Tina Turner (1939-2023): A look at music legend's rocking life

"Queen of Rock and Roll" Tina Turner met her first husband, Ike Turner, at a very young age. They began performing in the 1950s and soon became famous as the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, and all thanks go to their energetic live performances and hits like "Proud Mary," among others. While their marriage lasted for an extended period of time, eventually it was not a happy marriage at all. After years of domestic violence, Turner decided to leave the marriage and filed for divorce. In 1976, Tina filed for divorce, which was finalised in 1978, and both went on to remarry.

Dubbed as the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll'', Tina began her career in 1957 with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm. With the name Little Ann, she appeared on the first record, "Boxtop", in 1958. However, in 1960, she made her debut with Tina Turner with the duet single "A Fool in Love." And, since then, there was no turning back for Tina and Ike. They together gave songs like ''Proud Mary and "River Deep and Mountain High." However, she stepped out of the abusive marriage and divorced Ike in the 1960s and went on to embark on her career as a solo artist. 
 

After divorcing Ike, Tina only got her name and Ike walked away with all the earnings and royalty that they both earned together. Not only was she in big financial trouble, but she had a career to take care of, debts to pay and four kids to raise.  To make ends meet and clear her debts, she started touring and re-emerged with a sexier image as she performed cabaret shows in Los Vegas and other small venues. After years of struggle, she came back in 1983, when she signed a deal with Capitol Records, with whom she released Private Dancer.

The album which included songs like, "Private Dancer," "What's Love Got to Do With It," and "Better Be Good to Me." brought Tina into the limelight again and her comeback has been regarded as "one of the greatest comebacks in music history".

After the thunderous response, to her comeback album got, Tina went on the Private Dancer from February 1985 to December 1985. 

The tour that established Tina as a solo artist and live performer, encompassed throughout Euporte, North America, Australia and Asia.

When Beyonce performed live on stage with her idol Tina. The two legendary stars shared the stage together in 2008 at Grammy Awards, when they performed Turner’s track “Proud Mary” together. After the death of the singer was made official, Beyonce shared a heartfelt note on her website. 

“My beloved queen, I love you endlessly,” Beyoncé wrote in the message. “I’m so grateful for your inspiration, and all the ways you have paved the way.”

In 2018, Tina attended the premiere of the Broadway show Tina — The Tina Turner Musical based on her life. The jukebox musical features the music by the legend and documents her entire life, from her childhood. to her debut in the musical world, family violence, and many other things. 

After 16 years of violence and abusive marriage, Tina found love in her life again. In 2013, she got married to her beau, music producer Erwin Bach, after 27 years of dating. 

"He was [16 years] younger [than me]. He was 30 years old at the time and had the prettiest face. I mean, you cannot [describe] it," Tina shared in a HBO Max documentary about her life, per People. "It was like insane. [I thought], 'Where did he come from?' He was really so good-looking. My heart [was beating fast] and it means that a soul has met, and my hands were shaking."