Born Anna Mae Bullock into a sharecropping family in Brownsville, Tennessee. Growing up, she frequently moved from one place to another, living with her paternal grandparents in Nutbush, where she sang in the church choir, and later with her maternal grandmother in Brownsville until she reunited with her mother in St. Louis, Missouri.
As a teenager, she worked as a domestic worker, and after graduating high school, she worked as a nurse’s aide. At the time, she frequently went to R&B clubs, where she first saw Ike Turner perform with his band, the Kings of Rhythm. Soon, she joined the band as a featured vocalist.
In 1960, under the stage name Tina Turner, she recorded the single “A Fool in Love,” which reached No. 2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart and No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Not long after, the two became a couple and married; together, they toured the US and released numerous singles.
In 1966, the duo signed with the producer Phil Spector and released their first album, River Deep – Mountain High, which became a hit, especially in Europe. Despite their success, Ike was physically and mentally abusive toward Turner, and in 1976, at the age of 37, Tina fled from their home with only 36 cents in her pocket.
In the following years, Tina struggled to manage herself. She mainly performed in cabaret clubs and made numerous guest appearances alongside various artists. In 1984, at 45, she released her first solo album, Private Dancer, which received critical and commercial acclaim, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and earning her three Grammys.
In 1986, her European record label (EMI) sent the German music executive Erwin Bach to greet her at the airport. A few months later, they became a couple (he was 16 years her junior) and married in 2013.
Her success continued to grow with her following albums, Break Every Rule (1986), Foreign Affair (1989), and Wildest Dreams (1996). She reached no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the lists with various singles, including What’s Love Got to Do With It, Typical Male, and The Best.
As music genres changed in the 90s, Turner delved into rock while combining her R&B background. Her powerful and soulful voice made her known as one of the greatest vocalists in the music industry, as it was characterized by the combination of strength and grit while possessing a wide vocal range, allowing her to navigate between lower registers and higher octaves.
In 1994, at 55, Turner moved to Zurich, Switzerland. She continued to record albums and release singles, including the James Bond title song “Goldeneye,” and “He Lives in You” for The Lion King 2.
Over the next decade, Turner remained active in the music industry. She released successful compilation albums such as “Wildest Dreams” (1995) and “Twenty-Four Seven” (1999), as well as a studio album titled “All the Best” (2004). Turner also embarked on world tours and, made live appearances, performed at benefit concerts.
In 2008, 69 years old Turner embarked on her Tina! The 50th Anniversary Tour became a massive success and a top-selling ticketed show in 2008 and 2009. She announced that this would be her farewell tour, and afterward, she would retire from the music industry. However, she occasionally made appearances and continued to record new materials.
In 2013, at 73, Turner married her longtime partner, German record executive Erwin Bach. Three months afterward, she suffered a stroke and had to learn how to walk again. Three years later, she was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, and the following year, she had a kidney transplant with her husband as her donor.
Over the years, Turner participated in philanthropic work. She established the Tina Turner Foundation to support various causes, including art education, fighting against human trafficking, and improving the lives of underprivileged children.
Throughout her career, Turner recorded ten albums, selling over 200 million records, went on dozen tours, and received hundreds of awards and honors, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Kennedy Center Honors – the highest form of recognition of excellence in the arts in America, US.
Her music and life story have inspired many people, including musicians such as Mick Jagger, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige.
She died at 83 in Switzerland.
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