AMERICAN MASTERS: “SISTER ROSETTA THARPE: THE GODMOTHER OF ROCK & ROLL”
PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET
The opening minutes of this new biographical profile state that both Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley were influenced greatly by Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s wild and energetic guitar playing, stage style and vocal chops – and those same minutes are accompanied by a vintage film clip, of her in performance, that backs up the claim persuasively. Bob Dylan is quoted in the hour, raving about her. Tune in and see why – and wait for footage, near the end of the profile, of Tharpe’s late-in-life performance for British TV on a local railroad platform. Wow. Check local listings.