Turner, Tina 1939- ,
African American R&B and rock singer, b. Brownsville, Tn., as Anna Mae
Bullock. Turner had a turbulent childhood, with her parents splitting up
when she was 11 years old. She lived with her maternal grandmother until she
was 16, and then reunited with her mother in St. Louis to complete her high
school education. She met guitarist/bandleader Ike Turner (1931-2007) there,
and convinced him to hire her as his vocalist. In the early ‘60s, the
group toured extensively on the “chittlin’ circuit”
(clubs that catered to Black audiences), and by the mid ’60s achieved
wider exposure on popular TV shows like American Bandstand
and Shindig! The Ike and Tina Turner Revue became
well-known for Tina’s energetic vocals and dancing. Their biggest
hits were “River Deep-Mountain High” (produced by Phil
Spector; 1966)
and “Proud Mary" (1971, Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo
or Group). In 1975, Tina made a memorable appearance as the Acid Queen in
the film of the Who’s Tommy. A year later, after
years of abuse from Ike, Tina filed for divorce. She became a major solo
artist in the mid-‘80s beginning with the release of the 1984 album
Private Dancer, which sold 10 million copies worldwide;
the single “What’s Love Got to Do With It” was her
first (and to date only) #1 pop hit. Turner continued to produce major hits
through the ‘80s and also mounted several successful tours of the
U.S. and Europe. In 2000, Turner announced her retirement from performing,
returning for a limited series of concerts in 2018 to celebrate her 50th
anniversary. Tina and Ike were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1991, and she was among the artists honored at the Kennedy Center in 2005
and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2018, among
many other honors. In 2013, she became a citizen of Switzerland. A film
biopic, What’s Love Got to Do With It, was released
in 1993.
See her autobiography (1986; with K. Loder); biography by D. Brackett (2020);
Tina (doc. film, 2021).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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