Rock ‘n’ Roll Tackles Sexism, Racism, and Ageism as Black Women in Rock Music
TDS News – In the early 20th century, Black trailblazers created and popularized rock ‘n’ roll music, spawning generations of white imitators who rode rock to international stardom and multimillion dollar careers. Yet, why are there so few Black women artists in modern rock music, and what historical, racial, and gender barriers have kept them from gaining global recognition? Sikivu Hutchinson’s powerful new novel, Rock ‘n’ Roll Heretic: The Life and Times of Rory Tharpe, explores the cutthroat world of white corporate rock through the life journey of a much-imitated, but little-credited, fifty something Black queer blues-rock electric guitarist battling racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, addiction, and personal demons at the tail-end of the disco-drenched 1970s.
A homage to pioneering guitarist Rosetta Tharpe, Rock ‘n’ Roll Heretic is a bracing look at the power politics, heartbreak, and hypocrisy confronting a visionary musician and sexual abuse survivor. At the intersection of music and commerce, faith and heresy, Rory challenges a segregated music industry that eats its Black artists.
International recording artist and electric guitarist Malina Moye calls Rock ‘n’ Roll Heretic “A masterpiece, full of twists and turns, with a bold, unapologetic lead, that will challenge history and entertain readers for years.”
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