Talk:Sister Rosetta Tharpe

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Not a nun[edit]

Do you think it’s worth pointing out in the article that despite going by the name “Sister”, she wasn’t actually a nun? Or is that not really worth mentioning? (Singing nuns are a cultural phenomenon, see The Singing Nun and Sister Act). 2600:1014:B02D:7D98:3D22:CD5E:4657:3DA0 (talk) 04:11, 16 January 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Callinig someone "Brother" or "Sister" as a title of sorts is a mark of respect in many cultures. In Rosetta Tharpe's case, it is the name she is known by as a performer. It is not worth pointing out unless reliable sources talk about the term in conjunction with Tharpe's career and life - otherwise, it is original research and violates Wikipedia's neutral point of view - inserting our own personal opinions into a biographical article. Shearonink (talk) 05:10, 16 January 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Pre-cursor?[edit]

Rosetta Thorpe is described as a pre-cursor to rock-and-roll, as if she didn't play actual rock-and-roll. This is an outrage for two reasons: 1. She actually sings about rocking and rolling. She means it literally, but the phrase is being coined as she's using it. 2. Have you heard her? Her sound is more like modern (i.e., post-Elvis) rock-and-roll than artists who came decades later. DanMarshCTR (talk) 00:20, 14 July 2020 (UTC)[reply]

It's not an "outrage" - it's what reliable sources say. Therefore, so do we. Ghmyrtle (talk) 07:46, 14 July 2020 (UTC)[reply]

You are too fast. It'd be very easy to find sources who think she played rock n roll. The page for "reliable" sources means does not define what reliable means, so there might be some ambiguity. eg: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/sister-rosetta-tharpe-rocknroll-pioneer/ "Sister Rosetta Tharpe played rock’n’roll way before anyone else." https://www.npr.org/2017/08/24/544226085/forebears-sister-rosetta-tharpe-the-godmother-of-rock-n-roll CrickedBack (talk) 22:16, 9 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

She never sang rock music, nor did she ever sing a phrase like "rocking and rolling." She sang gospel songs 95% of the time, and when she sang Rock Me it is a Gospel song. Even if she had sang about rocking and rolling she wouldn't have been coining anything as blues singers had been using the phase long before her Rgtriplec (talk) 08:19, 27 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

"She never sang rock music". Citation needed.

This level of confidence is not appropriate when applied to the subject of artistic genres, and becomes boarder line absurd when you're talking about someone who started the genre. Just google her name and "genre" and you'll find articles such as this one from NPR about it. https://www.npr.org/2017/08/24/544226085/forebears-sister-rosetta-tharpe-the-godmother-of-rock-n-roll

"Rock 'n' roll was bred between the church and the nightclubs in the soul of a queer black woman in the 1940s named Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She was there before Elvis, Little Richard and Johnny Cash swiveled their hips and strummed their guitars. It was Tharpe, the godmother of rock 'n' roll, who turned this burgeoning musical style into an international sensation." CrickedBack (talk) 22:19, 9 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Anybody with any sense knows that she's entirely irrelevant to the history of rock and roll and the articles that say otherwise are just propaganda made up after all the original rockers are dead and therefore can't set the story straight. 2600:1012:B138:DBF1:F496:23DF:BE35:8A1 (talk) 19:48, 11 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Queer Black Woman[edit]

Rosetta vehemently denied being a lesbian. The woman she was linked to was Marie Knight. Marie was interviewed for the only biography ever written about Rosetta. She said it was untrue and that many in Gospel music were petty and tried to damage competitions reputation. Tharpe was a Gospel singer and Christian speaker. She said her calling was to bring light to those in darkness. She traveled with her evangelist mother her entire career. Even in her nightclub years. I know when traced back all of the the queer Black woman stuff leads back to Gayle Wald's book. However, Wald admits neither woman admitted it, which makes it simply gossip. That statement should be removed totally, and at the very least Tharpe and Knight's denials should be noted and referenced. Rgtriplec (talk) 08:35, 27 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Denial doesn't mean it's not so. Liberace was a devout Catholic who vehemently denied being gay and sued people who said he was. 204.78.13.10 (talk) 13:09, 1 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I think that makes it worth mentioning at least. Historyday01 (talk) 16:41, 21 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I forgot to note the source used to support her being a lesbian in the article, quotes an article whose sources are a Blog with no sources, and Gayle Wald using unnamed sources. Again gossip. Rgtriplec (talk) 08:48, 27 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Personal life[edit]

A personal life section is needed. She was married three times, and dated other famous men. She was also involved in a few important court cases, cases that were covered in the media. She also close friendships with celebrities that are noteworthy.

Also, there is no proof her third marriage was a sham or that she didn't know him. She had known him for ten years. When she toured with Lucky, the Inkspots were part of the tour. The man she married worked for them. Again this is Gayle Wald trying to make the story juicy, by creating a narrative that isn't factual. The fact she was married to the "sham" husband almost 30 years and is quoted as saying they never did anything apart. Proves it was a real relationship Rgtriplec (talk) 08:59, 27 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I can agree, a personal life section could be good. Historyday01 (talk) 16:40, 21 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Sister rosetta tharpe[edit]

I have a concern that sister Rosita all of that stuff you were talking about is what kind of control because it doesn't I ask for the question what are five words that say it all about sister harp Rosita oops sorry her name is wrong sorry and it just said that sister was each of us the woman who invented rock and roll I know that 2601:19A:4600:BDA0:798C:DCFD:7C4F:534 (talk) 20:22, 1 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

What?... Shearonink (talk) 21:28, 1 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Death on the Nile[edit]

Her music was prominently featured in Kenneth B's Death on the Nile 2603:8080:8F00:3D30:4961:77AC:4613:DFDE (talk) 05:00, 2 May 2022 (UTC)[reply]

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion[edit]

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion:

Sister rosetta tharpe gibson sg.jpg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 19:53, 17 October 2022 (UTC)[reply]