Throwback: Happy 111th Birthday, Sister Rosetta Tharpe!

It’s March 2026. We’re about to blow through the first third of the year. Things have gotten messier and more hellish. Apparently, we’re now at war. We’ve got masked goons grabbing people off the streets and shooting civilians. The economy is reeling. We’re dealing with a mad, dying king. And yet, we have to simultaneously fight fascists and get on with our daily lives. 

But there’s music, art and community. I hope that this site is a bit of escape and maybe even a reminder of how much community means when the world is running down. 

• The Who frontman  Roger Daltrey celebrated his 82nd birthday on March 1
• The pioneering singer, activist and actor Harry Belafonte was born 99 years ago on March 1
• Karen Carpenter was born 76 years ago on March 2
• Lou Reed, arguably one of the most influential figures of the past 75 years or so was born on this day 84 years ago on March 2
• Tone Lōc celebrated his 60th birthday — yes, y’all 60th! — on March 3
• The legendary soul artist Bobby Womack was born 82 years ago on March 4
• Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted celebrated his 63rd birthday on March 4
• Teena Marie, one of the perhaps most under-appreciated pop and R&B vocalists ever was born 70 years ago on March 5
• Best known for his work with Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante celebrated his 56th birthday on March 5
• Mary Wilson, the legendary co-founder of The Supremes was born on 82 years ago on March 6
• Pink Floyd‘s David Gilmour celebrated his 80th birthday — yes, y’all, 80th! — on March 6
• Isley Brothers’ guitarist Ernie Isley celebrated his 74th birthday on March 7
• The Monkees’ Mickey Dolenz celebrated his 81st birthday on March 8
• The legendary and pioneering Gary Numan celebrated his 68th birthday on March 8
• Free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman was born 96 years ago on March 9
• Pearl Jam‘s Jeff Ament celebrated his 63rd birthday on March 10
• The Horrors co-founder and former member Tom Furse celebrated his 39th birthday on March 11
• The legendary Al Jarreau was born 86 years on March 12
• James Taylor celebrated his 78th birthday on March 12 
• U2‘s Adam Clayton celebrated his 66th birthday March 13
• Roy Haynes was born 101 years ago on March 13
• The legendary Lightnin’ Hopkins was born 113 years ago on March 15
• Sly and the Family Stone frontman Sly Stone was born 83 years ago on March 15
• Public Enemy‘s Flavor Flav celebrated his 67th birthday on March 16
• Smashing Pumpkins founder and frontman Billy Corgan celebrated his 59th birthday on March 17
• The great Nat King Cole was born 107 years ago on March 17
• Queen Latifah, one of the most regal, powerful and defiantly feminist artists in hip-hop history celebrates her 56th birthday today
• The wildly talented and breathtakingly beautiful Vanessa Williams celebrates her 63rd birthday today
• The legendary Wilson Pickett was born on this day 85 years ago on March 18
• The B-52s co-founder and original guitarist Ricky Wilson was born 73 years ago on March 19

The godmother of rock ‘n’ roll Sister Rosetta Tharpe was born on this day 111 years ago.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Tharpe gained popularity for her work in gospel, which featured a mix of appropriately spiritual lyrics with her pioneering use of distortion on her guitar playing. While instrumental in the development of pop-leaning gospel, she was also one of the first gospel artist to appeal and attract early R&B and rock audiences. And fittingly, her and her work were influential to the likes of Tina Turner, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as to the development of electric blues and the British Invasion.

Yes, Tharpe is that fucking important y’all. Without her, a lot of the great musicians and albums you love wouldn’t be possible. So if you’re unfamiliar with her, get to know her and her work. But no matter what, let’s celebrate this woman and her work on her birthday.

Happy birthday legend! Happy birthday, wherever you are!

^]

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The Joy of Violent Movement is a completely independent and completely D.I.Y. media outlet. Over the course of this site’s 15+ year history, I’ve used my fiercely independent stance to cover music with an eclectic and global perspective that a lot of other publications just don’t have — and will likely never have. 

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