Tina Turner, the iconic rock’n’roll star who achieved enormous success in the 1980s, passed away on 24th May 2023. Turner’s impact on the music industry was profound, particularly for Black women in rock’n’roll. Her energetic live performances and high-kicking stage presence influenced the likes of Mick Jagger, who openly acknowledged drawing inspiration from her. After enduring a tumultuous two-decade partnership with her abusive husband, Ike Turner, she courageously embarked on a solo career. She ultimately became one of the defining pop icons of the 1980s with her album “Private Dancer.” Her life story has been chronicled in multiple memoirs, a biopic, a jukebox musical, and a critically acclaimed documentary titled “Tina” released in 2021.
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How did Tina Turner die?
Confirming her passing, her publicist Bernard Doherty issued a statement saying, “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll,’ has peacefully passed away today at the age of 83 after a long illness at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. The world has lost a music legend and a role model and lots of people wondered ‘Did Tina Turner die for real?’.” At 83 the star had been battling intestinal cancer since 2016 and underwent a kidney transplant in 2017. Daphne A. Brooks, a scholar, wrote about Turner’s musical persona in 2018, describing it as a combination of mystery, light, melancholy, and a ferocious vitality that often flirted with danger.
How Did Tina Turner become famous?
Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, in Nutbush, Tennessee, had humble beginnings. She started singing in her church choir and later joined Ike’s band in St. Louis as a teenager. Ike initially refused her request to join, but when he witnessed her commanding the microphone during a performance of BB King’s “You Know I Love You,” he changed his mind. Ike gave her the name Tina Turner and even trademarked it as a precaution in case she ever left him and he needed a replacement. Unfortunately, their relationship quickly turned abusive, with Ike resorting to physical violence, such as hitting her with a wooden shoe stretcher when she attempted to leave the group.
Her Abusive husband
In her 2018 biography, “My Love Story,” Turner reflected on her doomed relationship with Ike, stating, “He needed to control me, economically and psychologically, so I could never leave him.” Turner made her recorded debut under the name Tina Turner with the Ike and Tina Turner single “A Fool in Love” in 1960, which achieved success on the US charts. However, it was their electrifying live performances that truly captivated audiences. They embarked on an aggressive tour of the Chitlin’ Circuit, performing in front of integrated audiences, and showcasing their remarkable commercial power. In 1964, they signed with Warner Bros imprint Loma Records, which released their first charting album, “Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show.”
During the late 1960s, Ike and Tina were sought after by some of the biggest names in rock music. They worked with legendary producer Phil Spector on the 1966 single “River Deep – Mountain High,” and they toured with the Rolling Stones, as well as performing alongside stars like David Bowie, Sly Stone, Cher, Elvis Presley, and Elton John during their Las Vegas residency.
Biggest Successes
The duo achieved chart success and won Grammy awards throughout the 1970s. However, Turner’s decision to leave Ike in 1976 marked the end of their collaboration. Their last single together was “Baby, Get It On,” featured in the 1975 film adaptation of The Who’s rock opera “Tommy,” in which Turner played the character Acid Queen, also the name of her second solo album.
