Suggested recordings, books, films

It's hard to find a bad Sister Rosetta Tharpe album, says Stephen Koch. Those looking for a good introduction to her recorded works can't go wrong with the four-CD set Original Soul Sister (Proper Box), which can be found for under $30.

Koch's favorite, though, might be Live in 1960 (Southland), a recording of a Paris concert. Precious Memories (Savoy) and each volume of The Complete Recorded Works (Document) are also good gateways to Tharpe's unique style.

Gayle F. Wald's wonderful biography, Shout, Sister, Shout! The Untold Story of Rock-And-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Beacon Press, $18), is a well-written and researched work, and the PBS American Masters documentary The Godmother of Rock & Roll is a must-see. It can be found and streamed at pbs.org.

-- Sean Clancy

Style on 03/22/2015

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