Ike Turner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ike Turner
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Ike Turner performing in 1972
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Izear Luster Turner Jr. |
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| Born | November 5, 1931 Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | December 12, 2007 (aged 76) San Marcos, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1940s–2007 |
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Izear Luster "Ike" Turner Jr. (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, and record producer. He was a pioneer of 1950s rock and roll. He is best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with his musical partner, Tina Turner. Together, they led the famous Ike & Tina Turner Revue.
Many musicians, like Little Richard, called Turner a "great innovator" in rock and roll. Rolling Stone editor David Fricke ranked Turner as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists. He noted that Turner was one of the first guitarists to bring the strong feeling of the blues into more popular music. Turner won five Grammy Awards for his music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Tina Turner in 1991. He is also honored in several other music halls of fame, including the Blues Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Ike Turner was born Izear Luster Turner Jr. in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on November 5, 1931. His mother, Beatrice Cushenberry, was a seamstress, and his father, Izear Luster Turner, was a Baptist minister. He later found out his name was registered as Ike Wister Turner.
He went to Booker T. Washington Elementary School. He left school in eighth grade and started working as an elevator operator. This job was at the Alcazar Hotel in downtown Clarksdale. During his breaks, he watched DJ John Friskillo play records at the radio station WROX. This station was known for having the first Black DJ in Mississippi, Early Wright. Friskillo noticed Turner watching and taught him how to work the control room. Soon, Turner was playing records himself when Friskillo took breaks. This led to Turner getting a job as a DJ on the late-afternoon shift. His show, "Jive Till Five," played many different types of music.
Turner was inspired to learn piano after hearing Pinetop Perkins play. He learned boogie-woogie piano from Perkins. When he was 13, he even played piano for blues musician Sonny Boy Williamson II.
Music Career Highlights
Forming the Kings of Rhythm
As a teenager, Turner joined a local band called the Tophatters. They played big band music in Clarksdale. Turner learned songs by listening to records since he couldn't read music. The Tophatters later split into two groups. Turner's group became the Kings of Rhythm. They wanted to play blues and boogie-woogie music. Turner kept this band name throughout his career, even as members changed. They often played covers of popular songs. B.B. King helped them get regular weekend gigs. He also suggested they visit Sam Phillips at Sun Studio in Memphis.
Turner also gained experience by supporting blues musician Robert Nighthawk. He played piano and drums on radio sessions and at live shows. He played in juke joints with other blues artists like Muddy Waters. Their performances often lasted for many hours.
"Rocket 88" and Early Success
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In March 1951, Turner and his band recorded the song "Rocket 88" at Memphis Recording Service. Jackie Brenston, a saxophonist in the band, sang the main vocals. The song is famous for its unique, distorted guitar sound.
The recording was released by Chess Records in Chicago. It was credited to "Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats" instead of Ike Turner's band. "Rocket 88" became a number-one hit on the Billboard R&B charts in June 1951. It sold about half a million copies. Turner and the band were paid $20 each for the record. The success of "Rocket 88" helped Sam Phillips launch Sun Records in 1952.
Many people call "Rocket 88" one of the first rock and roll records. Turner himself said it was more R&B, but it helped rock and roll to exist. After its success, the band members had disagreements, and Brenston left. Turner then stopped the Kings of Rhythm for a few years.
Session Musician and Talent Scout
After "Rocket 88," Turner moved to West Memphis, Arkansas. He became a freelance talent scout and musician for Sam Phillips at Sun Studio. He also worked for Modern Records, finding southern musicians to record. Turner helped B.B. King record early hits like "You Know I Love You" and "3 O'Clock Blues". These songs became King's first number-one hits.
Turner discovered many other artists for Modern and Sun. These included Bobby Bland and Howlin' Wolf. He played piano in recording sessions with them. He also wrote many songs for Modern Records.
In 1954, Turner taught himself to play guitar. He learned blues guitar techniques from Willie Kizart. He also built a recording studio in Clarksdale. He used his Kings of Rhythm band members as musicians for many recordings.
