Live performances and stage shows are something many people crave for. The amount of joy you get while watching someone perform live is second to none.

1. How Tina Turner defied
the odds and redefined
Stardom?
• By CIO Women Magazine
Source – GETTY IMAGES
Live performances and stage shows are something many people crave for. The
amount of joy you get while watching someone perform live is second to none.
There are artists around the world who have ruled the hearts of people like me
with their scintillating live performances.

2. And when we talk about a performer setting the stage on fire, Tina Turner is a
name we simply cannot miss.
The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Tina Turner is well-known for her energetic stage
presence and powerful voice. She used to bring infectious joy on the stage while
singing, no doubt she became one of the most popular and beloved singers of the
20th century. In this article, we’ll go through her journey and explore more about
what made her so popular.
Swagger, Sensuality, Vocals, Energy!
Tina Turner was an American-born Swiss singer who was known for singing with
Ike Turner in the early 1960s. She was born with the name Anna Mae Bullock
and launched a successful career as a solo performer. At the age of 44, she was
the oldest female artist to top the Hot 100 and she had the oldest formidable acts
in the history of music. Tina was an eminent singer who was noted for her
“swagger, sensuality, powerful gravelly vocals, and unstoppable energy”. In
addition to her well-publicized history with her ex-husband, Ike Turner, her legs
made headlines at the time.
Books on Tina Turner’s Life Journey
Tina gave voice to her journey through her autobiography “I, Tina: My Life Story”
in which she recalls her expedition from having problematic childhood to
becoming a brand icon in the music industry. Tina writes about her personal life,
growth, and love life that impacted her deeply to become an exception in her
circle. In this book, Tina writes about how it was difficult for her to consummate
her marriage and deal with her broken heart.

3. Source – Pinterest
Mark Bego’s “Tina Turner: Break Every Rule” is her biography that explores her
life, struggle, triumph, and the enduring legacy of music. Another book, “Tina
Turner: The Legendary Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Rikky Rooks highlights her
groundbreaking performances, iconic songs, etc.
Remarkable Facts about Tina Turner;
Tina Turner not just broke the stereotypes of the music industry but also became
an exception in it. She used to grab the attention of everyone in the audience
while performing on the stage. Tina belonged to the hardscrabble farming
community and ended up becoming one of the fabulous stars of the music
industry. Let us read more such lesser-known facts about her:
1. Tina Turner was one of the first black artists on MTV
During the 1980s, MTV brought sudden demand for music videos, and this is the
same period when Tina Turner made a historic comeback. MTV was not used to
be the same diverse music platform as it is today. She became one of the first
black artists to perform there, which helped her to gain more visibility among
music lovers at the international level. This is how Tina Turner became a
household name worldwide.

4. 2. Tina Turner was abandoned by her mother at the age of 11 years
old
During World War II, Tina and her three sisters were separated from her parents.
They used to live with their grandparents in the United States. After the war, she
was reunited with her parents and her family went back to Nutbush. Tina’s
mother had an abusive relationship with her father. She abandoned Tina along
with her three other daughters. They were sent to live with their maternal
grandparents in Tennessee.
3. She started singing in nightclubs
While performing at St. Louise nightclubs, Tina learned the finer points regarding
vocal control and live performance. She joined the band at the nightclub and
became a featured vocalist performer. ‘Boxtop’ was her first single music album
which she recorded with the band in 1958. Tina was leading among other
vocalists with Ike and Carlson Oliver.
Source – nytimes.com
4. Founder member of ‘Ike & Tina Turner Revue”

