You have to be of a certain age – to be able to remember the year 1984 very clearly – to begin to understand the impact of Tina Turner’s famous “comeback.” To understand that her resurrection was multi-layered; to comprehend how important that was to countless women. Yes, there was the incredible music… but the rest of her splash — smack-dab in the midst of the pearl-clutching, regressive Reagan years — was even more palpable.
All of the sudden, here was this legendary “1960s singer” looking better than ever… in her early 40s. Oh my god, you would’ve thought she was in her 70s – or 83, Tina’s age when she passed away today. This was a different time; “older” female singers were not supposed to be brazenly sexy, not supposed to have great legs. Tina Turner literally redefined “middle age.”
More importantly, Tina Turner’s disclosed life story, her history with asshole Ike Turner, empowered countless women of all colors to ditch a no-good and/or abusive partner. Tina had a way of speaking that drew people into her fold; she swayed people with her intelligence, confidence and compassion. If nothing else, Tina gave at least one generation of women a message: You don’t NEED a man, period.
Tina was everywhere in the 80s – radio, MTV, even film – and every time you heard her sing, you thought, “That Tina Turner put a bad man in her rearview mirror.” She wasn’t a survivor, or even a victim. Tina Turner was a victorious ass-kicker. We celebrated her, and loved her.
Tina Turner – a pioneering force in rock ’n’ roll – was a force, period. “Inspiration” is hardly adequate in describing her.
Tina Turner on the Eiffel Tower, photo by Peter Lindbergh.