Moving to St. Louis
In 1954, Turner moved to St. Louis, Missouri. He reformed the Kings of Rhythm. The band became very popular in the St. Louis club scene. They played long shows, sometimes all night. They played for both Black and white audiences. Turner even pushed for clubs to be integrated, meaning people of all races could attend together. He also had live music broadcast on the St. Louis radio station KATZ.
In 1956, Turner and his band recorded for Federal Records. One of their songs, "I'm Tore Up," became a regional hit. In 1958, Turner recorded for Cobra Records in Chicago. He also continued to work as a session musician for Sun. While in Chicago, Turner played guitar on songs for Otis Rush and Buddy Guy.
The Ike and Tina Turner Revue
In 1957, Ann Bullock (who would become Tina Turner) saw Turner's band perform. She asked to sing with them. One night, she grabbed the microphone during a break and sang a B.B. King song. Turner was impressed and invited her to join the band. She first recorded on his song "Boxtop" in 1958.
In 1960, Turner had her record a demo of his song "A Fool in Love". A DJ suggested sending it to Sue Records in New York. The label owner, Juggy Murray, wanted to release the song with Bullock's voice. He offered a large advance and told Turner to make her the star. Turner then renamed her "Tina" and created her stage look. He trademarked the name "Tina Turner" so that if she left, another singer could use the name.
"A Fool In Love" was released in July 1960 and became a national hit. It sold a million copies and reached high on the R&B and Hot 100 charts. Turner added a backing girl group called the Ikettes. Together with the Kings of Rhythm, they became the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. They had more hits like "I Idolize You" and "It's Gonna Work Out Fine".
The Revue performed constantly and became known as a very exciting R&B group. Turner created his own record labels to release singles while they were on tour. They recorded for many different labels over the years. Between 1964 and 1965, they had many top 40 R&B hits.
In 1965, producer Phil Spector saw them perform. He was so impressed that he offered to produce Tina. They recorded "River Deep – Mountain High" in 1966. This song was a big hit in Europe. After its success, Mick Jagger invited them to open for the Rolling Stones on their 1966 British Tour. This helped them reach a wider audience. By 1969, they were headlining shows in Las Vegas.
In 1969, Turner released a solo album called A Black Man's Soul. He received his first solo Grammy nomination for it. The Ike & Tina Turner Revue also opened for the Rolling Stones on their 1969 American Tour.
In 1970, they performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. Their cover of "Proud Mary" in 1971 became their biggest hit. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over a million copies. It also won them a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group.
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Their success allowed Turner to open his own recording studio, Bolic Sound, in 1972. He built two studios with modern equipment. Many famous artists recorded there, including Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
Turner released two solo albums, Blues Roots (1972) and Bad Dreams (1973). In 1973, the duo released "Nutbush City Limits", written by Tina. This song was a big hit in Europe.
The Ike & Tina Turner Revue ended in 1976. Tina filed for divorce in July 1976, and their musical partnership concluded.
Later Career and Legacy
After his partnership with Tina ended, Turner continued to make music. In 1991, Ike & Tina Turner were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa used a sample from Turner's song "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" for their 1993 hit "Shoop". This earned Turner a lot of money in royalties. He also recorded "I'm Blue" again as a duet in 1995.
In the mid-1990s, Turner reformed the Ikettes and toured as the Ike Turner Revue. In 1997, he returned to his hometown of Clarksdale to perform at the Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival. He was encouraged to return to his blues roots. He toured with Joe Louis Walker and later reformed the Kings of Rhythm. They toured the US in 2001. This led to his Grammy-nominated album Here & Now (2001). His performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2002 was released as a live album and DVD.
In 2002, Turner was featured in Martin Scorsese's documentary series The Blues. He also played piano on the Gorillaz's album Demon Days (2005).
In 2006, Turner released his last album, Risin' With the Blues. This album received great reviews. Turner won his first solo Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for it in 2007.
Musical Style and Influence
Turner's music style was rooted in 1950s R&B and jump blues. He was influenced by artists like Amos Milburn and Louis Jordan. Although known as a guitarist, he started as a pianist and considered it his main instrument. He learned boogie woogie piano from Pinetop Perkins. He preferred to be in the background, organizing the show, rather than being the main performer.
