On May 24, 2023, Tina Turner, a famous American singer who was called the queen of rock and roll, died at the age of 83. The owner of a unique voice and incredible performing talent had eight Grammy Awards and many songs that occupied the first lines of the world charts at the time. For half a century, this woman has blown up the auditoriums with her crazy energy, outstanding artistry and amazing voice.
Biography
Tina Turner (real name Anna Mae Bullock) was born on November 26, 1939 in Tennessee. Her parents were not interested in the girl’s vocal abilities or her future. Since the birth of Anna, the third child in a row, they were on the verge of divorce, which could not be avoided. One day, after another family scandal, the mother went to visit relatives in St. Louis and soon telegraphed her intention to marry another and never return home. Without thinking twice, the father re-registered the farm for teenage children and, taking his mistress, emigrated to Canada. For Anna, it was a blow – she even tried to commit suicide.
After graduating from school, the girl decided to go to St. Louis – a city that occupies a special place on the musical map of America. It was Anna’s dream to attend a live concert, and as a gift for her seventeenth birthday, her older sister took her to the Manhattan club. That evening, the blues band Kings of Rythm played on stage – the girl fell in love with their music and became a regular of the institution. Somehow, after the performance, she managed to get to know the band members – in a joking conversation, she said that she dreamed of singing with them.
“Good idea,” Kings frontman Ike Turner chuckled, “you’ll have a chance soon.” And indeed, a couple of weeks later, in the midst of the concert, one of the musicians jumped up to Anna with a microphone, and she sang a couple of phrases, hitting both the audience and the musicians themselves on the spot. No one expected to hear such a strong voice. Skeptic Ike even interrupted the concert to personally express his delight to the girl. After this improvisation, Anna stopped being a spectator forever – she was accepted into the group.
A couple of months later, the young vocalist became pregnant from a saxophonist, who disappeared without a trace shortly after giving birth. However, Ike Turner did not fire Anna – he was passionate about her, besides, he felt her huge creative potential. He proposed to her, and the girl, who was in love herself, agreed. The couple moved to California, where they began work on a new project that later made them famous all over the world – the duo Ike & Tina Turner Revue.
In marriage, they had a son, Ronnie. She also raised her son Craig from saxophonist Raymond Hill. And she had adopted children—Ike Turner Jr. and Michael.
With the first victories came the first disappointments. Ike turned out to be a man of extremely bad inclinations: alcohol, drugs, insults, beatings – Tina’s life turned into a nightmare. Driven to utter despair, Tina again attempted suicide.
The singer has firmly decided to break up with Ike. Thirty–four cents is all she got after a sixteen-year marriage, not counting the sonorous pseudonym and amazing performance. As it turned out, this was enough to not only return to the top of the charts a few years later and firmly settle there, but also achieve the title of “Queen of Rock and Roll”.
In 1985, Tina met producer Erwin Bach in London. They had an affair, and in 2013 the couple officially legalized their relationship. Moreover, at the time of the wedding, Erwin was 58, and Tina was 74!
In an interview, the singer stated that she was not going to grow old until she felt the burden of age on herself: “If I don’t like my reflection in the mirror, I don’t groan “Oh, how old I am!”, but immediately get down to business. It can be a mask, massage – anything to restore freshness to my face. While I’m alive, I want to be beautiful!”
In the last years of her life, Tina lived in Switzerland, in her villa equipped with saunas and steam rooms, a swimming pool with a Jacuzzi, exercise machines and a massage room. Mountain walks and fitness have replaced many hours of rehearsals in the dance hall. It was dancing that helped the singer to always stay in the best shape. Nothing else makes you slim like that, while not only burning extra calories, but also lowering cholesterol levels, stabilizing blood pressure, the body becomes flexible, bones – strong. However, when dancing alone was not enough, Tina did Pilates. “Sports are more effective than diets,” she is sure. The body is a machine. Train him and you will get the result.”
Plastic surgery
“The main secret of my beauty is harmony with myself. I don’t use special creams or cosmetics,” Tina Turner said. – “To think that you are what you smeared on yourself is a huge misconception. I am sure that in many ways the appearance depends on how you feel.”
According to her, her husband and meditation help the singer to keep slim. But skeptical journalists are sure that it is simply impossible to look ten years younger without surgery at such a venerable age. There are no obvious signs of plastic surgery on Tina’s body and face. Experienced craftsmen worked on the star. Even traces of blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) are not noticeable.
The death of Tina Turner
Tina Turner died on May 24, 2023. The singer was 83 years old and spent the last months of her life in her own house in Kyusnacht (Switzerland). “With her, the world has lost a musical legend and a role model,” said the press secretary of the pop singer.
The reason for the singer’s departure was called a tumor in the intestine — the oncological disease still progressed, despite all the efforts of doctors and Tina herself, who maintained a love of life until the last breath…