Credit: Phillip spittleTina Turner, often called the Queen of Rock’n Roll, passed away at her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. She was 83 years old.
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Known for her energetic performances and a voice that “sounded like screaming dirt,” Tina Turner, then Anna Mae Bullock, was born on November 26, 1939, in Nutbush, Tennessee. She would sing in the local church choir before she would frequent nightclubs with her sister. There, she met Ike Turner and eventually became the lead singer of his band, where he changed her name to Tina.
After a successful single with “A Fool In Love,” the duo married and became The Ike & Tina Turner Revue, later changed to just Ike & Tina Turner. They had multiple hits, with their most successful song being a cover of Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary,” released in 1971. After over a decade of marriage and professional success, Tina left Ike due to drug and physical abuse.
Turner then found even greater success as a solo artist, creating classic songs like “Private Dancer,” “Better Be Good To Me,” “The Best,” and “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” She also starred in multiple movies, including Tommy (1975), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), and Last Action Hero (1993).
She also helped out with numerous Disney projects, providing songs to the soundtracks for Elton John and Time Rice’s Aida (1999), Brother Bear (2003), and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998). Her cover of “Whole Lotta Love” was also included on the soundtrack for Cruella (2021).
The Legacy of Tina Turner
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To this day, Tina Turner is considered one of the best musical artists ever. She was the first woman and black artist to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone, won 12 Grammy Awards, had three songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and has been inducted into multiple halls of fame.
Disney-owned Touchstone Pictures released a semi-autobiographical film about her life called What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993), starring Angela Bassett as Tina Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner. Both were nominated for Academy Awards for their performance. There was also a Broadway musical about her life called TINA-:The Tina Tuner Musical (2019). It was nominated for many Tony Awards, winning Best Actress for Adrienne Warren.
Her UK spokesperson Bernard Doherty said in a statement, “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”
What is your favorite Tina Turner song? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!