Breaking News: Rock 'n' Roll Legend Tina Turner Passes Away at 83 – An Iconic Career Remembered
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The world is mourning the loss of legendary rock’n’roll icon Tina Turner, who passed away at 83 after a long battle with illness.
In the past few years, Turner faced health challenges ranging from intestinal cancer to having a kidney transplant, but through it all, she remained a radiant force of inspiration.
Turner's role in recognising and magnifying the remarkable contribution of Black women to rock 'n' roll was crucial.
Her influence was so profound that in 2011, Mick Jagger acknowledged her electrifying and energetic live shows as the inspiration behind his own stage presence.
Her remarkable life has been chronicled through three memoirs, a biopic, a jukebox musical, and the highly acclaimed 2021 documentary film Tina, demonstrating how she was so much more than just a rock singer.
In a statement, her publicist Bernard Doherty announced: ‘Tina Turner, the “Queen of Rock 'n’ Roll,” peacefully passed away today at the age of 83 after a long illness at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.’
‘With her departure, the world mourns the loss of a music legend and a role model.'
Tributes for the global phenomenon poured in, with some of the renowned names in the entertainment industry expressing their deepest condolences.
Diana Ross
Stephen King
Piers Morgan
Bette Midler
Tom Jones
John Fogerty
Elton John
The global pop superstar said Turner had been ‘untouchable’.
Turner, originally named Anna Mae Bullock, was born on November 26, 1939, and raised in Nutbush, Tennessee.
She grew up helping her family pick cotton and singing in the church choir. As a teenager, she joined Ike's band in St. Louis by impressing him during BB King’s ‘You Know I Love You’ performance.
Ike renamed her Tina Turner and trademarked the name to ensure he could replace her if she left him.
The couple made an instant name for themselves as 'Ike and Tina Turner,' releasing their debut single, 'A Fool in Love,' in July 1960, which achieved moderate chart success.
However, their electrifying live performances pushed them to fame, particularly on the Chitlin' Circuit, an unacknowledged circuit of performance venues in the South of America where audiences knew to find the hottest acts.
Throughout the 1960s, the duo gained further attention from prominent rock figures like Phil Spector, producer of their 1966 hit 'River Deep – Mountain High' and they visited the Rolling Stones, making fans of established acts like David Bowie, Sly Stone, Cher, Elvis Presley, and Elton John.
It was in the 1970s that they became a successful chart-topping and Grammy-winning act. However, their relationship had become increasingly abusive during this time, with Ike consistently hitting Tina.
In 1976, she left Ike and their partnership ended. Her final single with the group was 'A Baby, Get It On' from the film adaptation of The Who's rock opera Tommy.
After their divorce was finalised in 1978, she retained only two cars and the rights to her stage name.
However, even though she had already released two solo albums before, it wasn't until 1984, with the release of her fifth album, 'Private Dancer’, that she managed to shed her previous image and carve a new path.
Embracing a mullet hairstyle and donning leather attire, Turner established herself as a formidable presence in the pop music scene.
In the documentary Tina she considered Private Dancer as her debut, stating: ‘I don't consider it a comeback. Tina had never arrived.’
It was during the 1980s that Turner credited her positive transformation to Buddhism, specifically the practice of chanting.
Alongside her music career, she starred in the film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome alongside Mel Gibson in 1985 and released a Bond song - the theme song for the James Bond film GoldenEye in 1995.
After releasing her ultimate solo album, Twenty Four Seven, in 2000, Turner announced her retirement.
However, in 2008, she made a remarkable return by gracing the stage at the Grammy Awards alongside Beyoncé, reigniting her career.
This began her final tour, a testament to her enduring talent and unwavering passion for music.
In 2018, she collaborated with Phyllida Lloyd on the musical Tina which premiered in 2018 and received Laurence Olivier and Tony awards for its successful runs in the West End and on Broadway.
In 2020, a remix of her 1984 hit 'What's Love Got to Do With It?' by Norwegian producer Kygo propelled Turner to become the first artist to have a UK Top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades - a remarkable achievement.
In 2021, she was honoured as a solo artist with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 30 years after Ike and Tina Turner's induction.
Turner is survived by her second husband, German music executive Erwin Bach, whom she married in July 2013 after 27 years together.
They resided in Switzerland, where Turner had become a Swiss citizen after renouncing her US citizenship in 2013.
She was also mother to Craig Raymond Turner, who passed away in July 2018, as well as two of Ike Turner’s sons, who she had adopted, Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner.
Reflecting on Tina's remarkable career, it's essential to remember that she overcame significant adversity and became a shining beacon of hope and inspiration for countless people worldwide. She once said: 'That's what I've achieved, and it is my greatest wish to help others become truly happy as well.'
Tina Turner – thank you for the music, for teaching us how to be courageous and determined, and for proving that it's never too late to start anew.
Your legacy will live on in our hearts and playlists for generations. Rest in peace, Queen of Rock 'n’ Roll.
