Gibson, the iconic, leading American instrument brand headquartered in Nashville, TN, is thrilled to announce its second annual Gibson Gives Sister Rosetta Tharpe music scholarship--administered by the Arkansas Art Academy--has been awarded to music student Luis Melchor.

The music scholarship created in honor of the incomparable, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, with the Gibson Gives Sister Rosetta Tharpe Scholarship, Gibson--through its philanthropic division Gibson Gives--awards a music scholarship directly every year to a high school senior as they prepare to navigate their post graduate education and future career in the music industry. The scholarship is comprised of cash grants as well instruments and gear, with each recipient receiving one acoustic or electric guitar, as well as a $5,000 cash grant to assist in their ​education. The annual Gibson Gives Sister Rosetta Tharpe music scholarship honoring the iconic Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, brings her massive musical influence back to her birth state of Arkansas.

“Luis is a great kid and has grown so much as a musician,” says Patrick, Music Instructor, Arkansas Art Academy. “He has an insatiable passion for music - particularly vocally, and as a guitarist. If he continues to put the time and effort into his playing, he will have a great future in music.”

“Gibson Gives believes in nurturing young talent who will shape the soundscape of tomorrow,” adds Erica Krusen, Global Executive Director of Gibson Gives. “Supporting a music education scholarship with the Arkansas Arts Academy means investing in the future harmony of our world.”

An audacious performer from Cotton Plant, Arkansas who became a gospel superstar, Sister Rosetta Tharpe is an artist that rarely comes up in debates about the true founding father of rock ‘n’ roll. She fronted her own band, she was one of the first artists of note to play the iconic ‘61 Les Paul SG Custom electric guitar, she was a headlining, black female artist who toured through the segregated Jim Crow South, and she has been largely overlooked as a seminal figure in the creation of rock music. As it turns out, the founding father of rock ‘n’ roll wasn’t a father at all – that distinction belongs to Sister Rosetta. A gospel-trained force of nature that broke barriers, stereotypes, and norms with astonishing regularity, her electrifying music predates the work of like-minded guitar legends including Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, and Elvis. Sister Rosetta Tharpe unequivocally remains the textbook definition of an iconoclast – The Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Watch and share "Shout, Sister, Shout! Sister Rosetta Tharpe,” Gibson TV’s tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, featuring Celisse--who also served as creative director of the Sister Rosetta Tharpe Collection--and Amythyst Kiah, which takes viewers on a journey of Sister Rosetta’s monumental impact on music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii06ABCd9ww.

One of the first artists of note to play the iconic 1961 Les Paul Gibson SG Custom electric guitar, Gibson proudly partners with the Sister Rosetta Tharpe estate to celebrate her music and cultural influence with a lifestyle and accessories collection, which aligned with the 61st anniversary of her well-known, No. 1 instrument, the 1961 Les Paul SG, available as both a Gibson HERE, and an Epiphone, HERE. View all similar Gibson SG's https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Search?q=white+SG.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe--her music, and her beloved ’61 Les Paul SG, are as iconic and relevant today as 63 years ago, evidenced by the artists who to this day honor Sister Rosetta as the original force of nature that ignited the invention of rock music.

Explore the entire Sister Rosetta Tharpe Collection on Gibson.com.

The leading global guitar brand, Gibson continues to shape the sounds of generations of musicians across the globe. Gibson supports the global music community through its philanthropic arm, Gibson Gives. The mission of Gibson Gives is to support non-profit organizations worldwide in their efforts to advance musicians, youth-focused education, music, and health and wellness initiatives. 100% of donations to Gibson Gives go towards giving the gift of music.