This woman was a huge influence on American popular music, leaving a mark on people ranging from Elvis and Chuck Berry to Johnny Cash and Pete Townsend.

Any woman — white or black — who has taken the stage with a guitar since the 1930s is indebted to her.

And so is rock n' roll.

This woman is Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and since 1973, she has laid in an unmarked grave in North Philly.

Tomorrow, there is a benefit being held concert to raise funds for a proper memorial to her.

The concert bill itself is a historical one that celebrates Philly's rich gospel and soul history and is well worth the cost of tickets regardless of the good the precedes are working toward.

The full story is here:
http://www.northeasttimes.com/2008/0110/tharpe.html

Also, check out the amazing clips on YouTube.

In this one, you can see pieces of Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Townsend, and rock n' roll in general.
Watch as she seems incapable of not ripping into an absolutely rocking riff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ

If this doesn't give you the chills and blow the top your skull out...

Anyway, it would be a great honor to her legacy if this benefit concert sold out.
Several of the performers have recently been up for Grammies. Marie Knight, for example, had a really well done gospel/blues album that came out in 2007, and you can hear some tracks here: http://www.myspace.com/1marieknight

Also, Odetta is one of the legends of our time.

This may well be one of the last times all these greats are together.
So come out.
You could spend $30 on a couple of beers, or contribute to celebrating this great and under appreciated piece of Philly history and see a great show.

In some ways, it also ties into something that appeared in the Daily News today: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opin...the_river.html

Also, note that there was an article in the City Paper this week that incorrectly stated that the show will be on Sat, 1-12. It's on Friday, the 11th at 8 pm. The Keswick Theatre.

There still plenty of seats, and tickets are now available for $20

I heard XPN's coverage this morning. I have to admit that I'd never heard of her before, but damn she was amazing. There are some great Youtube clips of her wailing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ztB-...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzr_GBa8qk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBN...eature=related

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As an amateur jazz musician, I'm quite familiar with her. It's truly pathetic the way her situation was handled after she died.Bessie Smith had a similar situation, and was buried with no headstone as well (Mount Lawn Cemetery, SW Philly), until the late rock star, Janis Joplin, bought her a stone.

I went to this last night. Very good show. For the age of these women it was amazing. The pieces of wisdom they shared between songs were worth going up there alone. First time I was at the Keswick and what a nice place that was-the theatre is very well maintained and the staff was super friendly.

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I've been a Rosetta Tharpe for a while. i believe that guitar solo is one of the video clips the "Glass Man" gives Amelie on video tape in the movie Amelie.

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