Gospel Train
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973)
Category
Musical instruments, devices and recordings
Date
2 Jul 1956 - 5 Jul 1956
Materials
Vinyl record with paper labels
Measurements
300 mm (Dia)
Place of origin
New York
Collection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 672663.1
Summary
A vinyl record, the album Gospel Train by Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The record contains twelve songs with six songs on each side. There is a circular blue paper label in the centre of each side. At the top of each of these labels there is a silver Mercury Records logo, with a list of the song titles for each side printed in silver lettering immediately below the centre. The songwriter for each song is listed in brackets next to each title. The records catalogue number (MPL.6529) is printed to the right of centre on each label and at the bottom there is a Pye records logo. Sister Rosetta Tharpe was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas. She gained popularity through her gospel recordings in the 1930’s and ‘40’s but went on to appeal to a rock and roll audience and became known as ‘The Godmother Of Rock ‘n’ Roll’. She was also a pioneer in her guitar playing technique, being amongst the first to use a heavy distortion technique on her electric guitar. Her Gospel Train album was recorded at the Mercury Sound recording studio in New York and was released on the Mercury record label.
Provenance
Vinyl record recorded by Sister Rosetta Tharpe on the 2nd and 5th July 1956. Released by Mercury Records in December 1956. Purchased by the National Trust Museum of Childhood via Discogs on 8th September 2020 as part of the Collecting Cultures Exploring Childhoods project.
Makers and roles
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973), musician Mercury Records, record label