A Personal Selection…
Tina @45 in 1984 – The Year of Tina’s Comeback, showing the world what she was made of and giving everything to John Lennon’s Help. Tina had performed numerous Beatles songs since the 1960s and had won the writers’ respect for what she brought to the songs. In turn Paul McCartney was one of the galaxy of – mainly British – musical royalty who helped re-launch Tina’s career in 1984. Knowing that adds a certain poignancy to Tina’s bold delivery of this iconic song.
Tina @54 in 1993 – There are so many iconic performances of this song to choose from. It is Tina’s anthem, the video and choreography designed by herself. The love and joy of this performance, launching the NSW Rugby League Final, is a delight to see – and participate in. Wonderful to see Tina so fit and energised on this 360 degree stage. Not everyone cabn perform in the round. And just listen to the crowd as they sing the chorus with her.
Great artists loved and admired Tina’s work. Robert Cray is one of a galaxy of stars to have written for, backed for, performed with and collaborated with Tina. Not many voices can meet the gravity, grit and soul of Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change is Gonna Come,” but Tina absolutely inhabits this song. It’s lovely to see two artists on stage, giving each other the pace to shine, and revelling in each other’s contribution. Here’s Tina@48, performing in my old parish at the Camden Palace, showing a London audience how it’s done!
Let’s Stay Together – @60 in 2000 – Heaven 17 / The General Electric Company must be thanked for their part in Tina’s relaunch with their spacey reworking of Al Green’s classic song. New audiences were electrified by Tina’s presence in the performance and in concert live audiences couldn’t stop themselves joining in.
Two People– Tina @47 in 1986 – another hit by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle. I love the message of the song and its tone really evokes something of the spirit of that time. Released in 1986 it was another opportunity to show Tina’s range and tonal mastery. Gripping on video, electrifying live!
The song that U2’s Bono and The Edge wrote for Tina – James Bond theme, Goldeneye. Tina was excited to become part of the Bond canon and come close once again to the world of movies. Of the song Tina said, “You can’t top Shirley Bassey, I have to say that. But I was happy that we got close to that sound.” This is Tina @57 in 1996. (The direction and performance in the video probably owe a nod to Billie Holiday’s 1947 video performance in The Blues are Brewin’)
I remember the thrill of discovering this song when it was released in in 1996. I could hear that musically this song had taken Tina somewhere fresh, vocally , yet it was a place she occupied with total authority. Written by Arthur Baker, Fred Zarr and Taylor Dane, Whatever you Want gave Tina @57 a more complex composition and in direction and production Trevor Horn took Tina’s vocal authority to new heights. Live, it’s a powerful performance that pulls us into the desperation and intensity of the song. The entrance onto the stage for the beginning of her “Wildest Dreams” tour is understated for Tina. The song brings all the drama needed. A great moment from 1996.
The visuals and choreography of the video made it a fresh experience for Tina a compelling watch. It goes without saying that Tina’s canon is phenomenal yet it would be less without this song.
Tina, in 1971 at the tender age of 32, already knew how to occupy the stage with total authority and sang the #@*$ out of this song! Ike and Tina deliver Come Together with the kind of unique power and tone which would leave any other performer – including the writers – wondering how they could ever sing it again after Tina’s performance of it.
Tina’s appeal was multi-generational. Each new generation discovered Tina afresh and her collaboration with Italian artist Eros Ramazatti is a case in point. Here Tina @69 is on stage, i) being feted by an artist almost exactly half her age and ii) showing what she could bring to the party as a performer, whose popularity in Europe never waned through all the long years of her musical career. Remember this is Eros’ audience, but Tina rocks it out the park!
Something Beautiful Remains – Tina @57 in 1996 – A song with a warmer, gentler, and more reflective tone than much of Tina’s canon. Tina called it a “Sunday afternoon song,” and appreciated a lyric “without the heavy heartbreak.” It was the song Tina used as an encore in her “Wildest Dreams” tour. A very appropriate “goodbye” song.
This is just so much fun. Tina was rightly proud of her body of work, and this song was a hugely popular number during Tina’s transitional phase between the Ike and Tina Turner revue and her international solo career. Tina, her dancers, singers and band totally understand this song by Ron Kersey and Leroy Green of The Trammps, and they know to really make it rock. Tina makes this high octane delivery look absolutely easy and you cannot watch it without a huge smile on your face. In Tina’s words, we’re “just having fun!”
