Sister Rosetta Tharpe's concerts must have been memorable events for those lucky enough to attend them. Her gospel energy, robust blues and jumping swing all combined to set audiences' knees fanning.
One of Tharpe's most compelling concerts captured on film was her May 7, 1964 performance held on the platform of the former Wilbraham Road Station in Manchester, England. The station had closed six years earlier, but for the concert, it was temporarily re-named Chorltonville and made up to look like a backwater station in the American South. The audience arrived by train from central Manchester and sat on stands across the tracks from the "stage" platform.
Here's a taste...
Another performance was broadcast on gospel TV in 1964. Go here...
Now, we have 21 previously unissued live tracks of Tharpe performing in a French concert hall remastered on Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Live in France: The 1966 Concert in Limoges. Recorded on November 11, 1966, the album is being released by Deep Digs Records through a partnership with Elemental Music. Producer Zev Feldman discovered the tape seven years ago while combing through France's national archive of audio-visual material.
Tharpe performs alone on these tracks with just her guitar. With pop rock, the British invasion and Motown dominating the U.S. teen market in the early 1960s, Tharpe found enormous success touring in Europe.
All of her big hits are here—This Train, Didn't It Rain, Sit Down and Moonshine—along with gospel standards such as Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho, Traveling Shoes, Give Me That Old Time Religion and Nobody's Fault But Mine. Fans of Tharpe will notice that her singing style in 1966 became a bit more laid back while her guitar took on a more conversational role.
As you learned from the documentary I posted yesterday, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard and many other early rock 'n' roll stars as well as blues rockers in the 1960s such as the Rolling Stones, the Animals and others were inspired by Sister Rosetta Tharpe's electrifying fervor, soulful charisma and Delta guitar. Each would adjust their style based on her influence. For that, she became known as the Godmother of Rock 'n' Roll.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe died of stroke in 1973 at age 58.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Live in France: The 1966 Concert in Limoges (Deep Digs) remastered on two 180-gram LPs at your local vinyl retailer tomorrow, April 20. You can find a record store near you by going here.
The set will also be available on a single CD and digital download here and on most major streaming platforms on April 26.
JazzWax clips: Here's This Train...
And here's Didn't It Rain...
