Legendary American musician Tina Turner, known as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” passed away on May 24, aged 83. One of the most successful recording artists of all time, she leaves behind a legacy full of pioneering moments, first as a African-American woman rock-and-roll artist in the 1960s and ‘70s, and later as a massive pop success in the ‘80s.
She passed away peacefully at her home in Küsnacht, Switzerland, close to Zurich, following a protracted illness.
EARLY YEARS
Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, Turner christened ‘Tina’ by her former husband Ike, began her professional life in the 1950s. In 1960, she became the lead vocalist for Ike’s band for the first time with the single ‘A Fool in Love. Earlier christened the ‘Rhythm Kings’, the band became the ‘Ike and Tina Turner Revue’. Some of their most popular songs include ‘I Idolise You’, ‘Poor Fool’, ‘It’s Gonna Work Out Fine’ and ‘Tra La LaLaLa.
Turner first propelled to fame through a musical partnership with her former husband Ike Turner. The duo gave evergreen hit songs like ‘River Deep, Mountain High’ and ‘Proud Mary. In 1976, she walked out of the marriage and their professional collaboration after nearly two decades.
After spending two decades with her husband, she went it alone and, after a few false starts, with the release of the album Private Dancer, she became one of the key pop idols of the 1980s.
Turner also acted in the films Tommy (1975) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). In 1993, What’s Love Got to Do with It, a biographical film adapted from her autobiography I, Tina: My Life Story, was released.
Turner, received six of her eight Grammy nominations in the 1980s.
She retired from music in 2000, a year after releasing her final album, ‘Twenty Four Seven’. She returned to the stage in 2008, for a Grammy awards performance with Beyoncé, and for a final tour to mark 50 years of her career.
She married German music executive Erwin Bach in July 2013, after 27 years of living together. The same year, she also renounced her American citizenship in order to become a Swiss citizen.
