One of the greatest musical duos of all time were Ike and Tina Turner. The two of them
were unstoppable and their songs will continue to be sung for generations to come. Yet, as
we all now know, behind the façade of their perfect relationship was something darker
and ultimately, tragic.
Anna Mae Bullock became Tina Turner thanks to Ike Turner who recognized her talent and
realized that she had what it takes to become a star. One of their most famous songs started
with Tina singing that she left a job in the city…working for a man…
Well, Tina Turner didn’t have to have an ordinary life thanks to Ike Turner. But just
as he was part of his rise, he was part of their downfall…
Join FactsVerse to learn about the tragic final days of Ike and Tina Turner…
TINA TURNER
Anna Mae Bullock was born on November 26, 1939, in Brownsville, Tennessee. She came
from humble beginnings and upon reflection, one would think these beginnings were an unlikely
start for a famous soul singer.
Her father oversaw sharecroppers and part of Anna Mae’s childhood involved her picking
cotton on a plantation. Her family life wasn’t the easiest and his mother eventually left
her father. She would later recall that their family life wasn’t peaceful and that her
parents didn’t have much time for their children.
Yet, Anna Mae found her solace in music. As a young girl, she began singing with her church’s
choir and it wasn’t long until she realized that all she wanted was to pursue a career
as a singer.
Her elder sister Ruby was also very much interested in music and eventually became a songwriter.
As they became adults, the Bullock sisters began touring the country to perform at various
nightclubs – hoping that their big break would come one day.
But the part of the country that appealed to her the most was St. Louis and this city
would be the city that would change her life. She began to get noticed in clubs across the
city and her talents were being recognized greatly.
At the same time, she was discovering the incredible talent in the city. Soul music
was becoming more and more popular and Anna Mae Bullock was eager to become part of this
scene. And as Anna Mae was working on becoming a star, she took notice of another singer
who was already a star. She was enchanted by him and she wanted to sing with him.
And little did she know, she would soon want to be with him…
This singing star was none other than Ike Turner. He would be the man who would make
Anna Mae Bullock into Tina Turner.
IKE TURNER
Ike Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on November 5, 1931. His father was a Baptist
minister and his mother was a seamstress. Growing up in humble surroundings in Mississippi
made young Ike an unlikely figure to become a star – but alas, his inimitable talent
couldn’t be suppressed.
His childhood, however, was full of tragedy and before he was a teenager he had been molested
by several older women.
As a young teenager, he would escape the horrors of his life with a job at a local radio station.
This is where he would spin records and it gave him a euphoria unlike any other. But
he knew that he couldn’t dedicate his life just to sharing music. He also had to create
music.
His musical talent was unparalleled. He composed music, wrote songs and performed them. He
brought a soul and energy that was only becoming recognized in the 50s and 60s. Probably the
only other major star who could compare with Ike Turner’s energy and musicianship was
the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown.
He began performing in nightclubs across the country and St. Louis became the city that
made him. His recordings and performances were popular among both black and white Americans
and his music is largely credited to breaking the color line. Both black and white Americans
would dance together while Ike sang to the crowd.
One of his biggest fans was a fellow Southerner. A young lady named Anna Mae Bullock was also
trying to make it in the music industry. She was so moved by his music and by his charisma
and she wanted to perform along with Ike Turner and his band.
Eventually, she managed to find a way to meet him. And the rest is history.
What follows is the exciting but ultimately tragic tale of Ike and Tina Turner…
THE TRIUMPHS AND TRAGEDIES OF IKE AND TINA TURNER
When Anna Mae Bullock met Ike Turner and told him that she wanted to perform with him and
his band, the first thing he did was tell her she had to change her name. While they
weren’t dating at the time, it was decided that she should adopt his surname. And then,
the most fitting first name for the female Turner would be Tina.
Ike and Tina Turner eventually became a couple and the two became the most popular singing
duo of their time – a record they would hold until perhaps Bobby Brown and Whitney
Houston came into the spotlight.
Their energy was unparalleled and they could record for hours’ on end as well as perform
for hours without a moment’s break – which is what made them huge stars.
They began their career in the 1960s but it was in the 1970s that they became a staple
of soul music. It was the music that they began recording in the 1970s that they are
most remembered for today.
