Tina Turner’s death was felt instantly throughout the world by the fans who loved her and the musicians who revered her work. Turner died on Wednesday in Küsnacht, Switzerland, where she lived with her husband, Erwin Bach. She was 83 and left behind an unrivaled body of work, first as one-half of the Ike & Tina Turner duo, then as a solo performer in the 1980s.
Turner died after a long illness at her home, her manager said. The “What’s Love Got To Do With It” singer moved to Switzerland in 1994 and married Bach in 2013. She became a Swiss citizen in 2013 and relinquished her U.S. citizenship.
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Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock on Nov. 26, 1939, in Brownsville, Tennessee. She started performing in St. Louis with her sister and first saw Ike Turner perform in East St. Louis, Illinois. They performed for the first time together in 1957. They married in 1962. Ike was abusive throughout their entire marriage, and Turner attempted suicide in 1968. She fled from him in 1976, with just 36 cents and a Mobil credit card. Their divorce was finalized in 1978.
Between 1974 and 1979, Turner released four solo albums, all of which were commercial disappointments. Her label dropped her, but Rock ‘n’ Roll singers like Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart never forgot her influence on their performances. She remained popular in Europe and began building steam until Capitol Records signed her in 1983. The result was one of the most unbelievable comebacks in music history. The 1984 album Private Dancer nearly doubles as a greatest-hits album, packed with “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “Show Some Respect,” “Let’s Stay Together,” and “Better Be Good to Me.” Turner starred in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, which featured the hit “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome).”
Turner continued recording into the 1990s, even singing the James Bond theme song “GoldenEye.” In 2008, she performed with Beyoncé at the Grammys. Her life inspired the hit jukebox musical Tina. She was also the subject of the HBO Max documentary Tina.
Scroll on to see how music fans from around the world are remembering Turner.
‘One of one’
“Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time, the legendary queen of rock n’ roll Tina Turner,” Magic Johnson wrote. “I’ve seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. She always gave you your money’s worth.”
‘Thank you for the inspiration you gave us all’
“Truly a sad day not only in music but the whole world…she touched so many lives & made so many people happy with her art. RIP TINA TURNER,” one fan wrote.
‘She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer’
“Tina Turner gave me the strength to get out of a very abusive relationship. Her story saved my life. RIP Queen,” one fan wrote.
‘She showed us much love and respect’
“Sad to hear of Tina Turner passing. I saw her on her first major tour, supporting The Rolling Stones at Birmingham Odeon on 1966 & became an instant fan. RIP,” Geezer Butler wrote.
‘Her volcanic artistry lives forever’
“Tina Turner was an icon,” one fan wrote. “A fearless, groundbreaking, passionate musician who survived domestic abuse to rise like a Phoenix.Your music will live forever.”
‘Simply the best’
“Tina Turner. Icon and Queen of Rock and Roll. A life of triumph and power, in voice, spirit, and impact. May she rest in peace. This one hits hard,” Dan Rather wrote.
