Tina Turner, an iconic singer known as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” passed away at the age of 83 on Wednesday. Her family released a statement confirming her peaceful demise at her residence in Kusnacht, near Zurich, Switzerland. The world has lost a music legend and an inspirational figure.
Born as Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, in Brownsville, Tennessee, Turner embarked on a remarkable career that spanned over six decades. She began her musical journey in 1957, joining Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm as a performer. In 1958, under the name “Little Ann,” she made her first appearance on the song “Boxtop.” In 1960, Ike & Tina Turner released their debut recording, “A Fool in Love,” which achieved tremendous success by crossing over to the pop charts and earning platinum status. Ike and Tina tied the knot in 1962.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Ike & Tina Turner produced numerous hits, including their renowned rendition of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary.” They also earned a reputation as an extraordinary live act. Behind the scenes, however, their relationship was plagued by physical, emotional, and financial abuse, with Ike subjecting Tina to unimaginable suffering. Tina documented these harrowing experiences in her memoir, “My Love Story,” published in 2018. She revealed incidents of severe violence, such as hot coffee being thrown in her face, relentless nose-breaking, a broken jaw, and even an attempted suicide.
In 1976, Turner filed for divorce, marking the end of their tumultuous marriage in March 1978. Nevertheless, her struggles persisted as Ike sent individuals to harass and intimidate her during the divorce proceedings. He also maintained control over their contracts and finances, leaving Tina and their four sons dependent on food stamps. Additionally, Ike retained all the publishing rights to their music, leaving Tina without a source of income. She expressed that her relationship with Ike was doomed from the start, as he sought to exploit her as a moneymaker and maintain absolute control over her life.
Following the divorce, Turner’s career faced a decline for several years. However, she made a remarkable comeback with her solo album “Private Dancer” in 1984, which achieved five-times platinum status and featured the chart-topping hit “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Turner viewed this album as her debut rather than a comeback. Her resurgence continued in 1985 when she starred in the film “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” alongside Mel Gibson and secured a No. 2 hit with the song “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome).” Her subsequent album, “Break Every Rule” released in 1986, also achieved platinum status and featured the No. 2 hit “Typical Male.” Turner continued releasing music throughout the following decade, with her final studio album, “Twenty Four Seven,” released in 1999. She retired from the stage in 2000 after her successful “Twenty Four Seven Tour.” However, in 2008, she made another comeback, performing at the Grammys alongside Beyonce and embarking on the Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour. After the conclusion of the lucrative tour in 2009, she officially retired from performing.
Turner’s remarkable career was adorned with numerous accolades. She received eight Grammy Awards, had three songs enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame, and was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005, she was bestowed with the Kennedy Center Honors, alongside luminaries such as Tony Bennett, Suzanne Farrell, Julie Harris, and Robert Redford. Notably, Turner became one of three women,
