R.I.P. Tina Turner, legendary singer, actress and inspirational figure

The trailblazing singer and dancer, dubbed "The Queen of Rock and Roll," was 83.

Tina Turner, hailed as the Queen of Rock and Roll and one of the most popular singers of all time, has passed away.

The Grammy award-winning artist was known for various hits in the '60s, early '70s and '80s, including "Proud Mary" and "What's Love Got to Do With It." Turner was also in a group with her ex-husband, Ike Turner, and later became a feminist icon for her willingness to speak out about the domestic abuse she suffered.

She was born Anna Mae Bullock in Brownsville, Tennessee. At 16, she moved to St. Louis and, after graduating, worked as a nurse's aide. After frequently visiting nightclubs in the city, she saw Ike Turner and his band perform and eventually became a featured vocalist in the band. In 1960, Turner wrote "A Fool In Love" for singer Art Lassiter, but he failed to appear at the recording session she paid for, and Turner ended up keeping the song for herself.

The singer and dancer was introduced to the world with "A Fool In Love," but not as Anna Mae Bullock. She was Tina Turner, one half of the duo Ike and Tina. The single reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, and more classics came from the new group, creating buzz around the industry, which began her success.

Turner would eventually go solo in 1976 after dealing with physical, mental and verbal abuse from her then-partner. Her mainstream success, courage, and rise to stardom as a solo act inspired women worldwide. In 1984, she released the multi-platinum album Private Dancer and started the spiky hair and short skirt trend. She embraced her legs, even getting insurance on them because they were a part of her brand. Turner moved to Chateau Algonquin in Kusnacht on the shore of Lake Zurich in 1994 and became a citizen of Switzerland in 2013.

For decades, Turner spoke her truth about how imperative it was for her to look within herself and start a new life away from the unhealthy situation she found herself in. This inspired women all over the world to not be ashamed to tell their stories.

"For a long time, I felt like I was stuck with no way out of the unhealthy situation I was in," she told Harvard Business Review in 2021. "But then I had a series of encounters with different people who encouraged me... And once I could see myself clearly, I began to change, opening the way to confidence and courage. It took a few years, but finally, I was able to stand up for myself and start anew."

The singer was 83.

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59 Comments

JHP 9 months ago
not slighting Tina at all - I got Benatar on the radio right now and guess what? I am very in the green (dart speaking) - "shadows of the night" - look it up get on your Sony or Koss
BaxterM 9 months ago
I remember watching Tina Turner on an Olivia Newton-John television special back in 1980, after her breakup with Ike Turner and before she became a worldwide solo superstar. She was vibrant, exciting and exuberant as she sang with other musical superstars during the special's musical finale.
GeorgeVieto 9 months ago
Tina was one of the sexiest women alive when she sang her songs on stage. I will miss her beyond words.
logicgrrl 9 months ago
I had a cd of a recording she made during the hard time after she left Ike. It was called "Tina Turner Sings Country". It was a damned good cd! Unfortunately, I lent it to someone who never returned it before they moved away to who knows where.
JERRY6 9 months ago
So sad that late in life she had so many tragedies , both her sons dying . She really was one of a kind , her energy was infectious . I was lucky to have seen one of her shows . She will be missed
JustGeri 9 months ago
Love has everything to do with it when the world loses a musical hero, one that we did need and I think many will lose a minute of sleeping when remembering Tina Turner.

We listened to your story, the big wheel did keep on turning and your spirit kept on burning bright out of the ruins, out of the wreckage of abuse. Even if you did worry ‘bout the way the things might've been, you kept on rolling while living under fear.

You did get to see the good side of a city after hitching a ride on a riverboat Queen. Proud Mary was indeed proud as you kept rolling …on the river and up the charts.

He was no Goldeneye but you brought him to his knees and you stayed Tina for yourself and for the world. Your time came, no longer left behind after all the tears cried. So many of us are children of the last generation that saw you emerge as a survivor…we are the ones left behind who saw you find a life beyond a personal Thunderdome. You left your mark and your story will always shine like a light — it did not end in the dark. You gave it all. There was something better out there, love and compassion finally.

Your Dancer comeback was simply the best, better than all the rest. It wasn’t any old music and you made the million dollars you richly deserved. Your legs had many pulses reacting, but the love for you was never a second hand emotion. You’re stuck on our hearts, even as they’re broken. But thank you for making Mary and all of us proud for the example of how to keep rolling. And you were part of the World who lended a hand to make a brighter day, who asked us to start giving.

