Tina Turner, the music superstar whose career spanned five decades, has
died at 83 years old. Her death was confirmed to CBS News by her
spokesperson, Bernard Doherty, on Wednesday afternoon.
Known for
hits like "What's Love Got To Do With It," Turner won eight Grammy Awards
over her storied career in addition to a lifetime achievement award in
2018.
"Tina Turner, the 'Queen of Rock'n Roll' has died
peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in
Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland," said Doherty in a news release. "With
her, the world loses a music legend and a role model."
He said Turner will be honored at a private funeral ceremony.
A photo was shared on Turner's Instagram announcing her
death.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of
Tina Turner," the post read. "With her music and her boundless passion for
life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars
of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her
greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her
family. Tina, we will miss you dearly."
In a statement Wednesday evening, President Biden mourned the
loss of the "Queen of Rock and Roll."
"In addition to being a
once-in-a-generation talent that changed American music forever, Tina's
personal strength was remarkable," Biden said. "Overcoming adversity, and
even abuse, she built a career for the ages and a life and legacy that were
entirely hers."
- Tributes pour in for Tina Turner: "Every note she sang shook the room and shook your soul"
Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, in 1939 and
rose to fame in 1960 with her performance of Ike Turner's "A Fool in Love."
She and Ike Turner would later marry and perform as the Ike & Tina
Turner Revue, traveling cross-country and performing together with a band
and female vocalists called the Ikettes.
However, the
relationship was abusive, and in 1976 Turner left her husband. Their divorce
was finalized in 1978. Ike Turner died in 2007.
Tina Turner had
two biological children, Raymond Craig and Ronald Turner. She survived both:
Her elder son died by suicide in 2018, and her younger son died in 2022. She
also adopted two of Ike Turner's sons from a previous relationship.
In 2013, she wed German music executive Erwin Bach after 27
years of dating.
She continued to perform professionally until
2009. Over the course of her decades-long career, she would release 10
studio albums, have dozens hit songs, and sell more than 180 million albums
worldwide, making her one of the most successful female artists of all
time.
Turner told CBS News in 1984 that she initially struggled to break
into the rock-and-roll genre because of her race.
"I had a real
hard time because I am Black. In America, radio programmers don't program
you as a Black person as rock 'n' roll. You're R&B," she said. "That is
something that people are not aware of. Prince just barged his way through
there and he said 'I am,' and you accept me. Of course, he had to make
changes… as a guy. But I had to prove it over the years. This is the part
about coming in being a woman and being Black."
Turner's longtime manager, Roger Davies, said in a statement
that Turner was a "unique and remarkable force of nature with her strength,
incredible energy and immense talent."
"From the first day I met
her in 1980, she believed in herself completely when few others did at that
time," Davies said. "It was a privilege and an honour to have been a close
friend as well as her manager for more than 30 years. I will miss her
deeply."
