7 Guitarists That Prove Black Women Were Pioneers In Music History
Get to know the names and stories that are often left out of history books, but who pioneered the path for music as we know it today.
Mamie Smith (1891–1946)
“The Queen of the Blues”
The recording artist who made the Blues a national sensation in 1920—albeit the only woman on this list who is not a guitarist—Mamie Smith deserves every inch of recognition when discussing pioneers in music. Read more about her contributions here.
In 1920, Okeh Records recorded Mamie Smith singing a rendition of Perry Bradford’s “Crazy Blues,” making it the first blues song recorded by a woman. The song was an overnight sensation among Black working-class consumers, and resulted in record companies finally considering the tastes of Black consumers and producing the music of Black women musicians. Smith was known as the “First Lady of the Blues” and “Crazy Blues” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994.
Elizabeth Cotten (1893-1987)
“The Mother of Folk”
Composer of “Freight Train,” one of the first popularized folk songs written in the early 20th century.
Elizabeth Cotten was a self-taught left-handed blues and folk musician whose signature alternating bass style (playing the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumbs) came to be known as “Cotten picking” and continues to influence musicians today. Her most recognized song, “Freight Train,” was written in 1904 when she was just 11 years old. Cotten didn’t record or receive recognition until the folk revival of the 1960s, when she was in her 60s. In 1985, just two years before her death, she won the Grammy Award in the Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording category for Elizabeth Cotten Live!
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915 – 1973)
“The Godmother of Rock N Roll”
Invented and pioneered the sounds of Rock ‘n’ Roll as we know it today.
The queer godmother of rock ‘n’ roll came into the spotlight in 1938 with her rollicking song “Rock Me.” Over the next two decades, she crossed between gospel, blues, and early R&B; religious and secular music; and notably, black and white audiences during the days of segregation. Her most famous song, “Strange Things Happening Every Day,” has been cited as the first rock ‘n’ roll record, and Tharpe heavily influenced early generations of rock musicians, such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Bob Dylan. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
Sylvia Robinson (1935 – 2011)
“The Mother of Hip Hop”
Singer, guitarist, record producer, and record label executive of “Sugar Hill Records,” known as the label which introduced rap to the public in 1979. Read our 2019 feature on Sylvia Robinson.
Aside from having two R&B chart toppers—Mickey & Sylvia with “Love Is Strange” (1957) and solo record “Pillow Talk” (1973)—Robinson was also the founder and CEO of the hip hop label Sugar Hill Records. She was the driving force behind the two groundbreaking hip-hop singles, “Rapper’s Delight” (1979) by the Sugarhill Gang, and “The Message” (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, resulting in the nickname “The Mother of Hip Hop.” In 2000, Robinson received a Pioneer Award for her career in singing and as the founder of Sugarhill Records at the 11th Annual Rhythm and Blues Awards Gala.
Beverly “Guitar” Watkins (1939 – 2019)
“Queen of the Blues Guitar”
Toured nationally and worked alongside acts such as BB King, Ray Charles, and James Brown. She was one of the first women to be recognized as a lead blues guitarist. Read our 2016 interview with Beverly Watkins.
Beverly “Guitar” Watkins was an internationally-known blues guitarist who started her career in 1960 as a rhythm guitar player with local radio host turned platinum-selling blues musician Piano Red. As the only woman in the band, Watkins was a 20th-century pioneer in blues guitar, touring the world and opening for acts like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. Despite her striking talent and innovative style, Watkins wouldn’t be recognized autonomously until 1999, when she teamed up with Music Maker Relief Foundation to launch her solo debut, Back in Business. She went on to receive multiple awards, including a European Grammy for her 2007 release, Don’t Mess With Miss Watkins.
Lady Bo aka Peggy Jones (1940 – 2015)
“Queen Mother of Guitar”
Although never rightfully credited, Peggy Jones co-wrote many of Bo Diddley’s early songs credited for playing a key role in the transition of Blues to Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Peggy Jones, also known as Lady Bo, was an innovative and expressive guitarist who was an original part of Bo Diddley’s sound from 1957 to1962, becoming one of the first women rock guitarists in a highly visible rock band and dubbing her “Queen Mother of Guitar.” Also influential in her own songwriting and musical endeavors thereafter, Jones left Bo Diddley’s band in 1961 to focus on her work with R&B band the Jewels. She is known for her popularization of the guitar synthesizer, not typically heard in rhythm and blues music, and has remained a pioneering source of inspiration for hundreds of musicians to follow.
Barbara Lynn 1942 – Present
“Mother of R&B Guitar”
Left-handed guitarist, composer and performer of the popular #1 US Billboard R&B chart hit “You’ll Lose A Good Thing”
Known as the “Lefty Queen of R&B” for being one of the first left-handed woman guitarists to appear on television and radio, Barbara Lynn has been playing blues-infused soul since the 1960s. She’s had numerous billboard-charting hits, including “You’ll Lose a Good Thing” (1962) and “I’m a Good Woman” (1966), blazing the trail as a young woman fronting a band, playing an instrument, and writing her own songs. Since the 1960s, Lynn has toured with the likes of Smokey Robinson, Ike and Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Gladys Knight. Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones, among others, have covered her songs, and artists including Moby and Lil Wayne have sampled her music.
