Tina Turner photographed by Lynn Goldsmith, 1975.

Mrs Tina Turner The "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" 

(November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023)

In a career spanning more than 60 years, the US-Swiss singer, who was born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, won eight competitive Grammy Awards and has a star on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St Louis Walk of Fame.

Her famous track list over the years includes the Bond theme track for 1995’s GoldenEye, with a tune of the same name co-written by Bono and The Edge of U2 fame, and other tracks include We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome), What’s Love Got to Do With It, Private Dancer, Let’s Stay Together and many more.

In 2008 she duetted at the Grammys with Beyonce for a rendition of Proud Mary which featured both the powerful singers, in sparkly outfits, mirroring each other’s choreography.

Other notable duets through her career included performing with David Bowie and in 1985 she took to the stage with The Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger during Live Aid.

Her career spanned more than music, with her starring in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome alongside Mel Gibson and she also appeared in 1993’s Last Action Hero.

In 2021 she sold the rights to her back catalogue after reaching an agreement with BMG for an undisclosed sum, signing over her share of her recordings, her music publishing writer’s share and her name, image and likeness, the company said.

Her solo works include 10 studio albums, two live albums, two soundtracks and five compilations, which together have sold more than 100 million records.

All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. 

Tina, we will miss you dearly.

RIP ACID QUEEN

Tina Turner (November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023)

Tina Turner/Anna Mae Bullock 1939-2023 RIP

Tony Frank - Ike and Tina Turner, Hôtel Georges V Paris. 1971

The Beyhive was abuzz when Beyoncé dropped a teaser for her two new country-adjacent song (“Texas Hold 'Em” and “16 Carriages”) during the Superbowl. But when it comes to African American soul divas dabbling in country music, as so often the case in pop culture history, Queen Tina got there first! I’d always mistakenly assumed Acid Queen (1975) was Tina Turner’s debut solo effort, but no – the record Tina Turns the Country On was released in September 1974 (so it turns fifty this year. Note that Tina started releasing solo material when she was still married to Ike). On it, the R&B tigress wraps her gravelly rasp around material by the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Hank Snow, Bob Dylan and James Taylor. While Turns the Country On garnered Turner a Grammy nomination that year for "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female" it belly-flopped commercially (no singles from it were released) and the reviews were decidedly mixed (“She sounds so woeful doing country on Turns the Country On, you would think she grew up overseas” Ron Wynn concludes in his 1985 book Tina: The Tina Turner Story). You can judge for yourself – the album is streaming on Spotify. Ultimately, as the Saving Country Music website notes “perhaps Tina Turner’s biggest country music contribution came from being a muse, not a performer. In 1969, Waylon Jennings was hanging out at the Fort Worther Motel in Fort Worth, TX when he breezed by an advertisement for Tina Turner describing her as a “good hearted woman loving two-timing men.” Waylon immediately recognized the phrase as the perfect premise for a country song” – and it resulted in his 1972 hit “Good Hearted Woman.”

Young Tina Turner

Rest in peace Tina Turner 🌹 Simply the Best (November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023)

Tina Turner photographed by Jack Robinson in New York, 1969.

View of Ike and Tina Turner performing with the Ikettes in the 1975 French television special "Poiret est a vous." The host was the French actor, writer and director Jean Poiret; the special aired on December 24, 1975. Stamped on back: "TF1. Mention photo TF 1. La signature est obligatoire; elle n'est donc pas un service rendu. Art. 6 de la loi des droits d'auteur. Chaque photo reproduite doit etre signee: Photo TF1 et is nom du photograph. Cette photo est gratuite et libre de droits sous reservers suivantes. Mention obligatoire: photo T.F. 1. La presentation et l'usage de cette photographie doit correspondre au but d'information ou de critique pour lequel cette photo est normalement delivree et devra respecter les droits des personnes photographiees sur leur image. Est strictement interdite, la remise de cette photographie a un tiers, ainsi que son exploitation publicitaire ou commerciale, notamment sous forme de montage quel qu'il soit. Poiret est a vous. Emission de M et G Carpentier avec Ike et Tina Turner, mercredi 24 decembre 1975." Handwritten on back: "Tina Turner."

E. Azalia Hackley Collection of African Americans in the Performing Arts, Detroit Public Library

Tina Turner Dies at 83

- “She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous,” Mick Jagger says

Tina Turner, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Ike & Tina Turner and as a solo artist, has died at 83.

No cause or date of death was given in the statement posted May 24 on Turner’s Facebook page.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner,” it read. “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow.”

Turner had “been ill, but I never thought this day would come,” Darlene Love said on Facebook.

“There will never be a performer like Tina Turner again,” Love wrote. “She was one of a kind. Icon, legend, warm-hearted, hard-working, legs for days, hitmaker, pioneer, hardest-working artist, survivor. She was simply the best.”

Former Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler recalled seeing the Turners open for the Rolling Stones in 1966 and becoming “an instant fan.”

“I’m so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner,” Mick Jagger said of his Live Aid duet partner.

“She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer. She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.”

Turner broke away from her abusive marriage and musical partnership with Ike and launched a hugely successful solo career in the 1980s with hits like “Better be Good to Me,” “Private Dancer” and many others.

“Thank you for being the inspiration to millions of people around the world for speaking your truth and giving us the gift of your voice,” Bryan Adams said in eulogizing his one-time touring partner.

In 1990, Turner launched a sold-out tour of Europe with the Neville Brothers, leaving Arron Neville to mourn her loss.

“She showed us much love and respect,” he wrote on social media.

Jazz guitarist Al Di Meola called Turner “the epitome of class.” Former NBA star “Magic” Johnson said “she gave one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen.” And John Fogerty “loved her version of (Creedence Clearwater Revival’s) ‘Proud Mary.’”

“(Turner) taught women that they could be strong, sexy, fearless and their own person,” Carole King said. “May she rest in peace and power.”

Turner retired from music in 2009. But her influence was secure.

“There was nothing her deep, robust voice couldn’t do,” the Rock Hall said in its online eulogy.

5/24/23

Ike and Tina Turner alive