HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TINA TURNER AS SHE TURNS 76 TODAY

Tina Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, in Nutbush, Tennessee, to Mr. and Mrs.Floyd and Zelma Bullock.  Tina and her sister were raised by their grandmother. When her grandmother died in the early 1950s, Turner moved to St. Louis, Missouri, to be with her mother.

Barely in her teens, she immersed herself in St. Louis's R&B scene, spending much of her time at Club Manhattan. It was there, in 1956, that she met rock-and-roll pioneer Ike Turner, who often played at the club with the Kings of Rhythm. It wasn't long before Turner was performing with the group, and she quickly became the highlight of their show.

Making the Charts

In 1960, when another singer failed to show up for a Kings of Rhythm recording session, Turner sang the lead on a track titled "A Fool in Love." The record was then sent to a radio station in New York, and was released as "Ike and Tina Turner." The song became a huge R&B success, and soon crossed over to the pop charts. Before long, the group was touring as the Ike and Tina Turner Revue and earning renown for their electrifying stage performances. The group also capitalized on the success of "A Fool in Love" by releasing a string of successful follow-up singles in 1961, including "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," "Poor Fool" and "Tra La La La La."

With their popularity growing, Ike and Tina were married in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1962. Two years later their son, Ronnie, was born (they had four sons in all, one from an earlier relationship of Tina's, and two from an earlier relationship of Ike's).

In 1966, Tina and Ike's success reached new heights when they recorded the album River Deep, Mountain High with superstar record producer Phil Spector. The title track was unsuccessful in the United States, but became a massive hit in Europe and brought the duo new fame.

In 1969, they toured as the opening act for the Rolling Stones, winning themselves still more fans. Their popularity continued well into the 1970s, charting with tracks such as "Proud Mary" and "Nutbush City Limits." In 1975, Tina also appeared in her first film, playing the Acid Queen in the Who's Tommy. Tina left Ike in the 1970s  after years of abuse. 

Following a slow start to her solo career, Turner achieved massive success with her 1984 album, Private Dancer. She went on to deliver more chart-topping albums, and was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. The singer later became involved in the spiritual Beyond project, and married longtime boyfriend Erwin Bach in July 2013.

SOURCE