Tina Turner, known as the Queen of Rock and Roll, has passed away at 83, her team shared on her social media accounts today. Her representative confirmed the news to Reuters, saying Turner “died peacefully after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.”
In a statement shared to Instagram, her team wrote: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.”
Turner, whose birth name was Anna Mae Bullock, was born on November 26, 1939 in Tennessee. Her career as a singer really took off in 1956 when she met Ike Turner and joined his band, Kings of Rhythm, and began performing under her stage name. They married in 1962, but their relationship became physically, emotionally, and financially abusive. Tina escaped from it, filing for divorce on July 27, 1976.
Her freedom came at a high cost (Turner only got two cars and her stage name in the divorce settlement), but she ultimately signed with Capitol Records in 1979 and launched her own music career that flourished in the 1980s. The music she went on to release was wildly successful, especially 1984’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It?”, which earned her a Record of the Year Grammy and is now considered one of the most famous songs of all time.
Rolling Stone named Turner on its list of the best singers of all time, a testament to her powerhouse voice, electrifying stage presence, and indelible impact on the music industry. Throughout her career, she won eight Grammy Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Turner is survived by her husband Erwin Bach and adopted sons, Ike Jr and Michael Turner. Her own biological sons, Craig Turner and Ronnie Turner, passed away in July 2018 and December 2022, respectively.
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Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.