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Ike & Tina Turner

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Ike & Tina Turner
Company typeMusical partnership
IndustryMusic
Founded1960
FounderIke Turner, Tina Turner
Defunct1976
Headquarters
United States
ProductsMusic recordings, live performances

Ike & Tina Turner was a renowned American musical partnership consisting of the married duo Ike Turner and Tina Turner. Between 1960 and 1976, they performed under the name Ike & Tina Turner Revue, accompanied by the Kings of Rhythm band and the backing vocalists known as the Ikettes. They earned a reputation as "one of the most dynamic live acts within the R&B scene" and were pivotal figures in soul music, achieving sales exceeding 10 million records.

Their initial success in R&B featured tracks such as "A Fool In Love," "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," "I Idolize You," "Poor Fool," and "Tra La La La La." The 1966 single "River Deep – Mountain High," along with a UK tour alongside the Rolling Stones, significantly enhanced their popularity across Europe. Subsequently, they gained acclaim for their soulful adaptations of rock classics like "Come Together," "Honky Tonk Woman," and "Proud Mary"—the latter earning them a Grammy Award in 1972. In 1974, their international hit "Nutbush City Limits" garnered them the inaugural Golden European Record Award. Their album with the highest chart performance was Workin' Together, while River Deep – Mountain High is regarded by Pitchfork as among the finest albums of its time. Despite their commercial achievements, their volatile marriage concluded with their separation in 1976. Tina Turner then embarked on a highly successful solo career.

The duo was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. Two of their singles, "River Deep – Mountain High" and "Proud Mary," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone placed them at No. 2 on its list of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time.

Ike Turner passed away on December 12, 2007, at age 76; Tina Turner died on May 24, 2023, aged 83.

1954–1959: Beginnings

In 1954, Ike Turner, a musician and bandleader, visited his sister Lee Ethel Knight in St. Louis, Missouri. Shortly afterward, he returned to East St. Louis, Illinois with his band, the Kings of Rhythm, to perform at Ned Love's club. Love persuaded Turner to move his band from Clarksdale, Mississippi. By 1956, Turner's band had become one of the most sought-after live acts within the St. Louis and East St. Louis nightclub circuits. Before this relocation, Turner had worked as a talent scout and session musician for Sun Records, Modern Records, and RPM Records.

During this period, Ann Bullock relocated from Brownsville, Tennessee to St. Louis and frequented Club Manhattan, a predominantly African American venue where she first witnessed the Kings of Rhythm perform. She later recounted being deeply impressed by Turner's stage presence.

Bullock eventually made contact with Turner and his ensemble. After convincing Turner to allow her to sing onstage, she received a microphone from Eugene Washington—the band's drummer—who was dating Bullock's sister Alline Bullock, employed as a bartender at the club. Turner's admiration grew after hearing Bullock's commanding rendition of B.B. King's "You Know I Love You" accompanied by organ. By night's end, she had joined the Kings of Rhythm as one of several vocalists who occasionally led performances while still attending high school; she performed with Turner during weekend gigs at local clubs.

Bullock began a relationship with Turner's saxophonist Raymond Hill, with whom she had her first child, Craig Raymond Turner (born in 1958; died in 2018).

In 1958, performing under the name "Little Ann," Bullock recorded "Boxtop," which was released by Tune Town Records in St. Louis. She later moved into Turner's residence in East St. Louis, where he mentored her in vocal techniques and stagecraft. Their friendship soon developed into a romantic involvement, culminating in her pregnancy in January 1960.

1960–1965: Initial Achievements

In March 1960, Ike arranged for his band to record the track "A Fool In Love" intended for vocalist Art Lassiter, who ultimately did not show up. Seizing the opportunity, Ike permitted Bullock to lay down the demo alongside Lassiter's backup singers, the Artettes: Robbie Montgomery, Frances Hodges, and Sandra Harding. The recording attracted the attention of DJ Dave Dixon from KATZ, who forwarded it to Juggy Murray, head of Sue Records. Murray acquired the rights, advanced Ike $20,000, and encouraged him to promote Bullock as the lead performer. Ike subsequently renamed her Tina Turner and secured a trademark on the name to retain control over the act. The single "A Fool In Love" became a major success by July 1960, climbing to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot R&B Sides chart and reaching No. 27 on the Hot 100, ultimately selling one million copies.