With you have taken this new direction to the mountain most high in the clouds and these words you sang “Lord, it gets sweeter, sweeter, sweeter, and heaven knows,” now you know, too. You don’t have to roll any more, you’ve earned a rest. But maybe a few more dances among the stars, please…we’ll look for new ones burning bright.
Audie 9 months ago
I also loved the music of Tina Turner. I remember she sang the Phil Spector song River Deep Mountain High and his Wall of Sound. How many remember the video of Rod Stewart Hot Legs? That was Tina Turner legs they showed in the video.
Chocolitegirl Audie 9 months ago
SORRY!!! NOT TINA TURNER LEG'S!!!! UNLESS SHE'S WHITE!!!!🤷🏾‍♀️
JHP Audie 9 months ago
I think that those legs was one of many of Rod's ladies (good for him:)
LalaLucy 9 months ago
Another great talent gone. Always liked her best doing " What’s Love Got to Do With It?".
Gregory 9 months ago
Hardly a word anywhere about her role as the Acid Queen in The Who's Tommy, 1975
JHP Gregory 9 months ago
well in my defense - am a very very very big Who fan and am watching it now - might watch it 2mrrw:)
JHP 9 months ago
more talent and class gone - BULOEY! (don knotts)
AgingDisgracefully 9 months ago
Deep cut (could micro-aggress!) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DUhbr9Wj2U
But it DOES have a good beat that's easy to dance to.
timothys71 9 months ago
Any fans of the 1970's PBS show "The Electric Company" here? Rita Moreno did a great Tina Turner impersonation on the song "Unbutton Your Heart".
Moverfan timothys71 9 months ago
Loved that show (although I was 11 or 12 when it premiered and my mom said I started reading when I was two). I don't remember Unbutton Your Heart...but I do remember J. Arthur Crank singing "There is nothing I like better than my night light..." and, of course, the Short Circus...!
Tresix 9 months ago
My favorite Tina song is “One of the Living” from the “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” soundtrack. Wasn’t too fond of the movie as a whole.
Rob Tresix 9 months ago
One of my favorites too.
retired2019 9 months ago
What didn’t kill her, made her stronger.🪽😇
JHP retired2019 9 months ago
and she endured Ike's nastie-ness
tootsieg 9 months ago
Rest In Peace Tina. 🙏🙏
What a performer!!! Why “River Deep Mountain High” did not go to Number One is beyond me.
Runeshaper 9 months ago
R.I.P. Tina Turner, The Queen of Rock and Roll.
MadMadMadWorld Runeshaper 9 months ago
Many gicw her that high honor. Trouble was, other Queens have also been named over the decades: Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Grace Slick, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, etc., etc., etc. So, it all depends on your personal, subjective opinion!
"Many give her" is the first words.
Link here, nowhere does Tina Turner show up in the Top 10!
https://iloveclassicrock.com/top-10-queens-rock
JHP MadMadMadWorld 9 months ago
but in those times that was made music so darn good - it was a borgasmord of music

that list could go on for another 10 female vocals - don't really think Janis was rock and Franklin was rock (not cutting them down - at all) - if now at this minute it would be Pat Benatar because the music and what the band made fit her vocals so very good - then there was Chrissie Hynde ; just depends on what you said "soup de-jure"
Henderson MadMadMadWorld 9 months ago
Yes, she was NOT the queen of Rock n' roll. her music was R&B and pop. Franklin was the godmother of soul, correct? Joplin screamed her songs, Nicks is pop, Jett had a few songs, Slick and Benatar would be my queens.
JHP Henderson 9 months ago
Agreed - now to sound sexist but if I had to name greatest rock singers in a list - 98% would be male
Zip 9 months ago
I always liked Tina.
Never was into her music enough to buy it but I did like a lot of the songs she did.
She seemed to me to be the kind of person one could sit, have a beer or ice tea with, and just chat. She definitely was an interesting lady.
Matsui 9 months ago
RIP Tina Turner. My favorite songs are: Whats Love Got To Do With It & Private Dancer (1984).
Sway 9 months ago
R.I.P. Legend Tina Turner. Music and performances that will live on. 🕊
madvincent 9 months ago
I'll always remember her in the movie TOMMY .......She was the ACID QUEEN,,,,,,,,
Bapa1 madvincent 9 months ago
She was great in that.
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