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."

3 O'Clock Blues
Ike Turner Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now here it is three o' clock in the mornin'
And I can't even close my eyes
It's three o' clock in the mornin', baby
I can't even close my eyes
Well, you know I can't find my baby
I can't be satisfied

Well, now looked around me

And my baby, she can't be found
I've looked around me, people
My baby, she can't be found
Well, you know that if I don't find my baby
People, I'm goin' down under the golden ground

Goodbye everybody
I do believe this is the end

Goodbye everybody
I do believe this is the end

Overall Meaning

The song "Three O'Clock Blues" by Ike Turner and Jackie Brenston is a blues classic about a man who is unable to sleep at three o'clock in the morning because he is missing his lover. The song conveys a sense of angst and desperation as the man realizes his lover is not by his side and he is unable to find her. The lyrics describe the frustration and hopelessness that the man feels as he searches for his lover.

In the first stanza, the singer laments his inability to sleep, despite the late hour. He acknowledges that he is missing his lover and cannot be content until he finds her. The repetition of the phrase "I can't even close my eyes" emphasizes the desperation and restlessness that he feels. In the second stanza, the singer describes how he has looked for his lover but has been unable to find her. He knows that he cannot be satisfied without her and fears that he may never see her again. The final stanza of the song suggests that the singer may be giving up hope and believes that his search may be over.

Overall, the song is a powerful representation of the blues genre, with its focus on expressing deep emotions and personal struggles. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, conveying a sense of sadness and loss that resonates with listeners. The song has been covered by numerous artists over the years and remains a classic of the blues genre.

Line by Line Meaning

Now here it is three o'clock in the mornin'
It is currently three in the morning

And I can't even close my eyes
I am unable to sleep

It's three o' clock in the mornin', baby
Baby, it is 3 am right now

I can't even close my eyes
I am sleepless

Well, you know I can't find my baby
I can't seem to locate my lover

I can't be satisfied
I am feeling discontented

Well, now looked around me
I have surveyed my surroundings

And my baby, she can't be found
Unfortunately, my lover is nowhere to be found

I've looked around me, people
I've done a genuine check of the area

My baby, she can't be found
I have yet to locate my significant other

Well, you know that if I don't find my baby
It would be unfortunate if I cannot find my lover

People, I'm goin' down under the golden ground
If I am not successful in my search for them, it would be the end of me

Goodbye everybody
Farewell, all

I do believe this is the end
The conclusion of my journey is nigh

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JULES BIHARI, RILEY B. KING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS