In Memoriam : Tina Turner, queen of rock-n-roll, dies at 83

Iconic singer Tina Turner, known as the Queen of Rock-N-Roll, has died. She was 83.

Tina Turner passes away at 83

The news was confirmed on Turner’s official Facebook page. According to reports, Turner passed away after battling a long illness.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner,” the statement said on various social media accounts. “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.”

For some years before her passing, Turner had suffered from various illnesses, including a stroke in 2013, intestinal cancer in 2016 and a kidney transplant in 2017.

Tina Turner : Queen of Rock-N-Roll

Turner was a musical genius who persevered over personal trauma, as she fled an abusive relationship from her musical mentor and first husband, Ike Turner, to achieve pop stardom.

Rolling Stone once named her “one of the greatest singers of all time.”

Born Anna Mae Bullock on Nov. 26, 1939 in Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner began her music career as a youngster singing in the choir at Nutbush’s Spring Hill Baptist Church.

By her teenage years, she made a transition, fully immersing herself in the local rhythm and blues scene. In 1956, she would meet Ike Turner from the band, Kings of Rhythm, and became part of their act under the stage name, Tina Turner.

Together, they recorded hits in the 1960s including, “A Fool in Love,” “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” “I Idolize You” and “River Deep — Mountain High” as part of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue.

In 1971, their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary” would become one of their biggest hits. Their song “Nutbush City Limits” also climbed the charts in 1973.

Turner also released two solo albums while she was a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue: “Tina Turns the Country On!” in 1974 and “Acid Queen” in 1975.

Divorce and solo career

In 1978, Turner divorced Ike, citing physical abuse and infidelity.

Following her divorce, Turner released her third solo album, “Rough,” an album of blues and disco cover songs with a rock influence. Soon after, her musical prowess would garner her the moniker, “Queen of Rock-n-Roll”.

In September 1984, she achieved her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” The song earned her a Grammy for record of the year in 1985.

Acting Career

She also shared her talents in acting, starring alongside Mel Gibson in the 1985 film “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” as the character Aunty Entity. The film was an international success and Turner received the NAACP Image Award for outstanding actress for her role in the movie. As part of the film, she recorded two songs: “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)” and “One of the Living.” “One of the Living” earned her a Grammy Award for best female rock performance.

Turner’s career continued to catapult, releasing her sixth solo album “Break Every Rule”, publishing her autobiography, “I, Tina,” getting her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and going on her “Break Every Rule World Tour,” which began in March 1987 in overseas in Munich.

After her tour in 1989, she released “Foreign Affair”, which included her hit single “The Best.”

Tina Tuner Autobiographical Movie

Fans got to see a portrayal of Turner’s life on screen with the 1993 autobiographical film “What’s Love Got to Do With It”,  starring Angela Bassett as Tina Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner. Both actors received Oscar nominations for their roles.

In 2018, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Turner is survived by her children, Raymond Craig, Ronnie Turner, Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner.