Ike Turner
Ike Wister Turner (November 5, 1931 - December 12, 2007) was an American gu… Read Full Bio ↴Ike Wister Turner (November 5, 1931 - December 12, 2007) was an American guitarist, pianist, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer. Considered to be one of the fathers of rock and roll, his first recording, "Rocket 88" (incorrectly credited to "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats") in 1951, is considered by some to be the "first rock and roll song" ever. Turner is probably best known for his work with his ex-wife, Tina Turner as one half of the Ike & Tina Turner revue. In a career that lasted half a century, Ike's repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk. He was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 (with Tina). Turner won two Grammy Awards.
Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on November 5, 1931, to Beatrice Cushenberry, a seamstress, and Izear Luster Turner, a Baptist minister. Ike got his first taste the music business at the age of eight, helping the DJ at a local Clarksdale radio station, WROX.
Turner was soon carrying amplifiers for blues singer Robert Nighthawk, who often played live on WROX. Growing up, Turner's idol Pinetop Perkins helped teach the young Ike to play boogie-woogie on the piano. Ike soon was enamored of other blues artists such as Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), Charley Booker, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Little Walter.
Ike Turner's actual music career began in earnest in the late-1940s where he formed a group he christened Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm. In 1951, the band recorded what some historians have called "the first rock and roll record" with "Rocket 88", credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (this band did not actually exist). Brenston was both the band's saxophonist and the lead vocalist of the song, and on the original Chess release was listed as the song's writer. "Rocket 88" was produced at Sun Studio in Memphis by Sam Phillips. The record was one of the first examples of guitar distortion, which happened by accident when one of the amplifiers was dropped before the recording.
Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm settled into local fame in St. Louis where the band locally recorded for a St. Louis label and even appeared on local television shows. Throughout this early period, Turner became a recording scout and A&R man for independent record companies including Sun Records, helping the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James and Otis Rush get signed. He also became a sideman playing guitar for these blues acts and more. Musically, Turner was known for his hard-hitting guitar style. He was known to put the whammy bar of his Fender Stratocaster to frequent use.
Turner's music career changed drastically after meeting a teenage singer from Nutbush, Tennessee, named Anna Mae Bullock, who demandingly grabbed a microphone during a singing session at one of St. Louis' nightspots and sang a B.B. King song in her now-trademark throated raspy vocals. Bullock's performance impressed Ike so much he allowed Anna to join his band as a background singer. However within a year, Ike's plans for Bullock changed after Anna recorded what he originally stated was a demo for a song that was to be sung by a male vocalist. After hearing her vocals, he let it be released under an independent label and in the process changed the name of the singer from Anna Mae Bullock to Tina Turner - naming her after Sheena - and the name of the band to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. It is believed that this singular act is what propelled Tina Turner into the spotlight. "A Fool in Love" became a national hit in early 1960, reaching the top three in the R&B charts and becoming a top thirty pop hit in the process. From then until 1976, Ike & Tina Turner became one of the most explosive duos in rock & soul music.
After Tina abruptly left Ike after a violent altercation in 1976, Ike lost ground in the national music market. As a solo artist, he struggled to find success after Tina and after releasing two failed solo albums, had found himself facing drug and weapons charges, of which he was convicted in 1989.
When Ike was released from prison in 1993, he was met at the prison gate by Jeanette Bazzell who later became his wife. Jeanette was instrumental in helping Ike rebuild his career. She replaced Tina as Ike's lead singer and eventually they toured the world playing many blues festivals. After the intense negative publicity generated against him as a wife abuser by Tina's movie, "What's Love Got to Do with It", Ike's acceptance in the USA as a legendary blues artist and composer was limited, though better in other countries. During this time he recorded two solo albums in his own studio, and he wrote his autobiography called Taking Back My Name. He also re-recorded "I'm Blue" in a duet style with Billy Rogers. The remake received strong reviews from Billboard Magazine.
Ike was back on the road and back into recording music, which continued until his death. In 2001, Ike released the Grammy-nominated Here & Now album. In 2005, he appeared on the Gorillaz' album, Demon Days, playing piano on the track, "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead". In 2007, Ike won his first solo Grammy in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for the album, Risin' With the Blues. Shortly before his death, a collaboration between Turner and The Black Keys was planned, but the project would never be completed, .
