Tina Turner, the legendary rock 'n' roll musician who went on to pop stardom in the 1980s and had an impressive list of movie roles, died today. She was 83.
“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 Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland," her representative told The Guardian in a statement. "With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”
Turner first came to prominence in 1960 with her hit single "A Fool in Love," a partnership with her husband Ike Turner. The two would release tons of hits throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", "River Deep – Mountain High," "Proud Mary," and "Nutbush City Limits."
Tina Turner, however, left the abusive relationship with Ike in 1976, an ordeal that was chronicled in the 1993 biopic What's Love Got to Do With It. Her solo career was wildly successful, though, as she emerged as a pop behemoth in the '80s. Her first solo album came in 1984 with Private Dancer, which contained the mega hit "What's Love Got to Do With It."
She'd go on to release other hits like "Better Be Good to Me," "Private Dancer," "Typical Male," "The Best," and "I Don't Wanna Fight."
Her presence was felt heavily in film as well - not just for songs she did for certain movies, but as an actress. On the former note, she performed the song "GoldenEye" (written by Bono and The Edge) for the 1995 James Bond film of the same name, as well as "One of the Living" and "We Don't Need Another Hero" from 1985's Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Turner also starred in Max Max Beyond Thunderdome as the ruthless Aunt Entity, a compelling, Amazon-like figure. While critical reception to Beyond Thunderdome was mixed - some thought it was a high point for Mad Max, others a low point - response to Turner's role was widely praised.
Prior to Beyond Thunderdome, Turner appeared in a prominent role as The Acid Queen in 1975's Tommy. Her other film credits include 1987's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and 1993's The Last Action Hero.
Among her many accolades, Turner has won 12 Grammys, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors, and an NAACP Image Award for her role in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
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Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
