We are deeply saddened by the news of Tina Turner’s passing at the age of 83 after a long illness. She was a legendary singer, dancer, actress and author who rose to fame as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before launching a successful solo career that spanned five decades. She was widely referred to as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and one of the most influential and best-selling artists of all time.
Tina Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee. She grew up singing in a church choir and joined Ike Turner’s band, the Kings of Rhythm, in 1957. She soon became the star attraction of the group and adopted the stage name Tina Turner. She married Ike in 1962 and they formed the duo Ike & Tina Turner, which became “one of the most formidable live acts in history” . They released hits such as “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine”, “River Deep – Mountain High”, “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits”, but their relationship was marred by Ike’s abuse and violence. Tina finally left him in 1976 and filed for divorce.
Solo Success
In the 1980s, Tina Turner made “one of the greatest comebacks in music history” with her multi-platinum album Private Dancer, which contained the hit song “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became her first and only number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. She continued to release chart-topping songs such as “Better Be Good to Me”, “Private Dancer”, “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)”, “Typical Male”, “The Best”, “I Don’t Wanna Fight” and “GoldenEye”. She also acted in films such as Tommy (1975) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Her life story was adapted into a biographical film, What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993), and a jukebox musical, Tina (2018). She retired from performing in 2009 after completing her Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour.
Country Connection
Tina Turner was not only a rock icon, but also a versatile artist who explored different genres throughout her career. One of her lesser-known albums was Tina Turns the Country On! (1974), which featured her renditions of country songs by artists such as Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. The album showcased her powerful voice and emotional delivery, as well as her respect for country music as a form of storytelling. Although the album did not achieve commercial success, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance – Female.
The track “Bayou Song” is an original song written for Turner by P.J. Morse. There were no singles released from the album.
Tina Turns the Country On! remains unreleased on CD and is not available on streaming platforms. However we’ve tracked down a copy on YouTube
Rest in Peace
Tina Turner was a trailblazer who inspired generations of singers with her talent, charisma and resilience. She overcame many hardships and challenges in her life and always remained positive and optimistic. She once said: “I’m not wise, but the beginning of wisdom is there; it’s like relaxing into – and an acceptance of – things.” She will be greatly missed by her fans, friends and family. We send our condolences and love to her husband Erwin Bach and her four children. Rest in peace, Tina Turner. You were simply the best.