Turner died on December 12, 2007 at 76 years of age at his home in San Marcos, California, near San Diego. Little Richard was asked by the family to speak at the funeral. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reported that Turner died from a cocaine overdose complicated by "[...] other significant conditions, such as hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema."
Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on November 5, 1931, to Beatrice Cushenberry, a seamstress, and Izear Luster Turner, a Baptist minister. Ike got his first taste the music business at the age of eight, helping the DJ at a local Clarksdale radio station, WROX.
Turner was soon carrying amplifiers for blues singer Robert Nighthawk, who often played live on WROX. Growing up, Turner's idol Pinetop Perkins helped teach the young Ike to play boogie-woogie on the piano. Ike soon was enamored of other blues artists such as Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), Charley Booker, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Little Walter.
Ike Turner's actual music career began in earnest in the late-1940s where he formed a group he christened Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm. In 1951, the band recorded what some historians have called "the first rock and roll record" with "Rocket 88", credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (this band did not actually exist). Brenston was both the band's saxophonist and the lead vocalist of the song, and on the original Chess release was listed as the song's writer. "Rocket 88" was produced at Sun Studio in Memphis by Sam Phillips. The record was one of the first examples of guitar distortion, which happened by accident when one of the amplifiers was dropped before the recording.
Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm settled into local fame in St. Louis where the band locally recorded for a St. Louis label and even appeared on local television shows. Throughout this early period, Turner became a recording scout and A&R man for independent record companies including Sun Records, helping the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James and Otis Rush get signed. He also became a sideman playing guitar for these blues acts and more. Musically, Turner was known for his hard-hitting guitar style. He was known to put the whammy bar of his Fender Stratocaster to frequent use.
Turner's music career changed drastically after meeting a teenage singer from Nutbush, Tennessee, named Anna Mae Bullock, who demandingly grabbed a microphone during a singing session at one of St. Louis' nightspots and sang a B.B. King song in her now-trademark throated raspy vocals. Bullock's performance impressed Ike so much he allowed Anna to join his band as a background singer. However within a year, Ike's plans for Bullock changed after Anna recorded what he originally stated was a demo for a song that was to be sung by a male vocalist. After hearing her vocals, he let it be released under an independent label and in the process changed the name of the singer from Anna Mae Bullock to Tina Turner - naming her after Sheena - and the name of the band to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. It is believed that this singular act is what propelled Tina Turner into the spotlight. "A Fool in Love" became a national hit in early 1960, reaching the top three in the R&B charts and becoming a top thirty pop hit in the process. From then until 1976, Ike & Tina Turner became one of the most explosive duos in rock & soul music.
After Tina abruptly left Ike after a violent altercation in 1976, Ike lost ground in the national music market. As a solo artist, he struggled to find success after Tina and after releasing two failed solo albums, had found himself facing drug and weapons charges, of which he was convicted in 1989.
When Ike was released from prison in 1993, he was met at the prison gate by Jeanette Bazzell who later became his wife. Jeanette was instrumental in helping Ike rebuild his career. She replaced Tina as Ike's lead singer and eventually they toured the world playing many blues festivals. After the intense negative publicity generated against him as a wife abuser by Tina's movie, "What's Love Got to Do with It", Ike's acceptance in the USA as a legendary blues artist and composer was limited, though better in other countries. During this time he recorded two solo albums in his own studio, and he wrote his autobiography called Taking Back My Name. He also re-recorded "I'm Blue" in a duet style with Billy Rogers. The remake received strong reviews from Billboard Magazine.
Ike was back on the road and back into recording music, which continued until his death. In 2001, Ike released the Grammy-nominated Here & Now album. In 2005, he appeared on the Gorillaz' album, Demon Days, playing piano on the track, "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead". In 2007, Ike won his first solo Grammy in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for the album, Risin' With the Blues. Shortly before his death, a collaboration between Turner and The Black Keys was planned, but the project would never be completed, .
