BY SUSAN APPIAH

With our eyes still soaked with tear over the passing of our beloved Harry Belafonte just a few weeks ago, our hearts are broken again by the sad news of the death of Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll’ who paved the way for today’s dozens of shining stars that she inspired with her massive talents and tenacity.

A statement released by Tina’s representative says: “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. With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”

The entertainment icon had previously delt with a number of health concerns: a stroke in 2013, intestinal cancer in 2016, and a kidney transplant in 2017.

Tina Turner’s breathtaking track record includes six Grammy awards, two inductions in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, not to mention a Lifetime Achievement Grammy, three American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, an NAACP Image Award, an Essence Award, two World Music Awards, an induction in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and many more.

The artist, born Anna Mae Bullock, was born on November 26, 1939, in Brownsville, Tennessee. As is often the case with such legends, especially those in the music industry, Turner began singing at the tender age of 11, typically in a church—in the choir of Nutbush’s Spring Hill Baptist Church.

She owes the launch of her career—and her early success—to a bandleader, Ike Turner, who was impressed by her performance during a music event when she was only in her late teens. She joined Ike Turner’s band and they got married in 1962, then enjoyed a decade-long success in music. Notably, Tina, who was known as Little Anna in her first recording in 1958, adopted the stage name Tina at the request of Ike.

Sadly, Ike’s addiction to cocaine, his abuse and penchant for adultery, caused the couple to break up in 1976 after a much-covered fight in public, in Dallas, Texas. To make matters worse, Tina ran away from the scene of the fight with 36 cents in her pocket. That was seen by many, including people in the entertainment industry, as the end of Tina, who was then nearly 40 years old. But she stunned the world with a rarely seen comeback in music history, giving us immemorable titles such as “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Better Be Good to Me,” “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome,)” “The Best,” and so many more.

A few of Tina Turner’s firsts

• • With her “What’s Love Got to Do With It” the iconic entertainer made history by becoming, at age 44, the oldest female artist to score a No, 1 hit 
  • According to the music publishing company BMG, she was the first Black artist and the first female artist to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stones  Her solo works include 10 studio albums, two live albums, two soundtracks and five compilations, which in total have sold more than 100 million records.