Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939 to sharecroppers in Nut Bush, Tennessee; Tina Turner would grow up to become one of the most iconic music superstars of all time. That's why we're celebrating her this Black Music Month!
Tina’s legacy is like no other. The star began her professional singing career in the late 1950s with her ex-husband, Ike, and that’s when he renamed her Tina, thus becoming the performing duo Ike and Tina. The two would spend almost twenty years topping charts by making smash after smash, touring the world and performing for their adoring fans at live concerts and in television appearances.
Then, after finding the courage to leave abusive Ike in 1976, Tina began on the journey to make a name for herself! In 1984, Tina dropped her comeback album Private Dancer. It ended up selling over 10 million copies worldwide and awarded the star with three Grammys! Tina Turner was back like never before and with a vengeance. She popped back on to the scene to claim her time!
For the next 30+ years, Tina would release music magic. Some of her most popular songs are “What's Love Got To Do With It,” “Proud Mary,” “Simply The Best,” “Better Be Good To Me,” “River Deep Mountain High,” “Steamy Windows,” “Fool In Love” and much more. The legend would soon be donned the “Queen of Rock & Roll," thanks to her timeless music that always touched on both that genre and Rhythm and Blues – which rock originated from, along with blues music.
Many of today’s biggest artists have thanked Tina for inspiring them, their music and their performance swag. One person who’s always been vocal about the love she has for the icon is Beyoncé. A legend in her own right, Bey once said about Tina, during the Queen of Rock's Kennedy Center Honors induction in 2005, "I'll never forget the first time I saw [Tina] perform. I never in my life saw a woman so powerful, so fearless, so fabulous. And those legs..." Bey performed alongside of Tina at the 2008 Grammys, too.
Bey's also said, “If there was an award for biggest know groupie of Tina Turner, I would win that title!” Former President George W. Bush also pegged her legs “the most famous in show business" at the ceremony, too.
Over the years, the icon would later be placed in the 17th spot on Rolling Stones' “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” list, be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, win eight Grammys and three honorary achievement Grammy Awards, receive a star of the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and have her singles “What's Love Got To Do With It,” “Proud Mary, and “River Deep – Mountain High” inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame.
In 2018, Tina was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Grammys. Now 80 years young, we will forever Stan a legend like the one and only Ms. Tina Turner. She's solidified herself in music history by unapologetically being daring, staying true to herself, making ageless hits and never doing anything nice...and easy.