Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock, November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. She was born in Nutbush, Tennessee and she began her career in 1958 as a featured singer with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, first recording in 1958 under the name "Little Ann".
Her introduction to the public as Tina Turner began in 1960 as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. "A Fool in Love" was released in July 1960 and became an immediate hit, peaking at number 2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart and number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 that October. A second pop hit by Ike & Tina Turner, "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (1961), reached the top 20 and earned the duo a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock and Roll Performances.
Notable singles released during the duo's Sue Records period included the R&B hits "I Idolize You", "Poor Fool", and "Tra-La-La-La". In 1964, Ike & Tina Turner left Sue and signed with Kent Records, releasing the single, "I Can't Believe What You Say". The following year, they signed with Loma Records. Between 1964 and 1969, Ike & Tina Turner signed with more than ten labels and toured constantly with their own musical revue, the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, which included the Kings of Rhythm and a girl group that Ike named The Ikettes backing Tina.
In 1965, Phil Spector caught an Ike & Tina performance in Los Angeles and sought to work with Tina. With Spector, Tina produced the song "River Deep, Mountain High",
which was released in 1966 on Spector's Philles label. Spector
considered that record, with Tina's maximum energy over a symphonic
sound, to be his best work. It was successful overseas, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it eventually reached number 3 on the singles chart and gave Ike and Tina an opening spot for The Rolling Stones' UK tour later that fall, which the Revue later extended by performing all over Europe and Australia.
n 1969, the Revue's opened for the Rolling Stones on their US tour. In 1970, they performed on The Ed Sullivan Show and signed with Liberty Records, where they released two albums, Come Together and Workin' Together, released in 1970 and 1971 respectively. Come Together marked a turning point in their careers in which they switched from their usual R&B repertoire to incorporate more rock tunes. In early 1971, their cover of CCR's "Proud Mary" became their biggest hit, reaching number 4 on the Hot 100 and selling over a million copies, winning them a Grammy. In 1972 after Liberty was bought by United Artists Records, the duo was assigned to that label, releasing ten albums in a three-year period. The duo's final major hit single, "Nutbush City Limits", was released in 1973, reaching number 22 on the Hot 100, and peaking at number 4 in the UK. It is a semi-autobiographical song written by Tina in which she commemorates her rural hometown.
The couple separated in 1976 and divorced in 1978. In the 1980s, Turner launched a major comeback as a solo artist. The 1983 single "Let's Stay Together" was followed by the 1984 release of her fifth solo album, Private Dancer, which became a worldwide success. The album contained the song "What's Love Got to Do with It"; the song became Turner's biggest hit and won four Grammy Awards. Turner's solo success continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s with multi-platinum albums and hit singles. In 2008, Turner returned from semi-retirement to embark on her 50th Anniversary Tour.
Turner has also garnered success acting in films -she played the role of the Acid Queen in the 1975 rock musical Tommy, had a starring role alongside Mel Gibson in the 1985 action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and appeared in a cameo role in the 1993 film Last Action Hero.
Turner has also garnered success acting in films -she played the role of the Acid Queen in the 1975 rock musical Tommy, had a starring role alongside Mel Gibson in the 1985 action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and appeared in a cameo role in the 1993 film Last Action Hero.
