Tina Turner sat down for a rare interview with Gayle King on CBS Sunday Morning where the living legend opened up about everything from her abusive marriage to the suicide of her son.
The singer, who turns 80 this November,is also heading to Broadway, with a musical about her life set to start previews in October after a successful run in London’s West End.
Unfortunately, Turner herself will not be hitting the stage any time soon, despite King pointing out how much fans miss the singer.
‘That’s okay,’ said Turner
‘They can watch the videos. I tell you when I watch the videos, I’m jumping and moving – but enjoy those.I’m finished with it.’
Rolling: Tina Turner (above)sat down with Gayle King to discuss her life after it was announced that the musical about her life would be heading to Broadway
Busted: ‘I thought he was the ugliest person I’d ever seen. I never seen anybody that skinny,’ she recalled of watching Ike Turner perform for the first time (pair above in 1975)
Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock, and still just a teenager when she met the man who would change her life.
‘I thought he was the ugliest person I’d ever seen. I never seen anybody that skinny,’ she recalled of watching Ike Turner perform for the first time.
‘But he had a presence. And then I watched him when he got on stage and he started, I thought, wow, I want to sing with that band.’
The two grew closer over time, with Tina explaining that Ike was nice at first, but then quickly turned into a different person.
She eventually married Ike, but only to avoid enraging him she told King.
‘I had to say yes or it was going to be a fight,’ said Turner.
‘Then we drove to get married. That wasn’t my idea of my wedding.’
Turner soon became the breadwinner as well, which she believes further incensed her husband, who had already changed her name without her knowledge when the two got their first record deal.
‘He just came home from the record company and he said, “here’s the record.” And I said, “who is Tina?”‘ said the singer.
‘”You’re Tina.” He said, “your name is Tina Turner.” I said, “Tina? Tina Turner?” It was really hard to say in the beginning.’
The abuse only got worse the longer the two were together, with Turner stating: ‘He was cruel because he depended on me. He didn’t like that he had to depend on me. And I didn’t want to start fights because it was always a black eye, a broken nose, a busted lip, a rib.’
Turner said it got to a point she even started to physically fight back, and then one day she decided to leave.
‘I felt I had enough, just enough, enough. Now it’s time to go out the door,’ said Turner.
‘I had nothing. I had absolutely nothing. Thirty-six cents, that was all.’
Loss: Turner suffered tragedy again however with the death of her son Craig last year to suicide (Craig and Turner above)
Memory: ‘I have pictures all around of him smiling. And I think I’m sensing that he’s in a good place. I really do,’ said Turner (above at a ceremony to remember her son)
It would take a little time, but Turner would find greatest success than she had ever experienced in her youth with the release of her 1984 album Private Dancer.
Grammys, sold-out tours and even love quickly followed for Tuner, who in 1986 began a relationship with German record executive Erwin Bach.
The two were married just six years ago, and he even gave her one of his kidneys.
It has not been smooth sailing however for Turner, who last year lost her son Craig to suicide at the age of 59.
‘I think Craig was lonely. That’s what I think really got him more than anything else,’ said Tina.
‘I have pictures all around of him smiling. And I think I’m sensing that he’s in a good place. I really do.’
Turner too is in a good place, and said that she has all she could wish for in life these days.
‘I have everything. When I sit at the Lake Zurich, in the house that I have, I am so serene. No problems,’ said Turner.
‘I had a very hard life. But I didn’t put blame on anything or anyone. I got through it, I lived through it with no blame.’