A Photographic Retrospective By John Robert Rowlands

Tina Turner

b. Annie Mae Bullock, 26 November 1939, Brownsville, Tennessee, USA.

A singer while in her early teens, this enduring
artist was a regular performer in St. Louis's nightclubs when she
was discovered by guitarist Ike Turner in 1956. She joined his
group as a backing singer, but quickly became the co-star and
featured vocalist, a relationship sealed two years later with their
marriage. Ike And Tina Turner were a highly successful act on
the R&B circuit, before expanding their audience through a controversial liaison
with producer Phil Spector. They emerged as a leading pop/soul act during the
late 60s/early 70s with tours in support of the Rolling Stones and hits with
'Proud Mary' (1971) and 'Nutbush City Limits' (1973). However the
relationship between husband and wife grew increasingly strained as Ike's
behaviour became irrational. Tina walked out of their professional and personal
relationship during a 1975 tour, incurring the wrath of concert promoters who
remained unsympathetic when the singer attempted a solo act. During this time
the singer appeared in Ken Russell's film of the Who 's rock-opera Tommy,
offering an outrageous portrayal of the Acid Queen; however, this acclaimed
cameo failed to successfully launch Turner's solo career. Her career was
rejuvenated in 1983 when British group Heaven 17 invited her to participate in
an off-shoot project dubbed BEF. She contributed a suitably raucous version
of the Temptations 'Ball Of Confusion' which, in turn, engendered a recording
contract with Capitol Records. Turner's reading of Al Green 's 'Let's Stay
Together' reached the UK Top 10, while an attendant album, Private Dancer,
hurriedly completed in its wake, spawned another major hit in 'What's Love
Got To Do With It'. This melodramatic ballad topped the US chart, reached
number 3 in Britain and won two Grammys as Record Of The Year and Best
Pop Vocal Performance, Female. The title track, written by Mark Knopfler,
was also a transatlantic hit. In 1984 Turner accepted a role in the film Mad
Max Beyond The Thunderdome, the theme from which, 'We Don't Need
Another Hero', was another international hit. The following year she duetted
with Mick Jagger at the Live Aid concert and contributed to the US charity
single 'We Are The World'. Turner has since enhanced her popularity
worldwide through a series of punishing tours, yet her energy has remained
undiminished. Although commentators have criticised her one-dimensional
approach, she enjoys massive popularity. She is truly happy with her present
life and talks articulately about her difficult past. The voluptuous image is kept
for the stage, while a quieter Tina offstage enjoys the fruits of her considerable
success. Her 1985 autobiography was filmed in 1993 as What's Love Got To
Do With It?, which also gave its title to a bestselling album and an extensive
worldwide tour. Now allegedly retired from performing she released the title
track from the James Bond movie Goldeneye in October 1995. The Bono
/Edge composition had Turner sounding uncannily like Shirley Bassey (the
vocalist on 'Goldfinger'). The Trevor Horn-produced Wildest Dreams was a
further solid rock album, laying her strong R&B roots to rest.

Photograph of Tina Turner by John Robert Rowlands