Ike Turner
Ike Turner (born
Izear Luster Turner, Jr.) (born
November 5,
1931) is an
American musician (
piano,
guitar),
bandleader,
talent scout and
record producer, best known for his work with his former wife
Tina Turner. He is a member of the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in
2001 was inducted into the
St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Turner, an
African American, was born in
Clarksdale,
Mississippi. His musical career began with his childhood piano teacher,
Pinetop Perkins, who taught him the
boogie-woogie that he later transformed into early
rock and roll. Turner's
1951 recording of "
Rocket 88" is considered one of the earliest examples of rock and roll with a driving
back beat and topped with electric guitar and wailing saxophone. The album's guitar distortion had an odd story behind it. The amp he used to record was dropped in a parking lot before recording, he went inside to listen to the sound. He hated it, but the producer liked it. It was considered to be the first album in which guitar distortion was used. It was a sharp contrast from the relatively more
jazzy and sophisticated
jump blues or
swing combo music that preceded it.
The record was released under the name of Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, but was actually performed by Ike Turner and His
Kings of Rhythm. Through music-business intrigue, Brenston, Turner's
saxophone player, ended up with artist and co-author credit on Turner's tune.
Musically, he was known for an aggressive, hard-hitting lead guitar style. He was known to put the
whammy bar of his
Fender Stratocaster to frequent use. In addition to his bandleading and performing, Turner was a talent scout and informal A & R man for independent record companies, including
Sun Records, and played guitar or piano as side man for many pioneer
blues performers, including
Robert Nighthawk,
Sonny Boy Williamson II,
Elmore James, and
Otis Rush.
Turner is also noted for introducing the classic
soul music show to general audiences with the
Ike and Tina Turner Revue, featuring a full band,
Tina Turner, and the Ikettes, a female trio of frantic singers and dancers. The
Revue opened for the
Rolling Stones on their American tours in
1966 and
1969.
Ike was married to Tina Turner for 18 years, starting in
1960. In her
autobiography I, Tina, later filmed as
What's Love Got to Do with It?, she accused him of violent spousal abuse, which Ike repeatedly denied for many years. However, in his 2001 autobiography Ike admitted, "Sure, I've slapped Tina... There have been times when I punched her without thinking. But I never beat her." (This abuse was referenced in
Wedding Crashers.) Turner's many problems off the stage were linked to his drug addiction and intense use of cocaine, resulting in his
abusive behaviour and relationship with his wife and children. Ike's complete dominance over Tina's life eventually became too much for her, and after an unsuccessful suicide attempt, she walked out on him in
1975, with nothing more than thirty-six cents and a gas-station credit card. The two were divorced in
1978. Ike Turner was later convicted and served time in a California State Prison for drug-related charges, while Tina went on to have a successful solo career beginning in the early 1980s.
In 2001, Turner released the Grammy-nominated
Here and Now, and appeared at the
Montreux Jazz Festival and North Sea Jazz Festival. In 2004 he was bestowed a "Heroes Award" by the Memphis chapter of the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). Turner was featured in two installments of Martin Scorsese's "The Blues" films. In 2005, he appeared on
Gorillaz'
Demon Days release, performing the piano for the song
Every Planet We Reach Is Dead also performing in the band's sold-out
Demon Days Live shows. A documentary about Ike Turner's contributions to music is in production for 2006.
His autobiography,
Taking Back My Name (ISBN 1-852-27850-1) was published in
2001.
For a Tina Turner solo discography, see the Tina Turner article.*1960: "I Idolize You (R&B #5, US # 82)
*1960: "A Fool in Love" (R&B #2, US #27)
*1961: "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (R&B #2, US #14)
*1962: "Poor Fool" (R&B #4, US #38)
*1962: "Tra La La La La" (R&B #9, US #50)
*1962: "You Should'a Treated Me Right (US #89)
*1964: "I Can't Believe What You Say (For Seeing What You Do)" (US #95)
*1966: "
River Deep - Mountain High" (US #88, UK #6)
*1968: "So Fine" (R&B #50)
*1969: "I'm Gonna Do All I Can (To Do Right By My Man)" (US #98)
*1969: "I've Been Loving You Too Long" (R&B #23, US #68)
*1969: "The Hunter" (R&B #37, US #93)
*1970: "Bold Soul Sister" (R&B #22, US #59)
*1970: "Come Together" (R&B #21, US #57)
*1970: "
I Want to Take You Higher" (R&B #25, US #34)
*1970: "Workin' Together" (R&B #41)
*1971: "I'm Yours (Use Me Anyway You Wanna)" (R&B #47)
*1971: "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" (R&B #31, US #60)
*1971: "Proud Mary" (R&B #5, US #4)
*1972: "Up In Heah (US #83)
*1973: "Early One Morning" (R&B #47)
*1974: "Sexy Ida (Part 1)" (R&B #29, US #65)
*1974: "Sweet Rhode Island Red" (R&B #43)
*1975: "Baby-Get It On" (R&B #31, US #88)
Albums
*1960:
The Soul of Ike and Tina Turner (Collectables)
*1962:
Dance With Ike & Tina Turner & Their Kings of Rhythm Band (Sue)
*1962:
Festival of Live Performances (United)
*1963:
Don't Play Me Cheap (Collectables)
*1963:
Dynamite (Collectables)
*1963:
It's Gonna Work Out Fine (Collectables)
*1963:
Please Please Please (Kent)
*1964:
The Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live (Kent)
*1965:
Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show (Warner Bros.)
*1965:
Ike & Tina Show 2 (Tomato)
*1965:
Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Harmony)
*1966:
River Deep - Mountain High (Philles/A&M)
*1966:
Ike & Tina Turner and the Raelettes (Tangerine)
*1966:
Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show (Loma)
*1966:
Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show, Vols. 1-2 *1969:
Outta Season (Blue Thumb)
*1969:
Ike & Tina Turner in Person (Minit)
*1969:
Fantastic (Sunset)
*1969:
Get It Together (Pompeii)
*1969:
Her Man His Woman (Capitol)
*1969:
The Hunter (Blue Thumb)
*1970:
On Stage (Valiant)
*1970:
Come Together (Liberty)
*1971:
Workin' Together (One Way)
*1971:
'Nuff Said (United Artists)
*1971:
Something's Got a Hold on Me (Harmony)
*1971:
What You Hear Is What You Get (EMI)
*1972:
Feel Good (United Artists)
*1973:
Let Me Touch Your Mind (United Artists)
*1973:
Nutbush City Limits (United Artists)
*1973:
The World of Ike and Tina Live (United Artists)
*1974:
Strange Fruit (United Artists)
*1974:
Sweet Rhode Island Red (United Artists)
*1974:
The Gospel According to Ike and Tina (United Artists)
*1974:
The Great Album*1975:
Sixteen Great Performances (ABC)
*1977:
Delilah's Power (United Artists)
*
Turner's Entry on the St. Louis Walk of Fame
*
Ike's Homepage on the internet
*
Ike Turner Article - by Dr. Frank Hoffmann
