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Ike Turner: Pioneering Rock and Roll Musician
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cdteliot
4 min read
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Ike Turner was an influential American musician, bandleader, and pioneer of 1950s rock and roll, best known for his work with his wife Tina Turner as the leader of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in the 1960s and 1970s.
Ike Turner's Early Life and Background
en.wikipedia.org
Ike Turner was born Izear Luster Turner Jr. on November 5, 1931, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. His mother was a seamstress and his father a Baptist minister. Turner's early life was marked by tragedy and hardship. He claimed to have witnessed his father being beaten and left for dead by a white mob when he was around five years old, though some historians question the accuracy of this account. After his father's death, his mother remarried an abusive alcoholic. Despite these challenges, Turner found solace in music from a young age. He taught himself to play piano and guitar, gaining early experience at a local Clarksdale radio station where he worked as a disc jockey. This exposure to new music releases and access to instruments proved instrumental in shaping his future career as a pioneering musician in rock and roll.
5 sources
The Kings of Rhythm Band
en.wikipedia.org
The Kings of Rhythm was an American music group formed in the late 1940s in Clarksdale, Mississippi, led by Ike Turner until his death in 2007. Originally an offshoot of Turner's larger ensemble the Tophatters, the Kings of Rhythm became Turner's core backing band, undergoing numerous lineup changes over the decades.
In the 1960s, they served as the band for the famous "Ike & Tina Turner Revue", helping define Ike and Tina's gritty R&B/rock sound. For a brief period in the early 1970s, Turner renamed them the Family Vibes. After the Revue disbanded in 1976, Turner revived the Kings of Rhythm name in 2001, and they backed him on acclaimed late-career albums like the Grammy-nominated Here And Now and the Grammy-winning Risin' with the Blues. Following Turner's 2007 death, the Kings of Rhythm continued performing under pianist Ernest Lane and others.
1 source
Pioneering Rock and Blues
quora.com
Ike Turner's early work had a profound impact on the development of rock and blues music, influencing countless musicians across genres. His groundbreaking 1951 recording of "Rocket 88" with its distorted electric guitar sound is considered a landmark in the birth of rock 'n' roll. As a bandleader and talent scout in the 1950s, Turner helped shape the careers of seminal blues artists like Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, and B.B. King. His innovative guitar playing, which incorporated a heavy use of the whammy bar and reverb, inspired future generations of blues, rock, and even surf guitarists. The raw energy and genre-blending of Turner's music with the Kings of Rhythm in the 1950s laid the foundation for the rock revolution to come. His musical genius continued to reverberate through his work with Tina Turner in the 1960s and 70s, further cementing his status as a pioneer of rock. Despite his personal demons, Ike Turner's immense musical contributions have left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.
5 sources
Ike Turner's Musical Legacy
bear-family.com
Ike Turner played a pivotal role in the birth of rock 'n' roll with his 1951 recording of "Rocket 88" at Sun Studios in Memphis. Credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, the song featured Turner's groundbreaking piano and guitar work, including a distorted guitar sound that became a hallmark of the genre. As a talent scout and producer, Turner helped launch the careers of blues greats like Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, and Elmore James. He later formed the immensely popular Ike & Tina Turner Revue with his then-wife Tina Turner, scoring hits like "River Deep – Mountain High" and "Proud Mary" that further cemented his status as a pioneer and innovator in the development of rock music.
4 sources
Ike Turner's Best Album
1
Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm - Ike's Instrumentals (CD, Comp)
$13.99
2
What’s Love Got To Do With It (30th Anniversary Edition) (1LP)
$42.00
3
Expansions (Colored LP)
$19.99
Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm - Ike's Instrumentals (CD, Comp)
$13.99
This compilation CD showcases Ike Turner's early work, bridging blues and R&B to early rock 'n' roll. Reviewers praise the excellent sound quality and instrumental work, highlighting Turner's significant role in music history. However, opinions on the vocal performances are mixed, with some tracks receiving more positive feedback than others.
