Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Rest in peace: Ike Turner passes at age 76 in San Diego


Ike Turner
Originally uploaded by Never Slim
Ike Turner, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died Wed, Dec 12, said the AP. He was age 76. Turner was credited by many rock historians with making the first rock 'n' roll record, Rocket 88, in 1951. Produced by the legendary Sam Phillips, it was groundbreaking for its use of distorted electric guitar.

Anna Mae Bullock, aka Tina Turner, brought him his greatest fame.

Turner met the 18-year-old Bullock, whom he would later marry, in 1959. He made the husky-voiced woman the lead singer of his group, refashioning her into the sexy Tina Turner.

The pair would have two sons. They also produced a string of hits. The first, A Fool In Love, was a top R&B song in 1959, and others followed, including I Idolize You and It's Gonna Work Out Fine.

While their public life depicted a powerful, dynamic duo, Tina Turner would later charge that her husband was an overbearing wife abuser and cocaine addict.

While he would readily admit to drug abuse, Turner always denied abusing his ex-wife.

“His last chapter in life shouldn't be drug abuse and the problems he had with Tina,” said Rob Johnson, one of Turner's record producers.

Turner won a Grammy in 2007 in the traditional blues album category for Risin' With the Blues.

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