Ike established the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, which featured the Kings of Rhythm, vocalist Jimmy Thomas, and the female trio known as the Ikettes. The group transitioned from performing in clubs to theaters such as the Apollo Theater and made their national television debut on American Bandstand in October 1960.

Building on this momentum, they released additional hits including "I Idolize You" and their first album The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner in February 1961. Their June 1961 single "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" became their second million-selling record and earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Rock and Roll Recording. The revue toured extensively along the Chitlin' Circuit, breaking racial barriers by performing before integrated audiences throughout the Deep South. In 1962, they scored Top 10 R&B hits with "Poor Fool" and "Tra La La La La". The act incorporated dynamic dance performances with new vocalists Stacy Johnson and Vernon Guy joining Tina and Ikettes Robbie Montgomery, Venetta Fields, and Jessie Smith. Their live shows gained recognition as high-energy R&B spectacles comparable to those of James Brown.

In 1962, Ike and Tina wed in Tijuana and moved their band’s base to Los Angeles. That same year, they initiated a $330,000 lawsuit against Sue Records over unpaid royalties. In 1963, Sue Records released their albums Don't Play Me Cheap and It's Gonna Work Out Fine. With an advance from Murray, Ike purchased a home in View Park but chose not to renew his contract with Sue Records. They parted ways with Murray and signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1964 under the management of Bob Krasnow.

To ensure a steady stream of releases during touring periods, Ike founded several record labels including Teena, Prann, Innis, Sony, and Sonja Records. These labels issued singles from revue vocalists as well as other groups. Despite limited chart-topping records, the revue performed approximately 300 days annually with frequent lineup changes. Notably, Jimi Hendrix briefly joined them as a guitarist in the mid-1960s.

In 1964, they achieved moderate R&B success with singles like "You Can't Miss Nothing That You Never Had" and "A Fool for a Fool". Their first album to chart was Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live released by Kent Records in November. This was followed by Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show on Warner Bros. in January 1965, which reached No.126 on Billboard's Top LPs chart and No.8 on Hot R&B LPs. During 1965, they scored two top-40 R&B hits: "Tell Her I'm Not Home" on Loma Records and "Good Bye, So Long" on Modern Records. Later that year they returned to Sue Records releasing "Two Is a Couple", which peaked at No.15 on Cash Box's R&B chart.

Throughout 1965, the revue made appearances on popular teen rock television programs such as Shindig!, Hollywood a Go Go, and American Bandstand. Tina Turner and the Ikettes enhanced their performances with vigorous dance routines. Producer Phil Spector invited them to participate in the concert film The Big T.N.T. Show, which was filmed in November of that year. By the end of 1965, the original Ikettes departed to form the Mirettes, replaced by Pat Arnold (also known as P. P. Arnold), Gloria Scott, and Maxine Smith.

1966–1969: Professional Advancement

Phil Spector arranged a deal with Bob Krasnow, manager of Ike and Tina and head of Loma Records, offering $20,000 to free them from their existing contract and obtain artistic control over Tina's recording sessions. Once released, the pair signed with Spector's Philles Records. On March 7, 1966, Tina began work on "River Deep – Mountain High" at Hollywood’s Gold Star Studios. Although the single only reached No. 88 on the US Hot 100, it climbed to No. 3 in the UK and topped the charts in Spain. Due to disappointing sales in the United States, the album was withheld from domestic release until 1969 but was issued in the UK in September 1966 through London Records, accompanied by liner notes praising British enthusiasm for their music.

Building on their success in the UK, Ike & Tina served as the opening act for the Rolling Stones during their 1966 UK Tour, performing at prestigious venues such as Royal Albert Hall and Gaumont Theatre. They maintained momentum by touring various British clubs and quickly releasing the single "A Love Like Yours," which peaked at No. 16 on UK charts.

