Sunday, June 7, 2009

Sing It Sister!

In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine published a hotly debated list of what it felt were the 100 greatest guitarists of all-time. I simply shrugged the list off because a)I don't play the guitar and know absolutely nothing about the instrument, not to mention the fact that everyone has particular tastes in music; and b)it is, after all, Rolling Stone magazine - one of the worst music magazines in existence. The list created alot of buzz in the cyberworld:

"This is a silly popularity contest. The author who pointed out that Rolling Stone threw in Robert Johnson as some obligatory nod to "blues roots" was dead on; RS is not a music magazine a la Downbeat, it is a cultural magazine, and as a magazine that needs to pander to its boomer roots and sell copies, which it achieves when the 50-something driving the convertible with his skullet in a ponytail reads this list, nods his head and whispers 'Yeah, man, right on - Robert Johnson was THE MAN'".

"wtf this list is so gay, Eddie Van Halen at 70 whoever made this list is a retard, he should be 2 right behind Clapton!!!!"

"Kurt Cobain gets 12th but david gilmour gets 82 the writers at rolling stone should be fired for this."

"a lot of people seem to forget that being a great guitarist isnt about how much fret wanking you can do, its about trying to create great sounds with a bit of wood, sure guys like slash can play fast complicated solos but..who cares. The reason guys like john f and jack white are near the top is cause they make great sounds with the guitar."

Okay, I lied. I blew this list off with one glaring exception - where in god's name was Sister Rosetta Tharpe(1915-1973) on this list? A misunderstood woman in her time(and, apparently, in the modern era), her gospel style was not well received by the secular world and her electric blues style was criticized by many in the church. She was ahead of her time and influenced many in the early era of rock n' roll including Little Richard and Elvis Presley. Her 1945 crossover hit "Strange Things Happening Everyday" was later covered by Jerry Lee Lewis. It wasn't until last year that funds were raised to place a headstone at the barren spot where she is buried in Northwood Cemetary in Pennsylvania, some thirty-five years after her death. One has to wonder how much more Tharpe's legacy would have been acknowledged had she been a male.

Watch this woman SHRED at about 1:25 into this video and remember that she was doing this well before most people on Rolling Stone's list...

5 comments:

Jenny said...

Wow.

I have to ask though....Is it just me, or does the guitar look a little out of place in that video?

;)

What's new? How is the Festiva?

Did I mention that I LOVE the Jamey Johnson CD you sent me? Awesome.

Nothing new here....

Caste Away U.S.A. said...

Yes it does look a little out of place which is why it so badass. ;)
The Festiva is fine...as a matter of fact, I'm driving it to go see Jamey Johnson in concert here in Austin on July 4th complete with fireworks. I wish you were here to see it!
Nothing new? Nada?

Jenny said...

Damn.

I need to go to Austin. Hopefully he will sing "Give it Away".

If George Strait was playing in Texas again, I would make it there somehow, I missed him when he was in New Jersey.

I am listening to Waylon.....I fuggin love him.

And no, nothing new. Been unemployed for 3.5 months. Spending way too much time online...

Caste Away U.S.A. said...

Hopefully he won't sing "Honkytonk Badonkadonk." Yeah, you should be here for the 4th.
I need your new address. I'm going to send you a Waylon album called Honkytonk Heroes." The whole album is nothing but covers by an Austin artist named Billy Joe Shaver - who is badass AND he shot somebody in the face last year...double badass!
Please tell me you are collecting unemployment...I don't want to hear some conservative hullabaloo that you would never sponge off the government...how do you think I bought my Festiva?? ;)

Jenny said...

sent you an email, but want to make it very clear that FUCK YES, I am collecting unemployment!

And believe it or not, I have heard of Billy Joe Shaver. :)