Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Born Rosetta Nubin in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, Tharpe was a child prodigy, performing gospel music with her evangelist mother from a young age. While she dedicated her life to sacred music, her secular appeal was undeniable, blending spiritual fervor with a raw, bluesy energy that captivated audiences far beyond the church pews.

Her guitar playing was legendary – a true innovator who shredded before shredding was cool, influencing icons from Elvis Presley to Chuck Berry. She didn't just sing gospel; she rocked gospel, proving that piety didn't have to be a drag. Critics hailed her as a genius, and fellow musicians copied her licks, whether they admitted it or not.

Despite her profound impact on popular music, Sister Rosetta Tharpe often gets less credit than her male counterparts, a familiar tune in the annals of rock history. But make no mistake, without her audacious talent and boundary-pushing sound, the genre might still be stuck strumming folk ballads. She took the sacred and made it swing, laying down the righteous rhythm for generations to come.