Upon returning to America, the revue encountered a severe bus crash in Wichita, Kansas; several members required hospitalization, leading Ike to recruit new performers from St. Louis. By 1967, they were booking larger venues across the US and securing exclusive contracts to improve financial stability. Despite these professional gains, their personal relationship deteriorated, culminating in Tina’s suicide attempt prior to a 1968 performance.

In 1968, Krasnow launched Blue Thumb Records, issuing two albums containing Ike's master recordings. The first release, Outta Season, reached No. 43 on Billboard’s R&B LP chart and included their rendition of Otis Redding’s "I've Been Loving You Too Long," which attained No. 23 on R&B singles charts. In March 1969, they appeared at Amsterdam’s Grand Gala du Disque. In May, Ike released his solo project A Black Man's Soul on Pompeii Records, garnering his inaugural Grammy nomination for Best R&B Instrumental Performance.

The duo headlined at Las Vegas’ International Hotel Casino Theatre in August 1969, where Ike was introduced to cocaine by notable Vegas performers.

In September 1969, A&M Records reissued River Deep – Mountain High in the US, reaching No. 28 on R&B album charts. The following month saw Blue Thumb release The Hunter, a blues-oriented record featuring guitarist Albert Collins. The title track peaked at No. 37 on R&B singles charts; the album itself reached No. 47 on R&B albums charts and earned Tina her first solo Grammy nod for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

That year also marked Ike & Tina’s participation in rock festivals such as Newport Pop Festival (Northridge), Seattle Pop Festival (Woodinville), and Gold Rush (Amador County). Reports from November indicated they outperformed the Rolling Stones as an opening act during the Stones’ US tour. Tina emerged as a sex symbol due to her provocative stage presence; their rendition of "I've Been Loving You Too Long" at Madison Square Garden was featured in the Rolling Stones’ documentary Gimme Shelter. During this period, Janis Joplin joined them spontaneously for "Land of 1000 Dances."

The duo incorporated covers of Rolling Stones and Beatles songs into their setlist to enthusiastic audience reception. Their label Minit Records promptly released a studio version of "Come Together" to leverage this popularity surge.

1970–1976: Achieving Mainstream Recognition

In January 1970, Ike and Tina made an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which propelled their single "Bold Soul Sister" to reach No. 22 on the R&B charts. Their March release, "Come Together," climbed to No. 21 on the same chart. This momentum led to a contract with Liberty Records, the parent company of Minit. Their Liberty debut album, Come Together, launched in April 1970, peaked at No. 13 on the R&B albums chart. The May single "I Want to Take You Higher," a rendition of Sly and the Family Stone's original, outperformed it on the Billboard Hot 100. Performance fees increased substantially from $1,000 to $5,000 per night, and they headlined prominent festivals such as the Newport Jazz Festival and Schaefer Music Festival that same year. Additionally, they featured in the Isley Brothers' concert film It's Your Thing and Miloš Forman's movie Taking Off. In October 1970, they led the Soul Bowl at Tulane Stadium supporting underprivileged minority students and embarked on an Asian tour that included stops in Siam, China, Japan, and the Philippines.

Starting in 1969, Ike and Tina incorporated "Proud Mary" into their performances, officially releasing their version on November 1970's album Workin' Together. The single climbed to No. 4 on the Hot 100 and No. 5 on the R&B chart by January 1971, selling over one million copies and securing a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group. The album became their highest-charting studio effort, reaching No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and featuring socially aware songs alongside notable covers.

Their European tour in January 1971 included standout shows at Midem in Cannes and Paris's Olympia; the latter was recorded for the live album Live In Paris. They were honored with the French Jazz Academy Soul award during this period. In March, they performed at Ghana’s Independence Day celebration, which was filmed as Soul To Soul; its soundtrack achieved No. 10 on the Billboard Soul LPs chart.

