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Ike Turner

Ike Turner was a musician with a hard-hitting guitar style, best known for his work as half of the Ike and Tina Turner revue, one of the hottest R&B acts of all time. Fronted by Tina, the two combined musical discipline with raw sexuality and a powerful interpretation of classics like "Proud Mary" that no other artists could hope to match.

Ike Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1931. A natural pianist, he played with Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Nighthawk as a child. In 1951 he joined the Kings of Rhythm R&B group, and made a major contribution by playing piano on "Rocket 88", often considered one of the first Rock & Roll tunes.

Ike Turner learned to play the guitar soon after, and as a session player in the early 1950's backed up Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush and others. Around 1954 he moved to East St. Louis, Missouri, where he played with the Rhythm Kings.

Ike met Anna Mae Bullock, aged 18, in 1959. Anna Mae changed her name to Tina Turner and became the star of the group, renamed the Ike and Tina Turner Review. In the next decade they issued a series of hits including "A Fool In Love", "I Idolize You", "Its Gonna Work Out Fine", "River Deep, Mountain High" and "I Want to Take You Higher". Their biggest hit was "Proud Mary", issued in 1971.

However, Ike's relationship with Tina deteriorated to the point of separation in 1975, and his career declined while Tina moved on to new hights as a soloist. Ike Turner died in 2007 aged 76.

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