This Legendary Guitarist Might Have Had the World’s First Rock and Roll Stadium Wedding in 1951

When one thinks of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, one thinks of one of the earliest rock and roll icons. She was an incredible guitarist, one who gained significant fame in the 1930s and 1940s. She wasn’t your “typical” rock star. Tharpe was a Black woman, one who integrated the electric guitar and then-unheard-of distortion techniques into gospel music recordings. In fact, she’s equally known for being one of the greats of gospel music as well as one of the great predecessors of rock music. They don’t call her the “Godmother of Rock and Roll” for no reason, but she was also devoted to her faith.

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Perhaps, though, Tharpe had a little bit of that rock and roll edge to her when it came to her famous concert-like wedding in 1951.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s Rock and Roll Wedding

The story goes that Sister Rosetta Tharpe was married in 1951, and the wedding did have some traditional elements. There was an organ, a pastor, and a rendition of “Here Comes The Bride”. What made the event stand out is the fact that it took place at Griffith Baseball Stadium, located in Washington, D.C., in front of a crowd of somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000 people.

The whole thing was a publicity stunt, and a smart one at that. Just a year prior, Tharpe didn’t have anyone around that she wanted to marry. By the 1950s, her popularity as a musician had dipped. The whole wedding was put on to bring her back into the spotlight. Her backup singers were her bridesmaids, and other musicians who often performed with her were part of the wedding party.

The man that Tharpe married was one Russell Morrison, who would later become Tharpe’s manager. While the whole thing was a publicity stunt, the pair did actually wed in the eyes of God and the US government. They remained married until Tharpe’s passing in 1973. The preacher was also the real deal. Luckily, he had a sense of humor.

Music historian Gayle Wald noted in an NPR chat from 2019 that the idea to have the wedding at a baseball stadium was meant to draw attention from her African American listener base. The stadium in question had been used by many in the community for large events and family gatherings. After the wedding, Tharpe performed for the crowd.

The whole thing was, for the most part, a success. Tharpe’s career went upward a bit, and she had a decent comeback in the later years of her career.

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