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Comments
[…] feminist reprise of mariachi culture, or their dressing-down of guitar lore with an important and long-overdue nod to black women guitarists. These are topics that should not only be of interest to women or female musicians, but to anyone […]
Pingback by She-Horse: Lessons in the Dangers of Brand Politics from the Perennial 'Women-in-Music' - Kela Parker on September 28, 2020 at 7:35 pmIts a Damn Shame that others don’t know about these, Gals!
Comment by Rick m on September 29, 2020 at 2:47 pmHey, they were much better than me, and that aint no Joke!
God Bless Music and all that believe it.
Ps. Keep it going. I am going to share this with my wife. Shes an Artist, not a musician, but Will appreciate this!
Rick M.
Lady Bo did a second stint with Bo from 1970 -1992. I was there with her on bass and we were married until her passing. She was a very unique player and a lot of male guitarists were always blown away by her use of her guitar synthesizer and guitar pedals.
Comment by Wally Malone on September 29, 2020 at 5:36 pmWally Malone
Lady Bo did a second stint with Bo from 1970 -1992. I was there with her on bass and we were married until her passing. She was a very unique player and a lot of male guitarists were always blown away by her use of her guitar synthesizer and guitar pedals.
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Comment by tetris on October 19, 2020 at 2:37 amAs a dad of two wonderful girls of mixed race, and a musician let me just say, Thank You for this!!!
I tell them constantly that they are living in a great time of information ( that’s was once hidden) and examples of excellence that happen to look like them!
Comment by Mark K on October 19, 2020 at 1:27 pmI just want to thank you for getting this truth out there. The contributions of these women cannot be overstated, but as usual in a Man’s World, they are instead understated. Again, I want to thank you for bringing this information forward because, in all honesty, even though I’m a singer/songwriter in the Blues genre, I knew almost nothing about most of these Ladies. I knew of Sister Rosetta Tharpe because like many of us, I’ve seen the well known video of her approaching a Depot in a horse drawn buggy and then after disembarking, playing her Soul out to a small crowd of young WHITE music enthusiasts. All of the others I knew nothing of, I’m ashamed to admit.
Thank you for opening my eyes and my ears, to the realities of the origins of Rock and Roll and Blues.
Again, Thank You.
HB
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I was born in London in 1941 and grew up to the bombs of WWII falling around. I listened to Elizabeth Cotton singing “Freight Train” on BBC Radio when I was very young, and loved it. In the 60’s it was my heyday, living in London flats and hanging out with all the nascent folk groups, many including people who later became famous. Many meets were held in rooms over pubs or the basements under coffee shops. At the time a number of them were including their own renderings of Sylvia Robinson’s “Love is Strange,” long before I heard a recording of it. I once had an old 78 rpm about 1/2 inch thick record of Jelly Roll Morton singing the original Jelly Roll Blues, with Bessie Smith singing on the flip side. Can’t recall what she sang but wow, she had some fabulous pipes. A visitor going through my record collection left it and other treasured records too close to my fire and ruined it.
Plan to revisit this site often, thanks for the memories.
Comment by Brenda ReVelle on February 11, 2021 at 2:17 pmI am so grateful for this truth! I’m an Assistant Principal of an elementary school and I’m excited to use your work and share about these pioneers with out teachers, students, and families. Thank you so much for putting this together!
Comment by Andres Aguilar on February 22, 2021 at 8:54 amSo nicely put together. I used to listen Beverly watkins a lot.
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Comment by recycling company uae on April 7, 2021 at 4:56 amThese women’s accomplishments cannot be exaggerated, but, as is customary in a Man’s World, they are underestimated. I’d want to thank you again for bringing this information to my attention since, despite the fact that I’m a blues singer/songwriter, I knew very little about most of these ladies.
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Pingback by Some Of The LGBTQ+ Community's Biggest Contributions To Pop Culture – iHeartRadio - Needs n Wants Merch on July 2, 2022 at 9:50 pmI just wanted to thank you for bringing up this story. The contributions of these women cannot be overstated, but as is often the case in One Man’s World, they are often underrated. Once again, I would like to thank you for bringing this information to the public as up until now I know almost nothing about most of these Women. I know Sister Rosetta Tharpe because, like many of us, I watched the famous video of her approaching the Storage in a horse-drawn carriage and then getting off, playing her Soul cards to a friend. small group of young people passionate about WHITE music. All the others I know nothing about, Thank you for opening my eyes and ears, to the realities of the origins of Rock and Roll and Blues. An excellent article full of humanity.
Comment by bubble shooter on July 5, 2022 at 2:11 amI just wanted to thank you for bringing up this story. The contributions of these women cannot be overstated, but as is often the case in One Man’s World, they are often underrated. Once again, I would like to thank you for bringing this information to the public as up until now I know almost nothing about most of these Women. I know Sister Rosetta Tharpe because, like many of us, I watched the famous video of her approaching the Storage in a horse-drawn carriage and then getting off, playing her Soul cards to a friend. small group of young people passionate about WHITE music. All the others I know nothing about, Thank you for opening my eyes and ears, to the realities of the origins of Rock and Roll and Blues. An excellent article full of humanity.
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