Guesting on Herbie Hancock’s Joni Mitchell Album “Rivers” – Tina @68 in 2007 showing yet another side to her vocal genius with Edith and the Kingpin. This is a song I love to play to people, blind, and ask, “Who’s the vocalist here with Herbie Hancock?” The hearers’ respect for Tina is often elevated a touch when I reveal the answer! Tina did not see herself in the world of Jazz, so I applaud Herbie for coaxing her onto his album – and all the more Kudos to Tina for a very deft jazz delivery.
Honky Tonk Woman – Tina @31 In the 70’s TV lighting rooted performers to the spot. All their style and energy had to be expressed without moving off the X. It gives performances from that time an amazing intensity. Here’s Tina on the top of her TV game in 1970.
Tina @63 in 2002 – performing with the legendary Santana, an inspired collaboration. I wish she had recorded a video for this song, but for an undisclosed reason she was unable to. For this reason the album included the track, recorded with Michelle Branch – and kudos to Michelle for a fabulous and soulful version. I love the warmth in Tina’s rendition and am glad it finally saw the light of day in Santana’s Greatest Hits album of 2007.
I Can’t Stand the Rain – Tina @45 in 1984. Quite different from the subtle, moody and mellow original by Ann Peebles, this was a song which ran as a movie short in movie theatres in 1984. It was an inspired piece of marketing, allowing non-Tina audiences to get a taste, up-close and personal of Tina in action. Just as a TV series did for Kenny Rogers, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton John and, just as a movie short did for Queen and Michael Jackson, putting “I Can’t Stand the Rain” into movie theatres was a bold move which helped to establish Tina as a world-class megastar.
Tina @50 performing The Best with total confidence in Peru in 1982
Tina @53 – performing The Best in 1992 – a song written by the Pet Shop Boys, and originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler in 1988. Tina made a hit of it and then – as the voice of Australian Rugby league – shared the limelight with Aussie rocker Jimmy Barnes. Tina was always one with the grace and skill to know how to dovetail with another artist on stage. Not all performers can do that. Hence the calibre of Tina’s duetters – an exclusive club which includes the likes of Cher, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ann Margret, Bryan Adams, Beyonce and Eros Ramazotti. The partnership with Jimmy Barnes offers us two powerful voices lavished on what has undeniably become Tina’s anthem.
Jimmy describes the moment of panic that came over him when producers explained there would be moments for dance in the video. Noticing the blood drain from his face, Tina leaned over and said, “Don’t worry Jimmy! You just stand there, and I’ll dance around you. I’ll make you look good!” I think they pulled it off 😉
What’s Love Got to do with it? – Tina @45 Back in the Limelight in ’84. Tina’s manager Roger Davies was on the money when his instincts told him this song was a hit, and outcompeted Cliff Richard for the song – one of Terry Britten’s best IMHO. Tina didn’t like it when she heard it, was insistent that she couldn’t sing the song and just didn’t want it. The song didn’t have enough grit. So Roger insisted that she meet with with Terry Britten and let him workshop the song with her.
When Terry showed Tina his musicality on the guitar he instantly won her respect. Terry then let Tina show what her vocal style would bring to the song. Both could see that it was music magic. Tina’s feelings for the song changed as she began to see how she could play with it and infuse it with some Tina energy. And the rest is history! The song charted at #1 all around the world. What’s Love got to do with it? was The Song that changed everything for Tina’s career. Thank you Terry! Thank you Roger! Bravo Tutti!
Tina @54 in 1993 – I Don’t Wanna Fight was written by British singer-songwriter Lulu. Lulu does a fabulous version of this song, very close to Tina’s treatment of it. Lulu wrote it for Sade who heard it and forwarded it to Tina because she felt that the message of the song suited Tina better. It did and it became the heme Song of the movie of Tina’s life.
The only female artist ever to fill out Wembley Stadium, this is Tina @61 on her One Last Time tour. My friend Lucas Alexander (actor and host of The Age of Truth TV) is in this video. You can see Lucas on the front row, enthusiastically roaring his approval about six seconds in. I love this video because it captures the warm and amazing rapport that Tina enjoyed with her audience. It’s wonderful to watch the reactions of women, men, boys and girls of every age, as they belt the song back to Tina, so obviously thrilled and energized by Tina’s onstage presence. It’s a performance I can’t watch without a huge smile on my face! You try!!
