| Birth: | Nov. 5, 1931 | | Death: | Dec. 12, 2007 | 
Renowned Blues Musician and Grammy award winning composer. He is most remembered by the average public as the controversial former spouse of singer Tina Turner. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi to Izear Luster and Beatrice Cushenberry Turner, he began working at the age of eight at the Alcazar Hotel, operating the elevator. The local radio station, WROX, was in the second floor, and young Ike would watch the DJ through the windows during his breaks. He soon got a job putting the next record on the turntable for the DJ, and from there his interest in music grew. His musical idol, Pinetop Perkins, played piano live for WROX, and from Pinetop young Ike learned to play boogie-woogie on the piano. His music career began in the late 1940s, when he formed the group, The Kings of Rhythm, and in 1951, the band recorded what is often been considered the first rock and roll record, "Rocket 88" with Ike Turner writing the tune for Sun Records. In 1957, Ike met 17 year old singer, Anna Mae Bullock, whose vocal range impressed him and after hiring her, he allowed her to expand her singing reputation by singing for independent labels under the name Tina Turner. When her song, "A Fool in Love" became a hit in 1960, he renamed the band as the "Ike and Tina Turner Revue." He is believed to have married her in Tijuana, Mexico in 1962, and they had a son, although in a radio interview in 1996, Ike would deny ever having married Tina legally. Over the next 16 years, the couple and their band became one of the best duos in rock and soul music, with Ike adding in background singers and dancers (considered innovative at the time, now considered routine). Some of their great hits include "River Deep, Mountain High" and "Proud Mary," for which they both won a Grammy award in 1972. After a violent fight in 1976, Tina walked out, divorcing Ike two years later, after which Ike lost much of his popularity. He released two solo albums, both of which bombed, and soon found himself facing cocaine and weapons charges for which he was convicted in 1989 and spent four years in prison. Released in 1993, he immediately returned to music and went on the road, continuing to record music until his death in 2007, eventually becoming recognized for his abilities in Blues music. In 2007, he was honored with a Grammy (his only solo one) for his Blues album, "Risin' with the Blues." In addition to Tina Turner, Ike is said to have been married 13 other times (this is in dispute), and has four known children: Ike Jr, Michael, Ronald, and a daughter, Mia (this is also in dispute; there may be other children). In Tina Turner's autobiography "I, Tina" (1986), she accused Ike of spousal abuse, and in 2001, Ike published his autobiography "Taking Back My Name" in which he admitted slapping and punching Tina, but denied ever beating her. Ike died at his home in San Marcos, California (near San Diego) of emphysema, at the age of 76. (bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson)
Cause of death: Emphysema
Search Amazon for Ike Turner | | | Burial:
Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend. |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Mike Bell
Record added: Dec 12, 2007
Find A Grave Memorial# 23371008 |
|
|
|
|
(3.9 after 138 votes)
