Tina Turner: Life And Times Of Iconic Songstress

News of Tina Turner's passing flooded the internet on Wednesday, May 24, and words of tribute have been pouring in for the 'Queen of Rock'.

According to Daily Mail, Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock) died at the age of 83 after a protracted illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.

Perhaps best known for her unforgettable song 'What's Love Got to Do With It', the iconic songstress sold more than 100 million records globally, with Rolling Stone ranking her among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Tina Turner

As the world continues to mourn the demise of a star who stole hearts and leaves behind a lasting legacy, below are major moments from her life.

Background

Bullock was born on November 26, 1939, in Brownsville, Tennessee in the United States. She was an American-born naturalised Swiss.

The singer was the youngest daughter of her parents, Floyd Richard Bullock Zelma Priscilla and has two sisters.

Turner

Bullock's singing days started when she was very young; she sang in her church choir at Nutbush's Spring Hill Baptist Church.

Her mother suddenly ran away when she was 11 to escape her abusive relationship with her spouse. She was subsequently sent to live with her maternal grandmother alongside her sisters.

Career Beginnings

Bullock got noticed when she and her sister started frequenting nightclubs. A chance meeting with Ike Turner and his band would make way for her to get noticed.

Impressed with his talent, she requested that he let her sing with his band. Turner promised to call her but never did.

One day in 1957, Bullock got hold of the microphone from a drummer during an intermission and she performed a rendition of the ballad, 'You Know I Love You'.

After hearing her sing, Turner sang for the rest of the night and became a vocalist in his band.

She recorded her first song, 'Boxtop' in 1958 with the name Little Ann.

Prominence

The world was introduced to the artist called Tina Turner in July 1960 with the release of her single 'A Fool in Love'. The track peaked at No. 2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart and No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Turner made solo appearances on different shows and achieved mainstream success between 1966 and 1975 while still performing as a featured vocalist in Ike's band.

Going Solo

Ike's addiction to cocaine became evident by the mid-1970s and this took a toll on his relationship with Tina (who had become his wife).

Tina filed for divorce on July 27, 1977, and it was finalised on March 29 the following year. Following the split, she launched her solo career by appearing on TV shows in 1976 and 1977.

She officially became a superstar in November 1983 when she released her cover of AI Green's 'Let's Stay Together'.

It appeared on several European charts and peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

Between that time and 2000, Tina established herself as an icon after a dip in her career and a resurgence that culminated in three wins at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards, including the award for the Record of the Year for 'What's Love Got to Do With It'.

As one of the bestselling singers of all time, Tina is a recipient of 12 Grammys. She was also the first black artist and woman to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

She was also given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Second Husband

The singer met German music executive Erwin Bach in 1986 and they started dating later that year. 

They tied the nuptial knot in July 2013 after a 27-year-old romantic relationship.

Their wedding took place on the banks of Lake Zurich in Kusnacht, Switzerland.

Children

Tina had two biological sons, Raymond Craig (born August 20, 1958), who she had with saxophonist Raymond Hill, and Ronald "Ronnie" Renelle Turner, (born October 27, 1960), with Ike Turner.

The singer adopted two of Ike's children and raised them as hers.

Her first son Craig was found dead in what is considered a suicide in July 2018.

Albums

Tina Turns the Country On! (1974)

Acid Queen (1975)

Rough (1978)

Love Explosion (1979)

Private Dancer (1984)

Break Every Rule (1986)

Foreign Affair (1989)

Wildest Dreams (1996)

Twenty Four Seven (1999)