It's another TWOfer Tuesday here on CSOTD.
Today I'm pleased as punch to bring you two different and unlikely guitar heros: Seasick Steve and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
It is said a prophet is without honour in his own country. That could be why Seasick Steve is far more popular across the pond than he is here in the land of his birth. Born in Oakland, California, Steve Wold has played, and lived, the blues for most of his life. One of his chosen instruments is the 'Three String Trance Wonder'. Yes, only three strings. According to Wikipedia, it's tuned to G, G and B using an E string in the A position, a D in the G position and a G in the B position. And one of the pickups is held on with duct tape.
In 2008, Seasick Steve released an album with the greatest title ever, "i Started out with nothin and i Still got most of it Left". I doubt Steve could play any of Eddie Van Halen's solos. But Steve's not a guitar hero in that sense of technique. No, Seasick Steve is a hero because he plays his three strings with boogie, woogie, passion, experience and soul. And those are qualities a million of VH's 64th notes will never equal.
Our second unlikely guitar hero is Sister Rosetta Thorpe.
Born in the South and raised in Chicago, Sister Rosetta is a Gospel singer, songwriter, and thrasher of guitars. No Baby Jesus Meek And Mild here, be warned. At about 1:24 into this clip, she breaks from her impassioned singing to soloing, burning through her custom Gibson Les Paul SG as if to chase away the Devil himself. Sister Rosetta even manages to get in a little Pete Townsendesque windmill action. Pure Genius.
Now, if church could just be like this every Sunday, the Lord's work would truly be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Preach.
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