In May 1971, Ike and Tina opened for Johnny Mathis at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. That year saw Liberty Records merged into United Artists Records; their initial release under UA was the Carnegie Hall live album What You Hear Is What You Get, which reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and earned Gold certification in 1972. A concert filmed at Central Park’s Schaefer Music Festival aired on ABC-TV as Good Vibrations from Central Park. Singles such as "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" and "I'm Yours (Use Me Anyway You Wanna)" secured spots within the top 40 of R&B charts. November's album 'Nuff Said coincided with renaming their backing group Family Vibes. In February 1972, they opened their Bolic Sound recording studio to public visits; it had been operational since 1970 for various productions. Later that year, they released Feel Good, featuring nine songs penned by Tina Turner. They also performed at Nassau County’s Festival of Hope Rockfest benefiting disabled children. Their October appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was later included in a compilation album. Moderate success continued with Tina-written tracks like "Up in Heah" (1972) and a cover of "Early One Morning" (1973).

In August 1973, their hit "Nutbush City Limits", written by Tina Turner, reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on R&B charts; it achieved greater success internationally, peaking at No. 4 in the UK and No. 1 in Austria. On September 1st of that year, they set a single-night attendance record at Monticello Raceway with over 15,000 attendees.

The following year, Ike and Tina were honored with the first-ever Golden European Record Award for selling more than one million copies of "Nutbush City Limits" across Europe. Subsequent singles such as "Sweet Rhode Island Red" and "Sexy Ida" performed admirably both on R&B charts and within European markets.

April saw the release of The Gospel According to Ike & Tina Turner, while September marked Tina's solo debut with Tina Turns the Country On!; both albums received Grammy nominations at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards. Additionally, Ike earned a solo nomination for his song "Father Alone".

By 1975, the revue had been rebranded as the Ike & Tina Turner Explosion. Gerhard Augustin took over management duties in February; he had previously co-produced several projects including Feel Good (1972). That year also featured Tina’s role as Acid Queen in the rock opera film Tommy, which elevated her solo album Acid Queen. The lead single "Baby, Get It On" became their last duet to chart, reaching No. 31 on R&B charts while enjoying success in Europe.

They co-headlined the Newport Pop Festival benefit event in September 1975. Early in January 1976 they toured Australia once more before headlining New York City's Waldorf Astoria in March. Additionally, they secured a contract with CBS-TV for nine television specials showcasing the Ike & Tina Turner Revue with potential for an ongoing series.

1976–1978: The dissolution of the partnership

By 1976, Ike's escalating cocaine dependency had taken a serious toll on his well-being and strained their professional relationship. He intended to transition the duo from United Artists to Cream Records under a $150,000 yearly contract, which featured a key person clause obligating Tina to remain with Ike for an additional five years.

On July 1, 1976, while on tour in Dallas, Texas, Tina escaped from Ike after a physical confrontation, leaving with only 36 cents and a gas card. She officially filed for divorce on July 27, citing irreconcilable differences. In her 1986 memoir I, Tina: My Life Story, she recounted years of domestic abuse throughout their marriage. Ike’s 1999 autobiography acknowledged physical altercations but denied any extreme abuse.

Their divorce was finalized on March 29, 1978. Tina surrendered her stake in the Bolic Sound studio, publishing entities, and real estate holdings to Ike, who retained ownership of the vehicles. She kept her songwriting royalties and performance name but assumed liabilities related to canceled shows and an IRS lien.

Despite the bitterness between them, Ike described Tina as "the best woman I ever knew." In later years, he expressed remorse though he never issued a public apology; in 2007 he disclosed having composed an apology letter that he never sent. Tina stated in 2018 that she had forgiven him personally but declined any professional reunion.

United Artists released albums completed from their last sessions: Delilah's Power (1977) and Airwaves (1978). In 1980, Ike issued "Party Vibes"/"Shame, Shame, Shame" from The Edge, which reached number 27 on the Billboard Disco Top 100 chart.

Following Tina’s breakthrough solo career in the mid-1980s, compilations of previously unreleased tracks such as Get Back (1985) and Golden Empire (1985) were issued; Get Back peaked at number 189 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.

Awards and nominations

Ike & Tina Turner were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and honored by the St. Louis Classic Rock Hall of Fame in 2015. Both artists have stars on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Tina earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1986 and is also inducted into the SoulMusic Hall of Fame, Memphis Music Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame as a solo performer. She was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005. Ike was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, and Hollywood’s RockWalk.