Turner died on December 12, 2007 at 76 years of age at his home in San Marcos, California, near San Diego. Little Richard was asked by the family to speak at the funeral. The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office reported that Turner died from a cocaine overdose complicated by "[...] other significant conditions, such as hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema."
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Ike Turner Lyrics
3 O'Clock Blues Now here it is three o' clock in the mornin' And…
A Fool in Love What you say? Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, but hey, hey One…
A Love Like yours I broke your heart And I made you blue Instead of hurting…
All in My Dreams I think that you don´t care, And it´s more than…
As Long As I Have You I've been loving you too long to stop now There were…
Baby You know they're Tryin' to tear us apart, you know They're t…
Baby Baby Let's Get It on You don't know girl how you blow my mind I said…
Beggin' My Baby My baby's gone and she won't be back no more…
Bootsey Whitelaw Mama died when I was born So all I ever knew…
Charley's Boogie Woogie I got a boogie-woogie woman Boogie-woogie all the time I got…
Come Together Shoot me Shoot me Shoot me Shoot me Here come old flat top …
Do Right Baby He may never be A Big man in this world... Just another…
Do You Mean It Do you mean it? When you hurt me so Do you mean…
Early One Morning Just a little lovin' Early in the mornin' Beats a…
Fool in Love There's something on my mind Won't somebody please, please…
Get Over It Baby You don't know girl how you blow my mind I said…
Go to It You might be old, about 90 years But you ain`t too…
Goin Goin' home tomorrow Can't stand your evil ways Goin' home to…
Golden Empire See reflections on the water More than darkness in the depth…
How Many More Years How many more years? Have I got to let you dog…
I Lord, I know that I'm just a poor girl But is…
I Idolize You If you want some loving, That I can give to you. And…
I Know You Don't Love Me Now Darlin' you know I love you, And love you, for…
I Miss You (Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!) Beat is gettin' stronger Beat is gett…
I Miss You So I miss you so You have to go You had my love Oh…
I Want to Take You Higher (Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!) Beat is gettin' stronger Beat is gett…
I'm Blue (I'm blue-ue-ue-ue-ue-ue-ue) (Do-be-do-be-do) (Gong, gong, g…
I'm Jealous I tossed and turned all last night I thought you weren't…
I've Been Loving You Too Long I've been loving you too long to stop now There were…
Ike's Boogie Woogie I got a boogie-woogie woman Boogie-woogie all the time I got…
it Darling (yes Tina) it's time to get next to me (Honey…
It's Your Thing It's your thing, do what you wanna do I can't tell…
Knock on Wood I don't want to lose you, this good thing That I…
Land Of 1000 Dances One, two, three! One, two, three! You gotta know how to pony…
Let It Be When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes…
Living For The City A boy is born in hard time Mississippi Surrounded by four…
Love Like Yours I broke your heart And I made you blue Instead of hurting…
Mississippi Rolling Stone I am weak but thou art strong, Jesus, keep me from…
My Baby's Tops My baby's gone and she won't be back no more…
Nutbush City Limit A church house, gin house A school house, outhouse On highw…
One More Time Oh, I love the songs you sing me And I love…
Only Women Bleed Man's got his woman To take his seed He got the power She…
Poor Fool I want to tell all of you that ain't doin'…
Proud Mary Left a good job in the city Working for the man…
River Deep Mountain High When I was a little girl, I had a rag…
Rocket 88 You woman have heard of jalopies You heard the noise they…
Sexy Ida Don't give your love to sexy Ida 'Cause she's the sister…
Shake a Tail Feather I heard about the girls that you've been dancing with…
Shake It Up And Go You might be old, about 90 years But you ain`t too…
Shame Shame Shame Ooh I feel somethin' baby And I want you to know…
She Made My Blood Run Cold She made my blood run cold, sent cold chills all through…
So Fine So fine So fine, yeah! And babe you're mine You make me…
The Loco-Motion Everybody's doin' a brand-new dance, now (Come on baby, do t…
You Ain't the One (Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!) Beat is gettin' stronger Beat is gett…
You Got to Lose You got what you wanted Now you dont want what you…
You Know I Love You Now Darlin' you know I love you, And love you, for…
You Must Believe Me You must believe me No matter what the people might say You…