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“Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe” Gospel Brunch Presented by Gibson, Luck, and Antone’s Wraps Exceptional Artist Performances at Willie Nelson’s Luck Ranch @SXSW 2023 Sunday, March 19 in Austin, TX, Gibson, Luck, and Antone’s offered the unforgettable, artist-packed gospel brunch and tribute concert "Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 1915-1973". The event, which took place at Willie Nelson’s Luck Ranch and capped an exceptional week of performances at Luck Reunion, honored the music icon Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the original "Soul Sister" who made an indelible impact on gospel and soul music. A trailblazing performer, Sister Rosetta Tharpe forged a style all her own that influenced countless musicians, including Elvis, Johnny Cash, Etta James, Little Richard, and more. Binky Griptite and The Binky Griptite Orchestra helmed the concert, with special guests including Abraham Alexander, Amythyst Kiah, Betty Harris, Ruthie Foster, Valerie June and sets from Kam Franklin of the Suffers, Thee Sacred Souls, Gypsy Mitchell, Cookie McGee, as well as Adrian Reed and Anointed Praise, and Grace Bowers, took the Luck Reunion attendees to church with an unforgettable gospel brunch and performance to celebrate Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s birthday (March 20, 1915). Onsite at the event, Gibson Gives—the philanthropic arm of Gibson--announced the Arkansas Arts Academy as the 2023 partner school for the newly established annual Gibson Gives Sister Rosetta Tharpe Music Scholarship. This year, the Arkansas Arts Academy will receive a $5, 000 music scholarship and a guitar in honor of Sister Rosetta, the Godmother of Rock n’ Roll. “We came here today to pay tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe. This is Sunday School for all of us. We’re going to show you what we learned from Sister Rosetta Tharpe.” – Binky Griptite Music was in the air as the performers shared stories of Sister’s influence and inspiration and performed her legendary songs to a crowd of adoring fans. The sun shone brightly as guests were greeted by the sounds of Adrian Reed & The Anointed Praise Choir bursting out of the Saloon Doors. Seated on the World Headquarters stage, the legendary Cookie McGee displayed an absolute mastery of blues guitar, followed by a set of straight shredding by Gypsy Mitchell who played his Epiphone Flying V guitar with his teeth! Betty Harris performed Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “Up Above My Head” with Grace Bowers soloing. Thee Sacred Souls played an hour long set, rousing the crowd and providing equal parts heartbreak and love as lead singer Josh Lane took fans on a journey with his smooth vocals. Closing out the day was a two-hour multi-artist tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Helmed by Binky Griptite and The Binky Griptite Orchestra, and soul and gospel performances from Amythyst Kiah, Valerie June, Betty Harris, Ruthie Foster, Kam Franklin, Abraham Alexander, and Grace Bowers. For the tribute finale, Adrian Reed & Anointed Praise Choir joined all the performers on stage for an epic gospel jam session like no other. In honor of Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s official birthday today, March 20, fans can donate now to support the annual Gibson Gives Sister Rosetta Tharpe Scholarship, at GibsonFoundation.org, and watch/share Gibson’s tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, as Celisse and Amythyst Kiah take viewers on a journey of her monumental and enduring impact on music: Shout, Sister, Shout! Sister Rosetta Tharpe. During "Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, " Luck Reunion guests were treated to several Bloody Mary stations presented by Titos, as well as on-site confections from District Kitchen + Cocktails, The Jerk Shack, East Side King, and Garbo’s. Coffee was provided by Sightseer. The Luck Reunion event in partnership with nonprofit REVERB hosted the largest 100% solar-powered festival main stage in North America, with zero-emission performances from Willie Nelson, Spoon, Margo Price, The War and Treaty, and others. About Sister Rosetta Tharpe An audacious performer from Cotton Plant, Arkansas who became a gospel superstar, Sister Rosetta Tharpe is an artist that rarely comes up in debates about the true founding father of rock ‘n’ roll. SRT fronted her own band, she was one of the first artists of note to play the iconic ‘61 Les Paul SG Custom electric guitar, she was a headlining, black female artist who toured through the segregated Jim Crow South, and she has been largely overlooked as a seminal figure in the creation of rock music. As it turns out, the founding father of rock ‘n’ roll wasn’t a father at all – that distinction belongs to Sister Rosetta. A gospel-trained force of nature that broke barriers, stereotypes, and norms with astonishing regularity, her electrifying music predates the work of like-minded guitar legends including Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, and Elvis. Sister Rosetta Tharpe unequivocally remains the textbook definition of an iconoclast – The Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll. |
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