Tina Turner Research Papers

A true phenom, Tina Turner's impact was unmatched. Her vocal range encompassed rock, soul, pop, and blues with unwavering fervor. Her dance moves electrified onlookers, leaving them enraptured by her charm. Acting was another talent of Turner's, as she brought authenticity and drama to an array of roles. Her raw honesty and bravery shone through in her written works, which fans couldn't put down. A true icon, Turner's talent, tenacity, and unrelenting spirit touched countless fans and influenced generations of artists. Many challenges and hardships were overcome by a woman who, despite her glamorous image and remarkable success, had a difficult life. Poverty, betrayal, racism, violence, illness, and loss were all faced by her in turn. However,

She was the youngest of four children of Zelma and Floyd Bullock, who were sharecroppers and churchgoers. She grew up singing in the choir and listening to gospel, blues and country music.
CHILDHOOD IN TENNESSEE
Turner had a difficult childhood in Tennessee, where she faced poverty, racism and violence. Her father was abusive and often beat her mother. He also had affairs with other women and fathered several children out of wedlock. Her parents separated when she was 10 years old, and she and her sister were sent to live with their grandmother, Georgeanna Currie, in Nutbush, a small town near the Mississippi River.
Turner found solace in music and dreamed of becoming a singer. She sang in the school choir and at local talent shows. She also listened to the radio and admired singers such as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding and James Brown. She was influenced by their soulful voices and their stories of overcoming

She attended the Woodlawn Baptist Church with her grandmother and learned about Christianity. She also learned about Buddhism from her aunt Eileen, who gave her a book on the subject when she was 13 years old. She later adopted Buddhism as her religion.

MOVE TO ST. LOUIS
Tina moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1956 to live with her mother and sister after her parents divorced. There she was exposed to the vibrant rhythm-and-blues scene and frequented nightclubs with her sister. She met Ike Turner, a musician and bandleader, at a club called Club Manhattan in 1957. She impressed him with her powerful voice and soon joined his band, the Kings of Rhythm, as a singer.
She adopted the stage name suggested to her by Ike – “Tina Turner” and became the lead vocalist of the newly formed Ike & Tina Turner Revue in 1960. She debuted as Tina Turner with the hit duet single “A Fool in Love”, which was written by Ike and produced by Juggy Murray. The song reached number two on the Billboard R&B chart and number twenty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“Ike was my first love… He was my teacher… He taught me everything I know about music… He gave me my name… He gave me my career.” - Tina