5. Tina Turner became part of the music world through ‘A Fool in Love’ in 1960. It
was acclaimed by the public as well as critics on the international level. Its
success led to the creation of ‘Ike & Tina Turner Revue’ which included a group of
girls and Kings of Rhythm as backing vocalists and dancers. It was one of the
most successful duos in the history of United States music. Some of the examples
include, ‘It’s Gonna Work out Fine’, ‘River Deep – Mountain High’, ‘Proud Mary’,
and ‘Nutbush City Limits’.
5. Her rolling stone cover appearance was historic
Tina had been on the cover of ‘Rolling Stone’ magazines several times, however,
her presence on the cover in 1967 was historic. As the Civil Rights Movement
was at its peak at that time, Tina’s separation from Ike took her away from
mainstream success. The magazine ranked her 17th among 100 on the list of the
greatest singers of all time. Furthermore, she got acclaimed as the best-dressed
woman in 1971.
6. She met her husband during one of the performances
Tina Turner used to watch the Kings of Rhythm play at the Manhattan Club in
Illinois. During the interval, she held the mike from a drummer of the Kings of
Rhythm and sang ‘You Know I Love You’ by B.B. King. There, she met Ike Turner,
and the crowd was instantly blown by her live performance. She married him in
1962 in Mexico.
7. She suffered through domestic violence frequently
Tina’s ex-husband Ike Turner was addicted to Cocaine and became abusive
towards her during their marriage. She faced severe domestic violence in her
first marriage and struggled hard to make ends meet even after the divorce from
him. Tina received food stamps and performed in small clubs to earn money.
Some sponsors sued her as she canceled some tours with Ike.
8. Tina received an offer to play the role of Hindu Goddess Kali
Tina was cast in a movie called ‘The Goddess’ in which she was supposed to play
the role of the Hindu Goddess Kali. To give justice to the role, Tina toured India to
visit several Hindu temples, especially in Bengal which is famous for Kali
temples. During her tour, Tina learned the folk dances in which Dance of
Destruction was a vital part of the story of Kali. Unfortunately, the movie shut
down as the director Ismail Merchant passed away.

6. 9. Tina Turner recorded a duet with David Bowie
David Bowie was one of the close friends of Tina Turner. Both of them recorded a
duet song called ‘Tonight’ which was originally composed by Iggy Pop. He is
famous as the Godfather of punk. The song was released in 1977 as part of the
album ‘Lust for Life’. Bowie convinced her record label to renew the contract in
1983. His version of the song was first released which did not involve Tina
Turner and did not include a music video. Turner became part of it after a few
days and published it as a music video.
10. She worked as a domestic worker
Tina worked as a domestic worker in her teenage for the Henderson family.
During that period, she joined a female basketball team and a cheerleader squad.
Tina had the experience of working as a nurse’s aide at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Furthermore, she started appearing on TV shows as a part of earning income. She
made a solo performance debut in 1976 on the album Rough.
Awards and Recognition
Tina Turner had a vibrant personality not just as a performer but also as a
human. She had smashed every rule that prevented her growth. She was
acknowledged by several awards and magazines. Here are some of them:

7. Credit – Adrienne Warren (Marc J. Franklin)
• In 1988, she set the Guinness Book World Record for the largest paying
audience to a solo performer with 180,000 tickets sold. She broke the
1980 record of Frank Sinatra.
• Tina won 12 Grammy awards as she was the first artist to have a top 40
hit in seven consecutive decades. According to the report, she sold
around 100 to 150 million records at the international level.
• In 1986, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Tina received a star for music,
and in 1991, a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
• Turner was acknowledged by the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in
2005. George W. Bush commented on her as having “natural skill,
energy, and sensuality.”
• People loved Tina’s “What’s Got to love with It” and it was included in the
Grammy Awards ceremony. She was ranked 63rd by Rolling Stone on
their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
• In 1993, Tina was presented by the World Music Awards with the
Legend Award moreover, in 1996, Tina was honored by the accolade of
Légion d’Honneur from the French education minister.

8. • In 1999, she was ranked second on VH1’s list of 100 Greatest Women of
Rock and Roll, and in 2002 Tennessee State Route 19 was named “Tina
Turner Highway”.
• Tina became the first black artist and the first female on the cover
of Rolling Stone magazine. Also, in 2013, she became the oldest person
(age 73 years) who got featured in Vogue Germany magazine.
To sum up Tina’s journey, there are several valuable lessons you can learn from
her and implement them in your life. Self-empowerment, strong work ethics,
professionalism, embracing change throughout her career, and promoting
individuality were some of her good qualities. We hope you find our article
helpful and get inspired by Tina to grow further in your life.