(May 24, 2023) She was the "Queen of Rock and Soul" and one of the fiercest, most electrifying performers of the 20th Century. We are sad to report the passing of the legendary Tina Turner, who died in Switzerland after a long illness. She was 83 years old.
The news was broken on her official social media pages today: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. 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."
(May 24, 2023) She was the "Queen of Rock and Soul" and one of the fiercest, most electrifying performers of the 20th Century. We are sad to report the passing of the legendary Tina Turner, who died in Switzerland after a long illness. She was 83 years old.
The news was broken on her official social media pages today: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. 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."
Born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner transcended the boundaries of race, gender, and genre to become a star. By my, what she had to overcome to get there. Turner emerged in the 1960s as one half of the duo Ike & Tina Turner, with her mercurial, often abusive husband Ike Turner. Her powerful, rock-meet-gospel voice, combined with her magnetic beauty and stage presence, made her a star among fans of multiple genres and she shot to the top of the charts with such hits as "Nutbush City Limits" and "Proud Mary."
But with the end of her marriage and the act in 1976, Turner was shelved by the music industry, and she scraped by performing in small clubs to make a living for nearly a decade. By the early 80s, Turner was considered and "oldies" act, but shocked the world by signing with Capitol Records and issuing the Private Dancer album, a disc that would become an unexpected monster. Beginning with that album's cover of "Let's Stay Together," Turner took over the charts again, culminating in 1984 with the #1 song and Grammy winning signature hit, "What's Love Got to Do with It." It began a decade of chart dominance with such international smashes as "Simply The Best," "Typical Male," and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome soundtrack hit "We Don't Need Another Hero." By the late 80s, Tina Turner, then approaching age 50, was one of the biggest stars in the world.
Singer Roberta Flack issued the following statement: "We went to Ghana together in 1971 for the Soul to Soul Tour. Her meteoric energy on stage was in such contrast to her gentle, kind and quiet demeanor off stage. My friend, Tina, thank you for inspiring us to always be everything we were meant to be–regardless of life’s challenges. A woman without limits. You will always be my hero."
Turner's incredible life story became the subject of several books, movies and even a hit stageplay over the last two decades, and her star continued to grow even as she personally grew less active due to several undisclosed illnesses. Tina Turner became a true icon -- a symbol of resilience amid incredible odds, and a inspiration for a generation of both women stars and underdogs everywhere. May she rest in peace.