Mothers and Sisters

Mothers and Sisters tells the story of three trailblazing women who helped shape the sound of American popular music through the guitar—Maybelle Carter, Memphis Minnie, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. While the guitar is often associated with male rock stars, country pickers, and bluesmen, Mothers and Sisters brings long-overdue attention to the women who played, innovated, and influenced generations of musicians from the 1920s to the 1950s. Kate Lewis repositions Carter, Minnie, and Tharpe not as exceptions, but as foundational figures in American music. Drawing on close listening and analysis, historical research, and performance insight, this engaging and accessible book explores how each of these artists developed a distinctive guitar style. Maybelle Carter's iconic "Carter scratch" helped define the sound of early country music; Memphis Minnie's fierce fingerpicking carried her through decades of blues recording success; and Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s electrifying gospel performances laid the groundwork for rock ’n’ roll. Despite their accomplishments, these musicians are often left out of mainstream guitar histories. Mothers and Sisters also offers a fresh perspective on the guitar’s story—one that includes the voices and techniques of women who were every bit as inventive, skilled, and influential as their male counterparts.