Be Tender with Me Baby – Albert Hammond and Holly Knight provided this soulful song for Tina’s 1989 album Foreign Affair. Here she is @51 performing the song as an encore at Woburn Abbey UK
Tina @58 in 1997 – performing with an idol of hers – Eros Ramazatti! Cose della vida was a song of Eros’ that Tina loved. Her band didn’t go for it but Tina was eager to collaborate. So she met Eros and his team – and a deal was done. The song charted at #3 in Spain, #4 in Germany and Italy, and #6 in Europe. The song represents the respect and affection in which a younger generation of musicians hold Tina – an aspect of her appeal that was vital to the longevity and success of her solo career. It is also a reminder that the centre of gravity for Tina’s solo career was the continual strength of her appeal in Europe, where her star always shone brighter than anywhere else. Given that, it is not surprising that it is in Europe that Tina has made her life and her home with German husband Erwin Bach.
Tina charted at #3 in the USA at the age of 60 with the song “When the Heartache is Over.” It was Tina’s penultimate single before retiring in 2000 (notwithstanding her re-cap tour in 2009) and is her most remixed song ever! The song came from the album, “24/7” This was Tina’s final studio album – an album which sold 60,000 copies in its first week and went platinum across Europe. Talk about finishing on top!
Wildest Dreams – Tina @57 in 1996 – a brooding, sultry song written by Graham Chapman and Holly Knight (aka The Pet Shop Boys) for Tina with Barry White.
Look me in the heart – Tina @50 in 1989. Try singing this song and you’ll notice the vocal range and complexity it calls for. Tina’s voice meets every interval and modulation with precision, energy and ease. The song was written by a partnership which had delivered hits for Madonna, Cindy Lauper, the Bangles and Whitney Houston. The song charted at #8 in the USA and was part of the assured mix of her album Foreign Affair.
Addicted to Love – Tina @51 in 1990. Who would dare take this song on after Robert Palmer’s iconic, one might say perfect performance had made a hit of it? Tina did and showed there’s more than one way to music nirvana!
Love Thing – Tina @52 in 1991 – Tina’s act always played with sexuality. The pop music of the ’50’s, the era that launched Tina’s career was laced with sexual metaphors. Today musical artists in pop are often inclined (or pressured) to go much further in the lyrics and show a lot more skin in the video. With this song and its playful video Tina shows that there are other ways to do “steamy” and “seductive.”
Tina @51 performing Tony Joe White’s Steamy Windows – Live in Barcelona, with Lejeune Richardson and Annie Behringer, the two dancers who accompanied Tina through the heady days of her comeback. Tony Joe White wrote several songs carried by Tina. This song, close to her blues roots was one of Tina’s favourites.
Here is a performance of Steamy Windows is from Tina’s final farewell tour in 2009. This is Tina@70 in Holland. Tina, was not100% for this tour, as she later confided in her honeymoon interview with Oprah Winfrey. Yet Tina knew how to deliver what was still a vital and high octane performance to please “the people.” The skilful staging and choreography of this number, and Tina’s rocking vocal delivery totally carry the energy and force of the song. And what about Tina’s courage with that entrance!
Understated, yet electrifying. A cool and perfect entrance from Tina @65. Still Simply the Best!
Tina @57 in 1996 a poignant song with which she often encored in ’96 and ’97 – On Silent Wings
A favourite moment – Tina @60 on her farewell tour invites a fan – a DJ called Donovan, whom she had spotted dancing in the front rows at several concerts – to come onto the stage to perform her signature song with her. I can’t think of many artists who would do that. Kudos to both!
As Tina says in her intro to this one, “This is the Blues!” Blues was Tina’s roots and though Tina preferred more upbeat themes for her solo career, a Blues sensibility was always palpable in the texture of her vocal style. Tony Joe White’s “Undercover Agent for the Blues” was the B-side to “The Best.” I have to say it’s a personal favourite of mine.
This is Tina in her swansong tour of 2009 at the age of 70! What you Get is What you See!
Every one of us is a team effort! Tina gladly acknowledges the amazing Ann Margret for showing her how to maintain a career in performance between albums and hit songs. Ann Margret’s Vegas shows were the stuff of legend. Ann was a great friend to Tina in her wilderness years, post Ike – such as by having Tina guest on her show, and by introducing Tina to the fashion designer Bob Mackie, who then helped to redefine Tina’s look for a new generation. When you see other artists perform alongside Tina you see just how hard they had to work to keep up. Performing with Tina @36, Ann Margret really shows her mettle! Vale Both!!
This happened just down the road from my house at the Camden Palace in 1987. Tina’s performances were always known for their phenomenal energy. Here @48 Tina shows how to do Land of 1000 Dances. Enjoy!
