Holy crap, y'all! It's already AUGUST. Somehow this year has simultaneously lasted forever and also gone by way too quickly. We're back in your podcatchers today with a new episode, this time introducing you all to the Godmother (or Gaymother, if you will) of Rock n' Roll, the original stadium rockstar, and badass Black woman guitar virtuoso, Sister Rosetta Tharpe! Think Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry invented rock n' roll? Think again! Sister Rosetta was shredding on guitar way before them, and it's time she gets the credit she is due. She broke boundaries wherever she went, straddling the line between worldly and chaste, secular and gospel, and loved both men and women.

Our wonderful guest host for today's episode is Aubree Calvin- writer, professor, and podcast host! You can learn more about Aubree and her freelance writing at her website  www.aubreecalvin.com, and check out her brand new podcast Southern Queeries, all about LGBTQ life in the South!

0:00 – Introduction3:49 – Main Topic: Sister Rosetta Tharpe6:12 – Socio-Historical Context 12:44: – Who were they? Bio Time. 37:46 – An Aside: Rosetta's Guitar & Singing Style1:05:40 – Why do we think they're gay? 1:17:15 – Word of the Week1:22:33 – Main Takeaways and Final Conclusions1:25:06 – How Gay were They?1:26:55 – Closing and Where to Find us Online

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Currently, all proceeds from Patreon and our store that aren't being put towards production costs are going to The Okra Project, a collective that provides free, healthy meals to Black trans people wherever they can reach them. 

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