Turner's guitar playing was unique. He often used the whammy bar to create a strong, echoing sound. He was an early user of the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. He used its tremolo arm to make screaming, swooping sounds. This was a decade before artists like Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck became famous for similar techniques.
Many musicians praised Turner's influence. Johnny Otis said, "Ike Turner is a very important man in American music." He added that Turner helped define how the Fender bass was used in R&B music. B.B. King called him "The best bandleader I've ever seen." King also said Turner was one of the "founding fathers" of rock and roll. Little Richard was inspired by Turner's piano intro on "Rocket 88" and used it in his song "Good Golly, Miss Molly".
Phil Alexander, editor of Mojo magazine, called Turner the "cornerstone of modern day rock 'n' roll." He believed Turner's blues arrangements influenced British bands in the 1960s, like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin.
Turner's songs have also been used by hip hop artists. Salt-N-Pepa sampled "I'm Blue" for their hit "Shoop." Other groups like Jurassic 5 and Main Source also sampled his music. The drum intro from his song "Funky Mule" is very popular with jungle DJs.
Awards and Honors
Turner received many awards for his important role in rock and roll.
- In 1991, Ike & Tina Turner were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- In 2001, he was honored with a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
- In 2005, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
- In 2007, he won a Grammy Award for his album Risin' with the Blues.
- In 2010, he was inducted into the Clarksdale Walk of Fame in his hometown.
- In 2018, "Rocket 88" was chosen for the first group of influential songs inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Singles.
In 2004, Fender Custom Shop made a special Ike Turner Tribute Stratocaster guitar. Only 100 of these guitars were made.
Personal Life
Turner had several marriages and children. He had two sons, Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner, with Lorraine Taylor. He had a son, Ronald "Ronnie" Turner, with Tina Turner. Tina's son Craig Turner was adopted by Ike and carried his last name. He also had daughters, Mia Turner and Twanna Melby Turner.
Ike Turner Jr. released an album in 1987. He won a Grammy Award for his work on his father's 2006 album. Ronnie Turner played bass guitar in his mother's and father's bands. He passed away in 2022.
Passing Away
Ike Turner passed away on December 12, 2007, at his home in San Marcos, California. He was 76 years old.
His funeral was held on December 21, 2007. Many musicians spoke at the service, including Little Richard and Phil Spector. The Kings of Rhythm performed "Rocket 88" and "Proud Mary" at the funeral. Turner was cremated after the service.
Selected Discography
Studio Albums
- 1962: Ike & Tina Turner's Kings of Rhythm Dance
- 1963: Rocks The Blues
- 1969: A Black Man's Soul
- 1972: Blues Roots
- 1973: Bad Dreams
- 1980: The Edge
- 2001: Here and Now
- 2006: Risin' with the Blues
Live Albums
- 2002: The Resurrection: Live Montreux Jazz Festival
- 2006: Ike Turner & The Kings Of Rhythm: Live In Concert
Compilations
- 1976: Sun: The Roots Of Rock: Volume 3: Delta Rhythm Kings
- 1976: I'm Tore Up
- 1984: Hey Hey
- 1994: I Like Ike! The Best of Ike Turner
- 2001: The Sun Sessions
- 2004: His Woman, Her Man: The Ike Turner Diaries— Unreleased Funk/Rock 1970–1973
- 2004: The Bad Man: Rare & Unreissued Ike Turner Produced Recordings 1962–1965
- 2004: King Cobra: The Chicago Sessions
- 2006: The Chronological: Ike Turner 1951–1954
- 2008: Classic Early Sides 1952–1957
- 2011: Rocket 88: The Original 1951–1960 R&B and Rock & Roll Sides
- 2011: That Kat Sure Could Play! (The Singles 1951 To 1957)
- 2011: Jack Rabbit Blues: The Singles of 1958–1960
- 2012: Ike Turner Studio Productions: New Orleans and Los Angeles 1963–1965
- 2017: She Made My Blood Run Cold
Ike and Tina Turner
Images for kids
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Ike Turner performing at the Long Beach Blues Festival in 1997
See also
In Spanish: Ike Turner para niños