This concert in Russia in 1996 shows Tina @57. Filmed at close quarters you miss the impact of the staging, but it shows the incredible effusion of energy, enthusiasm and confidence which marked Tina’s performance. I love this concert. Tina really looks like she’s enjoying herself here. It’s a lot of fun to watch. And did you know that Grace Jones is a Tina fan?!
Tina on her retirement tour in 2000 – the only female artist ever to pack out Wembley Studio – acing her self-written “Nutbush City Limits.” This performance shows Tina’s commitment to give everything in a show. At age 61, here she is, herself and her audience still on a high, at the end of a three hour concert!
Tina on her final farewell tour, shows us her incredible courage on the Claw once again. No safety rail, at seventy years old, running across that landing, in heels, high, high above the crowd. I love seeing her enjoyment of the crowd and her warm connection with the people as she leans over the bar and shares the moment with them.
One of the great challenges for any long-lived artist or band is how to carry songs for decades – songs their audiences will absolutely demand – and continue to deliver them at the same tempo and with the same level of commitment as ever. But for Tina her performances were always for “the people” (Tina’s nomenclature for her faithful audiences.) Tina’s roughed up version of John Fogerty’s Proud Mary entered her set-list in 1970 when she was the star of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. From that time on, and all throughout her solo career, Tina never did a concert without the song. Here is Tina on her final, final tour, performing at 70 years old, giving everything she still could to a song she had carried for 39 years – and enjoying it!
Tina @43 rocking it in her Nice and Rough tour. Wow! Watch Tina work this quiet audience to get the best from them. It is not hard to see why Roger Davies was confident this woman still had years left in her as rock star. Here we see Tina before the Private Dancer album which relaunched her solo career,before any of the hits of her solo career, before any of those life-changng collaborations. Let’s Stay Together, (Tina’s collaboration with London ELectric Company / Heaven 17) What’s Love Got to Do with It (the first of Tina’s hits with Tony Joe White) were to redefine Tina. Yet here we see the authority, confidence, and energy all present, honed and ready for what was to come.
Note that this band, James Ralston, Jack Bruno, Bob Feit, Kenny Moore (until his death), journeyed with Tina throughout her resurrected solo career, augmented post Private Dancer with John Miles and Timmy Cappello. The two dancers, Annie Behringer and Lejeune Richardson were also to rejoin Tina in her 1990 Foreign Affair, tour see below. Tina was a force of nature but also very much a team effort, and it takes more than talent to be both.
After the huge success of her Foreign Affair album, Tina decided to go back on stage in 1990. Although it was announced as a world tour it focussed on European countries where Tina has enjoyed consistent and unwavering support since the beginning of here international career. The Foreign Affair tour broke the record for a European tour – a record previously held by The Rolling Stones.
Roger Davies suggested to Tina that she should choreograph a show with dancers again. Tina asked her previous pair of backing girls Lejeune Richardson (a former Ikette) and Annie Behringer to join her. Tina @51 is arguably at her fittest and most powerful in the Foreign Affair tour. All her movements are large, strong and confident. It is a power house of a performance. Wanting to create space for possible acting opportunities, Tina announced it as her “farewell tour.” It wasn’t! Tina was disappointed at the roles being offered post Mad Max. But no matter. Tina had a decade of touring left. In fact her final farewell tour was still twenty years away! Watching Tina at this point, it is incredible how many hits were still to follow and how many records she was still to set.
For me, this is a really interesting concert from the What’s Love Tour of 1993. It was the U.S. counterpart to her 1990 European Foreign Affair Tour, to support the launch of the movie of Tina’s life. Here in San Bernadino, California, a super-fit Tina at 54 is transitioning to her mature look, the same wardrobe as in 1990 but combined with her new generation of off-the-face hair, while still working all her original high octane choreography, with no slowing off the pace. The next tour Wildest Dreams in 1996 is of a different era. In 1993 we are seeing Tina, absolutely in her zone with a phenomenal body of hit songs under her belt, yet with still more hits and elevation to come.
Tina Turner, Live in Amsterdam. This is my favourite Tina Turner concert of all time – if I have to pick one. Tina was absolutely at the top her game @57. It was six years since Europe has seen Tina in action. But Tina’s place in Europe’s affections was totally undimmed by those years of absence from the stage. Would Tina still be good? Was she still fit? Oh my goodness, were we in for a treat!
