. Playing the part of Rosetta is UK’s Soul Queen Beverley Knight, a multi-award winning singer whose many West End performances include Memphis and The Drifters Girl. Beverley first found music through the church so her role as a gospel singer is a perfect fit.
As Beverley explains:
It is a great honour to be cast in the role of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, one of the unsung architects of rock ‘n’ roll. I am and have always been a storyteller, whether it be in a purely music form or in a theatrical setting.
I’m excited to be able to tell the Sister Rosetta story in this important play about her life, trailblazing career and her relationship with the legendary gospel singer Marie Knight. This will be my first role in a professional play; I have performed many times in plays at an amateur level and I’m so thrilled that I get to tell HER story as my debut.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, with her powerful expressive voice, her electrifying guitar and her Gospel message laid the foundations on which Chuck Berry, Ike Turner, Elvis Presley and literally everyone else has walked. The Godmother of rock ‘n’ roll deserves to be celebrated and remembered.
So the influence of an American legend who passed away aged 58 in 1973 and boasts one of the most powerful musical legacies lives on both sides of the pond.
Marie and Rosetta runs at the Rose Theatre in Kingston, London, May 2-24, 2025 before transferring to Chichester Festival Theatre, June 25 – July 26.
