Back in the day when I was a regular commentator at AICN's comment threads, there was a familiar saying, "Death comes in groups of threes."
This was true when it came to celebrity deaths. Not only did we lose Jim Brown, Ray Stevenson, but now iconic R&B sensation and Queen of Rock n Roll, Tina Turner. Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, in. Tennessee Tina who started her career as a lead singer for her then husband, Ike Turner's band "Kings of Rhythm " prior to disbanding in 1976, The duo Ike & Tina Turner had released hits such as "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", "River Deep – Mountain High", and most significantly, "Proud Mary.” After 16 years of a tumultuous marriage, the couple divorced. However, Tina made a big comeback in 1984 with hits like "Private Dancer" and "What's love got to do with it” which I fondly remember being used as the end credits for a Miami Vice two parter, Calderon's Return part II.
At the age of 44 Turner won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became her first and only number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 cementing her resurgence into music, and then pop culture after making her appearance in the bookend Trilogy of the Mad Max saga (Beyond Thunderdome) playing opposite Mel Gibson. While I was slightly disappointed in Thunderdome, I loved the song appropriately used during the end credits. Tina also provided the theme for 1996's 007 sequel "Goldeneye."
However, one of her greatest accomplishments was publishing "I, Tina" a biography based on her rise to stardom and enduring spousal abuse from her then husband, Ike Turner. The film adaptation called of course, "What's Love got to do with it" starring Angela Davis, became a box office success further proving how she had the last laugh. Success is the greatest revenge!
As John Oats of Hall and Oats said, “She was the archetype for the strong powerful female performers of Rock and Roll. " Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, choreographer, resilient warrior, and queen, Tina has left this earth, but her presence and spirit lives on.
No, we don't need another hero, as none can replace elder icons, like Jim Brown and Tina Turner.
Rest in Power, Queen