In the past few years, Turner faced health challenges ranging from intestinal cancer to having a kidney transplant, but through it all, she remained a radiant force of inspiration.
Turner's role in recognising and magnifying the remarkable contribution of Black women to rock 'n' roll was crucial.
Her influence was so profound that in 2011, Mick Jagger acknowledged her electrifying and energetic live shows as the inspiration behind his own stage presence.
Legendary pop star and ‘Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll’ Tina Turner passed away at 83 after a long battle with numerous illnesses. Credit: Shutterstock.
Her remarkable life has been chronicled through three memoirs, a biopic, a jukebox musical, and the highly acclaimed 2021 documentary film Tina, demonstrating how she was so much more than just a rock singer.
In a statement, her publicist Bernard Doherty announced: ‘Tina Turner, the “Queen of Rock 'n’ Roll,” peacefully passed away today at the age of 83 after a long illness at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.’
‘With her departure, the world mourns the loss of a music legend and a role model.'
Tributes for the global phenomenon poured in, with some of the renowned names in the entertainment industry expressing their deepest condolences.
Diana Ross
Stephen King
Piers Morgan
Bette Midler
Tom Jones
John Fogerty
Elton John
The global pop superstar said Turner had been ‘untouchable’.
Turner, originally named Anna Mae Bullock, was born on November 26, 1939, and raised in Nutbush, Tennessee.
She grew up helping her family pick cotton and singing in the church choir. As a teenager, she joined Ike's band in St. Louis by impressing him during BB King’s ‘You Know I Love You’ performance.
Ike renamed her Tina Turner and trademarked the name to ensure he could replace her if she left him.
The couple made an instant name for themselves as 'Ike and Tina Turner,' releasing their debut single, 'A Fool in Love,' in July 1960, which achieved moderate chart success.
However, their electrifying live performances pushed them to fame, particularly on the Chitlin' Circuit, an unacknowledged circuit of performance venues in the South of America where audiences knew to find the hottest acts.
Throughout the 1960s, the duo gained further attention from prominent rock figures like Phil Spector, producer of their 1966 hit 'River Deep – Mountain High' and they visited the Rolling Stones, making fans of established acts like David Bowie, Sly Stone, Cher, Elvis Presley, and Elton John.
It was in the 1970s that they became a successful chart-topping and Grammy-winning act. However, their relationship had become increasingly abusive during this time, with Ike consistently hitting Tina.
In 1976, she left Ike and their partnership ended. Her final single with the group was 'A Baby, Get It On' from the film adaptation of The Who's rock opera Tommy.
After their divorce was finalised in 1978, she retained only two cars and the rights to her stage name.
However, even though she had already released two solo albums before, it wasn't until 1984, with the release of her fifth album, 'Private Dancer’, that she managed to shed her previous image and carve a new path.
Embracing a mullet hairstyle and donning leather attire, Turner established herself as a formidable presence in the pop music scene.
In the documentary Tina she considered Private Dancer as her debut, stating: ‘I don't consider it a comeback. Tina had never arrived.’
It was during the 1980s that Turner credited her positive transformation to Buddhism, specifically the practice of chanting.
Alongside her music career, she starred in the film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome alongside Mel Gibson in 1985 and released a Bond song - the theme song for the James Bond film GoldenEye in 1995.
After releasing her ultimate solo album, Twenty Four Seven, in 2000, Turner announced her retirement.
However, in 2008, she made a remarkable return by gracing the stage at the Grammy Awards alongside Beyoncé, reigniting her career.
This began her final tour, a testament to her enduring talent and unwavering passion for music.
In 2018, she collaborated with Phyllida Lloyd on the musical Tina which premiered in 2018 and received Laurence Olivier and Tony awards for its successful runs in the West End and on Broadway.
In 2020, a remix of her 1984 hit 'What's Love Got to Do With It?' by Norwegian producer Kygo propelled Turner to become the first artist to have a UK Top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades - a remarkable achievement.
In 2021, she was honoured as a solo artist with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 30 years after Ike and Tina Turner's induction.
Turner is survived by her second husband, German music executive Erwin Bach, whom she married in July 2013 after 27 years together.
They resided in Switzerland, where Turner had become a Swiss citizen after renouncing her US citizenship in 2013.
She was also mother to Craig Raymond Turner, who passed away in July 2018, as well as two of Ike Turner’s sons, who she had adopted, Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner.
Reflecting on Tina's remarkable career, it's essential to remember that she overcame significant adversity and became a shining beacon of hope and inspiration for countless people worldwide. She once said: 'That's what I've achieved, and it is my greatest wish to help others become truly happy as well.'
Tina Turner – thank you for the music, for teaching us how to be courageous and determined, and for proving that it's never too late to start anew.
Your legacy will live on in our hearts and playlists for generations. Rest in peace, Queen of Rock 'n’ Roll.
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