Tina Turner has died at the age of 83, her spokesperson has confirmed.
In a statement, they said: “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll’ has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.
“With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”
An extended post on her Facebook page pays tribute to the singer, who “enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow”, reading: “Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family.
“Tina, we will miss you dearly.”
In recent years, the performer suffered numerous health issues, including cancer, a stroke and kidney failure.
Born Anna Mae Bullock, the US-born star went on to become one of the biggest stars on the planet throughout the eighties and nineties, earning a string of hits including The Best, What’s Love Got to Do With It, Private Dancer, We Don’t Need Another Hero and Proud Mary.
But Tina first found fame two decades earlier – in the sixties – alongside her ex-husband Ike Turner, with whom she recorded the Phil Spector-penned and -produced hit, River Deep – Mountain High.
However, behind the scenes their relationship was abusive and Tina’s experience was was documented in the 1993 Hollywood biopic, ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’, which starred Angela Bassett and won three Oscars.
Following their 1978 divorce, she carved a successful solo career, achieving a global breakthrough in 1984 with ‘Private Dancer’ and reaching superstar status with subsequent LPs ‘Break Every Rule’ (1986) and ‘Foreign Affair’ (1989).
Throughout her career, Tina won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame twice – first alongside Ike in 1991, then as a solo artist in 2021.
In her final years, she lived in Switzerland with her second husband, German music executive Erwin Bac, who she began dating in the mid-eighties and married in 2013.
Tina’s story is the subject of the hit musical ‘TINA – The Tina Turner Musical’, which is currently playing on London’s West End.