The duo received several accolades:

  • 1971: Hit Parade’s Top Duo of the Year for "Proud Mary"
  • 1971: Record World DJ Poll’s Top Duo (Singles)
  • 1971: Best Duo awarded by NATRA (National Association of Television and Radio Announcers)
  • 1971: French Jazz Academy Soul Award
  • 1971: Prix Otis Redding from the Académie du Jazz for best R&B album (Workin' Together)
  • 1974: Golden European Record Award for over one million copies sold of "Nutbush City Limits"

Grammy Awards

In 1972, Ike & Tina Turner earned a Grammy Award for their rendition of "Proud Mary." Their tracks "River Deep – Mountain High" and "Proud Mary" were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and 2003 respectively. Tina secured seven additional Grammys as a solo artist; Ike won one solo Grammy in 2007. In 2018, Tina was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.


|- |1962 |Ike & Tina Turner – "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" |Best Rock & Roll Recording | |- |1970 |Tina Turner – The Hunter |Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | |- |1970 |Ike Turner – A Black Mans Soul |Best R&B Instrumental Performance | |- |1972 |Ike & Tina Turner – "Proud Mary" |Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group | |- |1975 |Tina Turner – Tina Turns The Country On! |Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | |- |1975 |Ike Turner – "Father Alone" |Best Soul Gospel Performance | |- |1975 |Ike & Tina Turner – The Gospel According to Ike & Tina |Best Soul Gospel Performance | |}

Grammy Hall of Fame

|- | 1999 | "River Deep – Mountain High" | Single Hall of Fame Inductee | |- | 2003 | "Proud Mary" | Single Hall of Fame Inductee |


Living Blues Honors

! |- | 2014 | Ike and Tina Turner, On the Road 1971-72 | Outstanding Blues DVD of 2013 | | |- | 2017 | Ike & Tina Turner, The Complete Pompeii Recordings 1968-1969 | Best Blues Album (Reissue) of 2016 | |


Rankings

Billboard

The Billboard Year-End charts summarize annual US chart performance for singles and albums as determined by Billboard magazine.

Annual Billboard Chart Rankings
Year Chart Category Title Position
1960 Year-End R&B Chart "A Fool In Love" 3
1961 Year-End Hot 100 Singles "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" 65
Year-End R&B Chart 2
1970 Year-End Hot 100 Singles "I Want to Take You Higher" 79
1971 Year-End Hot 100 Singles "Proud Mary" 55

Cash Box

From its inception in 1942 until ceasing publication in 1996, Cash Box magazine was a key source for US music rankings. Starting in 1961, it issued an annual summary based on its weekly Top 100 Best Seller listings.

Annual Cash Box Year-End Results
Year Artist / Work Category Placement
1961 Ike & Tina Turner Best New Vocal Groups (R&B) 1
Best Newcomer Vocal Group (Singles) 17
Ike & Tina Turner – "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" Top 50 R&B Singles 5
Ike & Tina Turner – "I Idolize You" Top 50 R&B Singles 48
1962 Ike & Tina Turner Best Vocal Groups (Singles) 10
Best Vocal Groups (R&B) 2
Ike & Tina Turner – "Poor Fool" Top 50 R&B Singles 17
rowspan="3" |Ike & Tina Turner |Best Vocal Groups (R&B) |22, 25, and 24 respectively |
rowspan="3" |Ike & Tina Turner |Best Duos (R&B) / Top Duos |5, 5, and 2 respectively |
rowspan="7" |Ike & Tina Turner along with notable singles and albums |Multiple honors including Best Duos (R&B), Top Duos (albums), and Top R&B Hits with rankings ranging from first to fifty-sixth place |


Record World

Between 1946 and 1982, Record World magazine stood as one of the top three trade publications in the American music industry, alongside Billboard and Cash Box. The magazine's yearly Record World Awards honored the most prominent artists within the US music market.

Record World Awards
Year Nominee Award Rank
1969 Ike & Tina Turner Most Promising Duo (Album) 1
1971 Top Duo Singles 2
Top Duo (Album) 2
1972 Top Duo R&B 2
1973 Top Duo R&B of the Year 1
1974 Top Vocal Duo (Album) 1
Top Vocal Duo (R&B Singles) 1

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Video releases

Film appearances

Bibliography

External links

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