CONTENTS

Preface: The Lonesome Road

1. Cotton Plant (1915–1920)

2. Got on My Travelin’ Shoes (1920–1937)

3. From Spirituals to Swing (1938–1940)

4. Shout, Sister, Shout (1940–1946)

BRIDGE: “She Made That Guitar Talk”

5. Little Sister (1947–1949)

6. At Home and on the Road (1948–1950)

7. “The World’s Greatest Spiritual Concert” (1950–1951)

8. Sister in Opryland (1952)

9. Don’t Leave Me Here (1953–1957)

BRIDGE: “The Men Would Stand Back”

10. Rebirth and Revival (1957–1964)

11. Riding the Gospel Train (1960–1970)

12. I Looked Down the Line (1970–1973)

Epilogue: Vibrations, Strong and Mean

Acknowledgments

Appendix

Interviews

Selected Discography

Credits and Permissions

Notes

Index