Tina Turner, the Grammy-winning rock and roll icon who rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s with Ike Turner and then went on to have a successful solo career, died on Wednesday at her home in Switzerland. She was 83.
Turner’s longtime publicist, Erwin Bach, confirmed her death in a statement. “She peacefully passed away this afternoon surrounded by her loved ones,” Bach said. “Her legacy will live on forever.”
Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, in 1939. She began her career as a backup singer for Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, and the two married in 1962. They went on to have a successful career together, with hits like “River Deep – Mountain High” and “Proud Mary.”
However, their relationship was also marked by abuse, and Turner left Ike Turner in 1976. She went on to have a successful solo career, with hits like “What’s Love Got to Do with It” and “I Don’t Wanna Fight.”
Turner was a powerful and charismatic performer, and her music has inspired generations of fans. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and she received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005.
In 2013, Turner announced her retirement from touring. She continued to live in Switzerland with Bach, and she published her autobiography, “I, Tina,” in 1986.
Turner’s death is a loss for the music world. She was a true icon, and her music will continue to inspire fans for years to come.