Tina Turner: Power, Rebellion, Defiance, Sexuality, and Resilience all Rolled Into One!
Like millions of people all over the world, I was saddened to hear about the death of Tina Turner. The 83 year-old singer had suffered from health setbacks over the last few years, including intestinal cancer in 2016 and a kidney transplant in 2017. Tributes came from entertainers across the spectrum. Entertainers ranging from Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, Bette Midler, Bryan Adams, John Fogerty, Diana Ross, Elton John, Angela Bassett, Mick Jagger and others.
Many of the aforementioned celebrities had a direct relationship with Turner. To say that Tina Turner was a pioneer is obvious as well as an understatement. She was an innovator and an artist who personified the word innovative. She integrated thunderous gospel vocals with funk, R&B, and sensual rock energy, resulting in energetic songs such as “Proud Mary,” “River Deep,” “Whole Lotta Lovin,” “Sexy Ida,” and a multitude of others.
Tina Turner was bold, daring, visionary, and fearless in a way that few artists . . . . (until later decades) dared to be.
She unabashedly screamed, shouted, kicked, and thunderously belted out vocals — all of which cultivated a fierce, brash aura that provided rock and roll one of its most…