The assimilation of Goldeneye, Wildest Dreams and Whatever you Want into her canon, with all the work that accompanied those songs, has finessed Tina’s vocal style had even further since the previous What’s Love tour. The rawness of Nice and Rough Tina, the warmth of Foreign Affair Tina, and the authority and maturity of Wildst Dreams Tina, all combined to create a supreme offering which broke a lot of box office records in 1996.
Tina’s choreography had also developed too since the previous tour. Her entrance onto the stage is understated for Tina but with a gravitas provided by the power of the song and the authority of Tina’s physical posture. Wildest Dreams was also marked by a choreography, respectful of Tina’s mature and iconic status, all accompanied by the boldest and best staging. For the first time Tina sits down for an accoustic set, mid-concert – a stroke of genius, because an accoustic Tina carries more energy than most performers bring running across the stage!
In my opinion every number in the Live in Amsterdam set is a standout, and many regard this performance as a high point in her international career as a solo artist. It wasn’t called the Wildest Dreams Tour for nothing! Brava Tina! Bravo Tutti!!
Prepare to be blown away by what Tina could deliver at the age of 70 in her “re-cap” and farewell tour!! Simply unmatchable!! VALE TINA!! R.I.P.
PERSONAL FOOTNOTE
My generation encountered Tina Turner as a fully formed and authoritative performer, bursting onto the pop scene “from out of nowhere” in the early 1980s. I had only a dim awareness of the 25 years of prior career, the years of physical abuse that she had endured, and hard yakka that had honed her performance skills.
For me, as for many, Tina’s inspiration lay in her longevity, her perpetual energy and her ability to continually adapt – sufficiently to extend her musical career from a first performance in 1957 at the age of 18 to a final farewell tour in 2009 at the age of 70. That is why I have logged Tina’s age against each performance in this list. It is a big part of her inspirational appeal.
I have included these songs in my personal playlist as a testimony to the talent, commitment, showmanship and hard work which brought Tina the accolades of being the biggest selling female artist of all time, delivering the largest grossing musical tour of all time, selling more concert tickets than any other artist – male or female – and becoming the only female artist ever to pack out Britain’s Wembley Stadium – which she did at the age of 60. Tina well and truly earned her retirement and rest, which she referred to as her “Golden Years!” in peace and tranquility with the man who loved her and brought her so much joy, her soul-mate Irwin Bach.
Tina’s story, as much as anybody’s – is really a story of teamwork – the collaboration of a brilliant manager in Roger Davies, among many other musical comrades – including David Bowie, Heaven 17, U2, Pet Shop Boys, Bryan Adams, Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, Sting, Mick Jagger and Lionel Richie. Tina’s story of survival and growth has given others of us real courage to play the long game, to go for better, to pursue hope, and continue developing and adapting. Tina’s life spurs me to believe that even I might prove a later bloomer!
Tina suffered multiple health challenges in the final decade of her life until her passing in 2023. A stroke, intestinal cancer, kidney failure, a kidney transplant, the death of two sons, and finally renal failure. The grace with which she accepted this season in her life is incredible. She said, “My sicknesses all came at the perfect time.” The way she treasured and enjoyed her privacy, maintained her image, poise and grace for “the people” and the gentle way with which she shared her final season is truly an inspiration in itself. Her final public appearance was at the opening night of Tina, The Musical. She entered the theatre supported by Erwin and Oprah, yet was able to take to the stage, stand unsupported and take a bow. This was Tina’s public farewell to the stage, handing the baton on to others.
In her final years of seclusion in her Swiss home, Tina produced her final book, Tina Turner, My Love Story. Deep, and searingly honest the book, Irwin’s idea, gifted us with a worthy swansong and a palpable sense of closure on an extraordinary life.
Tina’s Final Song at her Final Concert – Sheffield 2009 – “Be Tender with me Baby. “This image is taken two seconds after the last note of the last song of the last performance of Tina’s career. She delivered it beautifully and soulfully, and then put the mic-stand down resolutely, visibly happy to have finished so well, and justly proud of the legacy she was leaving behind. It was a beautiful moment!
Tina, for the gift of your life, the example of our tenacity, the uplift of your talent, for the wholehearted way in which you shared your life with the world, and for the courage you gave to millions of people all around the world, THANK YOU! We love you! Brava Tina!
Vale Anna Mae Bullock. R.I. P. XXX
Tina’s Final Performance – Sheffield 2009 – In this video you will hear the very last note of Tina’s musical career. A very poignant moment.
Paul Anthony Wallis 