Buy this if you're interested in exploring the roots of rock 'n' roll and appreciate historically significant recordings with high-quality audio mastering
Key Features
Reviewed By
What’s Love Got To Do With It (30th Anniversary Edition) (1LP)
$60.00
The 30th Anniversary Edition of 'What's Love Got To Do With It' on 1LP vinyl is a remastered version of Tina Turner's critically acclaimed 1993 album. This release celebrates the soundtrack to Turner's biographical film, featuring a mix of re-recorded classics and new hits that achieved commercial success worldwide.
Buy this if you're a Tina Turner fan looking for a high-quality vinyl reissue of her iconic soundtrack album with remastered audio
Key Features
Reviewed By
Expansions (Colored LP)
$19.99
GetOnDown.com appears to be a legitimate and well-regarded online vinyl retailer based on the reviews. Customers praise their fast shipping, good customer service, and selection of hip-hop records. However, a few isolated negative experiences were reported regarding account setup and order confirmation issues.
Buy this if you're a hip-hop vinyl enthusiast looking for reissues, exclusive pressings, and a reliable online retailer with fast shipping
Key Features
Reviewed By
Ike's Abuse of Tina
people.com
Ike Turner's legacy was forever tainted by the revelations of his abusive relationship with Tina Turner. In a 1981 interview with People magazine, Tina bravely shared harrowing details of the physical, sexual and psychological abuse she endured during their 16-year marriage, including being beaten with hangers and shoes, burned with scalding coffee, and raped. The abuse was so severe that Tina attempted suicide in 1968 and finally left Ike in 1976 with only 36 cents to her name. While Ike denied the allegations, Tina's accounts were further detailed in her memoir I, Tina and the 1993 biopic What's Love Got to Do With It. The revelations severely damaged Ike's reputation, with the public now associating him more with domestic violence than his musical accomplishments. Tina's courage in speaking out brought greater awareness to the issue of domestic abuse and inspired other survivors to seek help.
5 sources
Drug Abuse and Incarceration
pagesix.com
Ike Turner struggled with cocaine addiction for much of his life, which led to significant legal and personal problems. He began using cocaine in the 1960s and his addiction spiraled out of control, with Turner eventually purchasing the drug "by the suitcase" and having it brought to him directly from Peru. In 1989, Turner was arrested for cocaine possession and sentenced to four years in prison. His then-wife Audrey Madison Turner later testified that Ike had resumed heavily using cocaine in the mid-2000s, sometimes going on days-long binges. Turner's drug abuse and erratic behavior contributed to his tumultuous personal life, which included 14 marriages, many of which were marred by allegations of domestic violence and infidelity. His cocaine addiction and legal issues ultimately overshadowed and derailed his musical career for a period.
5 sources
Closing Thoughts on Ike Turner's Career
Despite his groundbreaking musical contributions, Ike Turner has not been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, likely due to the controversies surrounding his personal life. While artists are technically judged solely on their musical influence and innovation, the Hall of Fame has seemed reluctant to enshrine artists with troubling pasts and serious character flaws.
Turner's case raises complex questions about how we honor brilliant but flawed cultural figures. Some argue his musical pioneering should be judged independently of his personal transgressions. Others feel any public recognition sanitizes and excuses his history of abuse.
Undeniably, Turner helped lay the very foundation of rock and roll with songs like "Rocket 88" and his work with the Kings of Rhythm. His talent as a musician and bandleader is evident in his Grammy wins late in life and the respect many artists had for his musicianship, even as they condemned his actions.
Ultimately, Turner's musical legacy, like his life, remains a complicated mix of towering highs and troubling lows. While institutions like the Rock Hall may struggle with how to acknowledge his influence, the magnitude of his contributions is undeniable, even as his personal failures cannot be ignored or excused.
5 sources
Related
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