The song that put them on the map so to speak was their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s
song “Proud Mary.”
This very song earned them a Grammy Award for Best R & B Vocal Performance by a Group.
Ike Turner was instrumental in writing and arranging many of the songs but as she became
more confident, Tina Turner would also write some of the songs such as “Nutbush City
Limits’ which was released in 1973.
The two of them were unstoppable and one couldn’t imagine Ike without Tina and Tina without
Ike. But also they seemed like perfect partners.
But this wasn’t the actual picture. It’s often been alleged that Ike Turner was in
charge and that he could be controlling. Behind the facade, Ike Turner and Tina Turner’s
relationship wasn’t all rosy. They would fight and it was believed – and still is
believed – that Ike Turner was physically abusive toward Tina Turner.
Whether or not this is true remains a debate to this day. Many people close to Ike Turner
have stated that they have never seem him hit Tina Turner and that this wasn’t true.
But there have also been accounts stating that he did harm Tina Turner.
Ike Turner became addicted to drugs when he was in his thirties and it wasn’t until
he was eventually arrested many years later that he kicked the habit. He eventually relapsed
into drugs one more time and had to work hard to kick the habit once again. The drugs took
such a toll on his life and it's believed that this caused him to become aggressive
and lash out against Tina Turner.
Both of them had been through trauma in their childhoods and this took a toll on their mental
states. In fact, even before they became famous Tina Turner had attempted suicide in 1968
– before her career with Ike Turner took off. Nevertheless, they both put up a great
face for the media and for the public and managed to continue having a successful career.
They continued to record albums and they produced hit after hit.
But eventually, their tumultuous relationship got in the way of their music career and they
broke up. Their divorce was finalized in 1978 and by the 1980s, both of them were pursuing
successful solo careers – though arguably, Tina Turner’s career was much bigger and
this was the decade where she recorded her hit song “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
During this same decade, she wrote her autobiography I, Tina. Part of this autobiography was used
as inspiration for the film about Ike and Tina Turner also called “What’s Love Got
To Do With It?”
The film came at a time when Ike Turner had kicked his drug habit, was recording great
music and was trying to get his life back together. In other words, the film couldn’t
have come at a worse time. The film portrayed Ike Turner as an abusive husband and even
showed a rape scene which apparently was completely invented for the film.
He received much hate as people felt that the film was completely accurate. Even Tina
Turner claims to this day that she’s never seen the film in full.
It took him many years to recover from the trauma that the backlash brought. The film
really made his life much harder but he never gave up. He continued to record music and
by the time the 90s came along, Ike Turner was back to recording great music. While he
had his personal troubles and had to kick his drug habit twice he managed to get back
on his feet. He even served a brief stint in prison after shooting a mailman who apparently
kicked his dog – this was when he was still embroiled in his drug addiction.
His life was tragic but at the end of his days, he was recording music and doing what
he did best – making others dance and feel moved by his music.
Ike Turner died on December 12, 2007, at the age of 76 in San Marcos, California.
His loss was a great one for the music industry. In the years since his passing, Tina Turner
has stated that she’s forgiven him and that she is at peace with her life. Tina Turner
eventually left the United States and settled in Switzerland – as she is married to a
Swiss man, Erwin Bach. She continued to perform music upon her move to Switzerland but now
in her eighties, she’s decided to retire.
She, unfortunately, had some health issues as she suffered a stroke and has cancer.
A new documentary, called Tina, was released in 2021 to show her farewell tour and to discuss
her life and career.
The tragic final days of Ike and Tina Turner are now over as Ike Turner has passed away
and Tina Turner plans to live a quiet life in Switzerland. Their relationship had its
triumphs and tragedies – but as fans of great music, we’re glad that they met…
So, now let’s hear from you:
Are you a fan of Ike and Tina Turner? What do you think about this tragic relationship
of theirs?
We certainly wish Tina Turner well as she moves out of the spotlight! And we hope that
she is at peace now.
And now, here’s what we want to know from you:
Do you think that Ike Turner’s career would have lasted so long in our modern times?
Or are audiences and fans less tolerant of domestic violence and his career would have
been finished much earlier?