Tina Turner, the legendary rock star who shattered records and became an emblem of female empowerment, has passed away at the age of 83.
Turner’s representatives announced that she died on Wednesday, May 24, at her home in Kusnacht, Switzerland, after a long illness.
Turner, a dynamic performer known for her electrifying stage presence, achieved tremendous success throughout her career, selling over 200 million albums and earning eight Grammy Awards. She rose to fame in the 1960s as the focal point of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, a blues band from St. Louis that transformed into an extraordinary rock act. For over six decades, she defied stereotypes about age and adversity, reaching solo superstardom at 44 with her groundbreaking album, Private Dancer.
Beyond her musical achievements, Turner also made a mark in the film industry, delivering memorable performances as the Acid Queen in 1975’s The Who’s Rock Opera Tommy and as the formidable Aunty Entity in 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. She captivated television audiences with appearances on variety shows, MTV, and in commercials, notably as the face of a multimillion-dollar campaign for Hanes hosiery, where she rejuvenated the brand at age 56.
Her brave memoir, I, Tina, published in 1986, revealed the harrowing details of her 16-year-long ordeal with domestic abuse at the hands of her former husband, Ike Turner. Her story of survival and resilience inadvertently turned her into an influential figure in the fight against abuse. The book’s impact led to the 1993 critically acclaimed film, What’s Love Got to Do With It starring Angela Bassett, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2018-2019.
Recognized for her captivating stage presence, signature fringed miniskirts, and powerful rock ‘n’ soul catalog, Turner mesmerized audiences across the globe. Her concerts filled stadiums, attracting crowds that rivaled those of legendary acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Queen. During her “Break Every Rule” tour in 1988, she shattered box office records in 13 countries and drew 180,000 fans to Brazil’s Maracanã Stadium.
Turner had numerous hits throughout the ’80s and ’90s. Songs like “(Simply) The Best” and “What’s Love Got to Do With It” became anthems that resonated with audiences worldwide.
Born on November 26, 1939, as Anna Mae Bullock in rural Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner overcame a difficult upbringing marked by parental abandonment. After living with her grandmother, she moved to St. Louis to live with her mother after her grandmother’s death.
In her second memoir, My Love Story, published in later years, Turner delved deeper into her struggles, including a stroke in 2013, a battle with cancer, kidney failure, and the tragic suicide of her eldest son, Craig Turner.
Despite her health challenges, Tina Turner remained actively involved in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical production, overseeing details and displaying her distinctive dance moves to the cast. Although she initially felt that a Broadway musical about her life was unnecessary, she found solace in the fact that her message continued to resonate.
Speaking to Oprah in a 2013 interview, Turner talked about her legacy and said that it was characterized by her endurance.
