Gibson, Antone’s, and Luck Presents: “Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe”
Sunday, March 19 at Willie Nelson’s LUCK Ranch During SXSW 2023, Tickets On-Sale Now
NASHVILLE, TN (February 16, 2023) Gibson, the iconic American instrument brand, has partnered with LUCK Presents, and the beloved Austin blues venue Antone’s for a special concert “Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe” during SXSW 2023 to celebrate the music icon Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Godmother of Rock n’ Roll. 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.
A mid-day gospel brunch, “Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe” will begin on Sunday, March 19, at 11:00am at LUCK Ranch and feature a parade of artists alongside an all-star band finale to honor the legendary SRT including Amythyst Kiah, Abraham Alexander, Betty Harris, Ruthie Foster, Valerie June, Thee Sacred Souls, Gypsy Mitchell, Cookie McGee, as well as Adrian Reed and Anointed Praise, and more. Binky Griptite and his orchestra will be the band leader and MC for the SRT tribute. To purchase tickets to the tribute event, visit: HERE.
Born in Orlando, FL in 1939, legendary deep soul vocalist Betty Harris’s father Reverend Rufus Crews was a booking agent for gospel artists Sam Cooke, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. "Sister Rosetta Tharpe was the first artist that encouraged me to keep singing,” says Betty Harris. “Later, she became the godmother to my son. This show gives me the opportunity to say thank you!"
“Sister Rosetta Tharpe is the Alma Mater to every rock, blues and soul fan,” says Abraham Alexander. “Every musician playing today is a biproduct of the doors that SRT has knocked down and the grounds she paved. She is a spirit that lives on today in every guitar player whether they know it or not, and it is an honor to celebrate her legacy.”
“Strange Things Happening: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe”
Sunday, March 19 | 11:00am CT | LUCK Ranch
Featuring:
The Binky Griptite Orchestra
Special guests:
Plus sets from:
Gypsy Mitchell
Special choir appearance from:
Adrian Reed and Anointed Praise
$1 from every ticket sold to LUCK Reunion, as well as fundraising on-site will go to the Gibson Gives—the Sister Rosetta Tharpe Scholarship--which honors the music legend’s contributions to gospel, rhythm and blues, and Rock and Roll, by supporting the next generation of players. As the philanthropic arm of Gibson, Gibson Gives’ Scholarship Program awards 15+ music scholarships annually comprised of both cash grants ($75,000), as well as instruments to students as they prepare to navigate their post grad education and careers.
At LUCK Reunion, attendees can explore Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s history at a special booth on the festival grounds. Epiphone guitars and Gibson’s Sister Rosetta Tharpe Collection--made in partnership with Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s heirs--will be on display to shine a light on and celebrate her music and cultural influence. Sister Rosetta played a variety of Gibson guitars--the most well-known was the Custom Shop LP SG--and fans can pick up and play Epiphone SG guitars in her favored Alpine White finish, and experience the Sister Rosetta Tharpe Collection, and memorabilia in person.
2023 marks 50 years since the world lost Sister Rosetta Tharpe and March 20th would have been her 108th birthday. Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s immense talent and confidence arrived during an era when women, and especially women of color, had no voice. An era where no woman dared play guitar at the front of the stage, let alone front a solo act. No woman except Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Watch and share the mini doc "Shout, Sister, Shout! Sister Rosetta Tharpe,” Gibson’s tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, featuring Celisse--who also served as creative director of the SRT Collection--and Amythyst Kiah, which takes viewers on a journey of Sister Rosetta’s monumental and enduring impact on music: Shout, Sister, Shout! Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe:
FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | AMAZON MUSIC
Gibson Gives:
Gibson:
GIBSON.COM | TW | IG | FB | GIBSON APP | GIBSON GARAGE | GIBSON TV
LUCK Reunion:
Antone's:
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.
About Gibson Gives:
For 130 years, the iconic, American instrument brand Gibson has been shaping sound across generations and genres. Gibson, and its charitable arm Gibson Gives believe in the power of music, and that getting instruments into the hands of those with a desire to make music is a life-changing event. Gibson Gives--a 501(c)(3) is committed to making the world a better place by supporting non-profit organizations in their efforts to advance musicians, youth-focused education, music, and wellness initiatives. 100% of all donations to and from Gibson Gives go towards giving the gift of music. In the last three years, Gibson Gives has raised over $3.5 million dollars worldwide through its mission. Gibson Gives believes investing in music education will yield better people, better leaders, and a better world. Gibson Gives is changing lives…one guitar at a time. For more information, visit: www.gibsongives.org.
About Gibson:
Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 130 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone, and KRK, behind great music for over 30 years, and Maestro, the founder of effect pedals. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Explore more at Gibson.com and on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Gibson App, Gibson Garage, and Gibson TV.
About LUCK Reunion/LUCK Presents:
Luck Presents is best known for its signature event, the LUCK Reunion, held every year in mid-March. The 11th-annual flagship festival LUCK Reunion held in Willie Nelson’s backyard--is a chance to see 45+ performances, sample incredible food & drinks, and get up to no good on a Thursday...if you can snag a ticket, that is. LUCK Reunion 2023 will kick-off on Thursday March 16, for festival details and tickets, visit: https://luckpresents.com/luck-tx-events.
About Antone’s:
Established in 1975 by the late Clifford Antone, Antone’s is an iconic blues venue located in downtown Austin. Over the past 40 years, Antone’s has brought Austin a variety of blues and musicians from across the country including B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Ray Charles, and James Brown, and helped develop local talent like Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bob Schneider, Gary Clark Jr., and others. In 2015, the historic brand was restored, and a new team brought the iconic venue back to the downtown Austin landscape with a renewed focus on once again making Antone’s the “Home of the Blues.” Check out the full history of Antone’s here.
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