PBS American Masters

[j45nick]

Saw a really good American Masters presentation on Sister Rosetta Tharpe last night. She isn't that well known to modern audiences, but was a major influence on early white gospel/rock crossover artists like Elvis. She is often referred to as the Godmother of Rock for her hard-rocking versions of gospel songs and unique self-taught guitar style.

 

The relevance for this forum is that the program features old footage of her playing a number of Gibsons (both acoustic and electric) and Nationals in the 1930's, 40's, and 50's. While the focus is not on the guitars, they are featured enough in the footage to clearly identify for the hard-core guitar fan. One of the guitars appears to be either a very fancy L-5 or perhaps a Super 400.

 

In any case, it is a fascinating look at a side of music that we rarely consider today, and I highly recommend it. You can see trailers from the film on YouTube--just search for Sister Rosetta Tharpe PBS American Masters--and US viewers have access to the entire video via a PBS link.

 

Well worth your time, both for the music and the guitars.

[fortyearspickn]

Wowsers! She can sing and pick and, it would seem, better than Elvis. I guess his pelvis is what Colonel Parker saw as the marketing edge. The two youtubes I saw were outstanding. We have a great musical heritage, and are fortunate to live at a time when much of it was recorded. Amazing how many treasures like this exist just below the surface.

[zombywoof]

It always kinds of brings a grin to my face when folks first discover the "Queen of Gospel." I think I have posted some of her stuff here in the past but Sister Rosetta Tharpe is probably the biggest "secret" in the world of guitar playing (I would say Ted Bogan is a close second).

 

I have been a big fan for a long, long time. I quickly fell in love with her percussive style of playing. About as intense a rhythm player as I have heard. Those wild single string runs she throws in are simply amazing. Her recordings from the 1940s are some of the hardest rocking you will ever hear.

[onewilyfool]

Nick, good to see you posting again!! I watch the whole thing, I had never even heard of her before your post. This lady was BORN TO PEFORM!!! very special guitar player!! Thanks for the heads up!!

[zombywoof]

I can't wait to hear what ya'll will be saying after you get a chance to sit down and listen to a guy like Lowman Pauling.

[j45nick]

I can't wait to hear what ya'll will be saying after you get a chance to sit down and listen to a guy like Lowman Pauling.

 

 

Now you're really going deep into the well, ZW.

[BluesKing777]

I need to go back a fraction...

 

Many years ago, I lived in a dive in a run down area - unintentionally living the Blues Brothers dream before the movie came out, I think. I had got evicted from the previous and was stuck....The local shops were horrible places full of food poisoning goodies to eat, so generally nasty all round. It is now trendy and my old flat would cost about 3 mill or so - who knew?

 

I walked to the shopping strip one day - about 5 houses down from mine- and looky, looky..what's that? A record shop had opened that featured import blues records! Well!

 

Among the Rev Davis, Mance, Willi and Willie and Willie and probably a Wally, Bob and all the usual delta offenders I had to buy, was a 2 record compilation album which I have been down on my knees at my old record collection this very morning looking for! It was one of those you buy and 99% of the content is awful or a real shock, and what was the best track - an acoustic gospel blues by Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Just incredible!

 

I can't find it anywhere now - I must have pawned it.

 

Fairly recently there was a blues special late night thing and there she was doing her full tilt electric thing and while I liked it, (well it is STUNNING), I preferred the old acoustic bluesy gospel track.

 

Someone here may know what it is called? Maybe not?

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

[milod]

One of the things I get a big kick out of on threads like this is how anyone who has heard someone like this talented lady will go on and on about her - and then go back to doing the same "technical copy" material they've been doing.

 

Self-taught.

 

Well, in ways most of the high-end folks regardless of style are largely "self taught."

 

A cupla points here. She's noteworthy - as are Segovia and Joe Pass and Chet and Kottke and whomever one wishes to point to - for letting herself play.

 

She, and doggone nearly everybody else, has heard other pickers. Watched some, too. Taken hints and even perhaps some "sessions" with others. But essentially it came down to doing their own thing.

 

Ah, creativity itself. Why do we seek to emulate the creative rather than develop it from within?

 

m

[GDC]

Thanks, Nick. Got the PBS site vid loaded and ready to go for when I get back from the Sunday guitar pull. Sister is something amazing to see!

[zombywoof]

One of the things I get a big kick out of on threads like this is how anyone who has heard someone like this talented lady will go on and on about her - and then go back to doing the same "technical copy" material they've been doing.

 

 

 

Reminds me of something Richard Thompson once said. He was glad there were so many folks out there pursuing technique as diligently as they possibly could because it left this whole other area open to people like him.

 

There are times though when I look at all of the videos, DVDs, Skype lessons and such and think I was lucky to have had records as my only teacher. I probably never learned one song note for note and developed a ton of bad habits but I also fell into my own way of approaching a song rather than copying somebody else's. When it comes to style, your limitations are as important as your strengths.

[milod]

Zombie...

 

hear hear...

 

That's regardless of our style.

 

There's a good, solid place for folks who enjoy playing Bach. I do that myself at time, working to play Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring as Christopher Parkening and with "proper" classical fingering. And then at times I let my thumb slop over and do some notes in a way that likely would leave a "real" classical guitarist rolling his or her eyes. And I'll admit I'll never manage to do Bach's Chaconne (Violin Partita No. 2 BWV 1004) as they can do.

 

Then I'll use more or less classical guitar technique - with an added thumb <grin> - to do a cowboy song.

 

But to me "playing Bach" is the same as "playing Chuck Berry" or "Beatles" or whomever note by note.

 

So instead I'll try to figure a do-wop Duprees type fingerstyle arrangement of "You Belong to Me." And then toss in something Kottke-like but standard tuning and just doing what I've evolved over 50-some years. Or... "Down and Out" more or less as I've done it for 50 years or a bit of pop-jazz recognizing I ain't gonna be a Joe Pass, but the idea is achievable.

 

As good as the talents?

 

Nope.

 

Good enough at times to make a buck or two through the years? And to do a cupla benefits each year with whatever trips my trigger?

 

Good enough to be a helluva less expensive alternative to booze or fishing or sailing or whatever... And to be a constant challenge to keep the brain and fingers moving? Perhaps, when I grow up a bit, to play again in a group of some sort?

 

Yup. After all, I don't plan to croak until I'm dead.

 

m

[BluesKing777]

All good points!

 

 

Don't forget to have fun though!

 

 

I couldn't find a teacher that taught what I wanted to know, even though I didn't know what 'that' was at the time! So when I failed at teaching myself, I went to a local guy teaching rock guitar, which I enjoyed immensely, but I have always been a country blues lover since seeing Brownie and others when I was a teen.... Years later, I got bored with myself and went to another guy that teaches swing jazz...phew! What I learned there was the amount of TIME needed to be put in!

 

Recently, I gave gone through lots of the DVDs from Stefan Grossman and I am now pleased with myself in a lot of ways! A lot of that kind of thing is unpopular here and very hard to get...same as smaller guitars!

 

Everyone has to find their own way, I think!

 

 

 

Edit: oh, I forgot to mention I wore out a couple of RJ, Robert Wilkins and Mance Lipscomb records...and others. Those records were really hard to get here, so the new DVDs and downloads with all the old tracks and footage if any, are just unbeatable - you can learn by watching, or listening or by reading the tab/music supplied. Sensational!

Can't say we don't have it laid on, but what to do with all this info.....?.. Play it!

 

 

 

BluesKing777.