Queen of rock ‘n’ roll Tina Turner dies aged 83

Music legend Tina Turner has died aged 83 after a long illness, her spokesperson has confirmed.

“Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll’ has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland,” according to a statement.

“With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”

One of rock’s most famous voices, Tina was known for hits such as ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘The Best’.

She sold more than 180 million albums and won 12 Grammys in her incredible career.

Famous faces and fans have already begun paying tribute to the star in droves.

Dame Kelly Holmes wrote: “DEVASTATING. R.I.P a true legend!!”

“A true legend has passed. She was our River Deep and our Mountain High, the Private Dancer in our hearts. She showed us that love really does has everything to do with it, and that we really did need another hero. And she was it,” George Takei wrote on Twitter.

Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker joined others in quoting Turner’s own lyrics, saying she was “simply the best”.

Born Anna Mae Bullock in 1939 in Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner’s journey to stardom was paved with adversity. Yet, she rose above her difficulties with her unmatched resilience and courage, breaking barriers and setting standards for women worldwide.

Turner’s career began in the 1960s as part of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Her powerful vocals, coupled with her fiery performances, catapulted her to the forefront of the music industry.

However, amid her turbulent and violent marriage to Ike Turner, she displayed the strength to strike out on her own. She divorced him in 1978.

“With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model” – statement on Tina Turner’s death

After a career break following the split, a period during which she was left penniless, Turner’s solo album ‘Private Dancer’, released in 1984, cemented her as a global icon.

Shaking off the R&B sound that had been a marker of her old self, Turner reinvented herself as a rock ‘n’ roll goddess. The track ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’ not only topped charts worldwide but also earned her three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year.

The tour for her subsequent album ‘Break Every Rule’ did just that. One date in Rio in 1988 saw 182,000 in attendance. It remains in the top 10 of highest attended shows ever, beating the likes of Queen and Madonna.

The music legend was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an independent artist in 2021, after being inducted alongside Ike Turner in 1991. She was presented with the honour by Angela Basset, who played Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It.

“What brings us here tonight is Tina’s journey to independence,” Bassett said in a speech during the ceremony. “People still regularly tell me how much Tina meant to them. I know exactly what they mean because she has meant so much to me. I too am one of those people blessed by Tina’s gift to inspire.”

Turner retired from the music business in 2009, following the final show of her 50th Anniversary tour.

She reemerged into the public eye briefly in 2018 to assist with the launch of the musical Tina. This was put on at London’s Aldwych Theatre, based on her memoirs. The show soon became a West End staple, and is still running at the same theatre today. The show also has a Broadway residency.

Over her decades-long career, Turner performed on stages worldwide with the likes of Cher, Mick Jagger, Elton John, David Bowie, and Beyonce.

It’s reported a private funeral ceremony will be held for close friends and family.