Tina Turner, ‘Queen of Rock & Roll’ Dies at 83

Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock & Roll’ has died peacefully at 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland,” her family said in a statement Wednesday.

“With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.” A cause of death was not immediately available, though Turner had a stroke and battled both kidney failure and intestinal cancer in recent years.

She was known as the “Queen of Rock & Roll” after recording so many great songs including “What Love Got To Do With It,” which has been dubbed her most successful song taken from her 1984 album Private Dancer. It was later used in the 1993 film of the same name, based on Tina’s life.

With about a hundred albums sold, she was one of the bestselling artists of all time.

The Rock & Roll singer began performing alongside ex-husband Ike Turner, who scandalously subjected her to years of abuse. She revived her career from stagnation in the early 1980s – taking it to a new level and becoming one of the biosphere’s biggest music stars.

Illness and death

Tina Turner revealed in her 2018 chronicle “My Love Story” that she had suffered numerous life-intimidating illnesses. In 2013, three weeks after her wedding to Erwin Bach, she suffered a stroke and had to learn to walk again.

In 2016, she was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. Tina Turner opted for homeopathic remedies for her high blood pressure. This course of high blood pressure resulted in damage to her kidneys and eventual kidney failure.

Her chances of receiving a kidney were low, and she was urged to start dialysis. She considered assisted suicide and signed up to be a member of Exit, but Bach offered to donate a kidney for her transplant. Turner had kidney transplant surgery on April 7, 2017.

Rolling Stone described her as the “raspy-voiced fireball who overcame domestic abuse and industry ambivalence to emerge as one of rock and soul’s brassiest, most rousing and most inspirational performers.”

“Starting with her performances with her ex-husband Ike, Turner injected an uninhibited, volcanic stage presence into pop. Even with choreographed backup singers — both with Ike and during her own career — Turner never seemed reined in.

“Her influence on Rock, R&B, and soul singing and performance was also immeasurable. Her delivery influenced everyone from Mick Jagger to Mary J. Blige, and her high-energy stage presence (topped with an array of gravity-defying wigs) was passed down to Janet Jackson and Beyoncé. Turner’s message — one that resounded with generations of women — was that she could hold her own onstage against any man.”

Tribute has already become pouring in. Among the first to pay tribute were Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Elton John, Diana Ross, Bette Midler and Giorgio Armani.

“She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer,” said Rolling Stones frontman Jagger.

“She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.”

Sir Elton John posted a picture of himself with Turner and said she was “untouchable” and a “total legend on record and on stage”.

She will be missed for her energy and soulful vocals during performances on stage.

Below is a collection of some of her greatest hits.

River Deep, Mountain High (1966)

Proud Mary (1971)

Nutbush City Limits (1973)

Let’s Stay Together (1983)

What’s Love Got to Do With It (1984)

Private Dancer (1984)

We Don’t Need Another Hero (1985)

The Best (1989)

By Daniel Theo Cole