The Legacy of Tina Turner

The queen of Rock n Roll, Anna Mae Bullock aka Tina Turner was raised in Nutbush, Tennessee, where she faced a rough childhood. She began singing in the local church choir and, as a teenager, used her voice to persuade Ike Turner's band “Kings of Rhythm” in St. Louis to let her join. Ike initially denied, however he changed his mind when Turner took over the microphone during the band’s performance, singing BB King's "You Know I Love You."
Ike bestowed upon her the name Tina Turner, which he later trademarked to prevent her from leaving him and potentially being replaced in their act. However, their relationship quickly turned abusive.
She made her official debut as Tina Turner with the release of "A Fool in Love" in July 1960, which reached the Top 30 on the US charts. Ike toured "the Ike and Tina Turner Revue" extensively covering the Chitlin' Circuit, highlighting their commercial appeal. In 1964, they signed with Loma Records, and released their first charting album "Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show"
During the late 1960s, the duo garnered attention from numerous prominent figures in the rock music industry. Phil Spector produced their 1966 single "River Deep - Mountain High," they supported the Rolling Stones both in the UK and the US, and artists like David Bowie, Sly Stone, Cher, Elvis Presley, and Elton John attended their Las Vegas residency, recognizing their star power.
However, Turner's tumultuous relationship with Ike led to her departure in 1976. Her final single with the group was "Baby, Get It On," featured in the 1975 film adaptation of The Who's rock opera "Tommy," in which she portrayed the character Acid Queen, coincidentally the title of her second solo album.
In the subsequent divorce, which concluded in 1978, Turner received only two cars and retained the rights to her stage name. She persisted in pursuing her solo career and It wasn't until her fifth album, "Private Dancer," released in 1984, that she emerged as a commanding, mullet-sporting, leather-clad pop icon, redefining her image.
In the documentary "Tina," she expressed that her album "Private Dancer" marked her true debut, stating, "I don't view it as a comeback. Tina had never truly arrived."
Turner attributed her positive transformation in the 1980s to her practice of Buddhism, particularly chanting. Alongside her musical pursuits, she ventured into acting and starred in the film "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" in 1985. In 1986, she released her first memoir, the immensely successful "I, Tina," Moreover, in 1995, she recorded the theme song for the James Bond film "GoldenEye."
Turner announced her retirement in 2000 after releasing her final solo album, "Twenty Four Seven." Nevertheless, she made a comeback in 2008, performing at the Grammy Awards alongside Beyoncé, and embarked on a final tour to commemorate her 50-year career.
Subsequently, she was set to play Goddess Kali who could 'manipulate the past, present and future'. Her relationship with three Indians formed the crux of the film. She even visited Varanasi and Kerala for an exploratory trip. Tragically, the makers had to drop the movie after producer Ismail Merchant's death in 2005.
"The cosmic energy of Shakti attracted me to this film and the film to me. It signifies a new energy, new abilities and new beginnings. I fed the desire in me which wanted me to feel the energy of thousands of people in a stadium. Now I want to go to another message," Turner told the Eastern Eye in an interview in 2004.
In an interview with The New York Times, she revealed, "I don't necessarily aspire to be seen as a 'strong' person. I have had a difficult life. I simply kept moving forward. You just keep going, hoping that something good will come."
In 2020, a remix of her 1984 hit "What's Love Got to Do With It?" by Norwegian producer Kygo propelled Turner to become the first artist to achieve a UK Top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades. In 2021, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist, 30 years after Ike and Tina’s induction.
Turner married her second husband, German music executive Erwin Bach in July 2013 after being together for 27 years and resided in Switzerland. In 2013, Turner relinquished her US citizenship and became a Swiss citizen.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2020, Turner shared that despite facing significant health challenges, the past decade of her life perfectly exemplified her ideal concept of happiness.
“True and lasting happiness comes from having an unshakeable, hopeful spirit that can shine, no matter what,” she said. “That’s what I’ve achieved, and it is my greatest wish to help others become truly happy as well.”
Tina Turner died on wednesday at the age of 83 but her legacy is far from over.
Also read: The Story Of Charles Mingus's Ashes Being Scattered In The Ganges River
Tina Turner's "Private Dancer" Album Record - The Revolver Club
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