Playbill

Tina Turner () Obituary

Tina Turner, the music icon known as the Queen of Rock'n Roll, has passed away. She was 83. Ms. Turner's passing comes after an extended illness, and was confirmed by her longtime publicist.

Ms. Turner was the subject of the Tony nominated biomusical Tina, for which Adrienne Warren won the 2020 Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. As an actress, Ms. Turner played The Acid Queen on screen in the 1975 film Tommy, based on the British group's 1969 album of the same name—the film was later adapted into the stage rock musical The Who's Tommy. The work became a landmark piece of the musical film trend of the late 20th century.

Born Anna Mae Bullock November 26, 1939, in Nutbush, Tennessee, Ms. Turner survived unthinkable hardship and abuse to become one of the most influential musical artists of the 20th century. Her music sold more than 180 million albums worldwide, with Ms. Turner receiving 12 Grammy awards, including for her songs "Proud Mary" (with Ike Turner), "What's Love Got to Do with It," and "Better Be Good to Me."

In 2016, a musical based on Ms. Turner's life, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, entered development with close personal involvement from Ms. Turner herself. The musical, whose book by Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins explores her difficult childhood, the vicious abuse inflicted upon her by Ike Turner, and her legendary music career, was based directly on Ms. Turner's recollections. Ms. Turner worked closely with the show's choreographer, Anthony Van Laast, to properly reconstruct her iconic dance style.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical premiered on the West End in 2018, netting three Olivier nominations. The musical was then translated into German for a 2019 Hamburg premiere before coming to Broadway, opening in 2019. Additional productions have since opened in the Netherlands, Spain, and Australia, in addition to touring productions.

At opening night of the musical on Broadway, Ms. Turner said "This musical is my life, but it is like poison that turned to medicine. I can never be as happy as I am now."

The Broadway opening of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical was one of Ms. Turner's final public appearances before her passing. She is survived by her husband, Erwin Bach; her step children; and her grandchildren. She is predeceased by her sons Raymond and Ronald.

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