Honoring Musical Icon Tina Turner and Celebrating Her Lasting Legacy
It’s almost been two years since music legend Tina Turner died at 83 after battling a prolonged illness. In her 50-year career, she has sold over 200 million albums and…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 07: Tina Turner speaks during the “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical” opening night at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 07, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
It's almost been two years since music legend Tina Turner died at 83 after battling a prolonged illness. In her 50-year career, she has sold over 200 million albums and singles worldwide and won eight GRAMMYS.
The artist was born as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee. At 17, she moved to St. Louis and joined Ike Turner's band, the Kings of Rhythm. Even then, her raw talent was undeniable.
"I was rock and roll. I was not ... that was a pop song," Turner said in the 2021 HBO documentary about her life, referencing "What's Love Got to Do with It," her sole #1 hit.
She was hesitant to record the song at first, and only did it after her manager, Roger Davies, insisted. The track later hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts and earned her three GRAMMY awards.
At 40, Tina defied the odds and made an incredible comeback. Her 1984 album Private Dancer swept the GRAMMYS, winning four awards, including Record of the Year.
Tina wasn't afraid to cross different music genres. In 1974, she tried country music and released the album Tina Turns the Country On!, earning a GRAMMY nod. Her version of "Proud Mary" hit #4 and won a GRAMMY for Best R&B vocals.
In 1976, she left Ike Turner's band with just some change in her pocket. Through grit and talent, she rebuilt her life doing Vegas shows until she broke through again in the 1980s.
Janet Jackson once said, "For me — and I imagine for millions of others — Tina now stands as an enduring symbol of survival and grace. Her music is a healing thing."
On stage, Tina Turner was pure fire. She danced in heels, rocked short skirts, and owned her wild hair, which became her mark of style then. She even taught Mick Jagger some dance steps, like the Pony dance move.
In 2018, the GRAMMYS awarded her a Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout her career, she earned 25 nominations. In later years, she moved to Switzerland with her husband, Erwin Bach.
Tina's impact touched lives beyond music. She spoke up about abuse and found peace in Buddhism. Her story lives on in the HBO documentary, Tina, and her two books, I, Tina and My Love Story.
