| Tina Turner to Keep Turning Heads in 2009 |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by David Delaney |
| Tuesday, 09 December 2008 19:00 |
|
During last year’s Grammy Awards, Beyonce Knowles (arguably one of this generation’s biggest Pop Stars) performed a duet with the multi-million album selling Tina Turner. It was a hit with the audience; with the elder Tina even seemingly more energetic that the younger Knowles. This performance was the 68-year-old legend's first performance in seven years. That return to the stage prompted Tina Turner to make her long awaited return to touring. She launched her musical tour in the US on October 1, 2008 that will run through the Americas and through Europe concluding in April 2009. The show will highlight the many hits through out Turner’s entire career. I saw this show in Toronto at the ACC in December and I can honestly say it was one of the best performances I have ever seen. Super energy, effects, dancers and music - not a slow moment, let me tell you. The Early Years Tina Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock, on November 26, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee. As a youngster, she seemed destined for stardom, being exposed to recording sessions as early as 1953, when she barely hit puberty. She married early, in 1958 when she guitarist and bandleader Ike Turner with whom she recorded several hit singles such as “A Fool In Love” and “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine”. She broke through the European charts with the single “River Deep, Mountain High” and ushered in Tina’s superstardom. Rise From Struggles A film about her life – the extremely popular and successful “What's Love Got To Do With It” would tell of Tina’s troubles. It seems she was mired in debt in her early years but was able to start the long road to recovery in 1982 when she landed a solo deal with Capitol Records. Her first album with the label, “Private Dancer”, went on to world sales of 11 million copies and 4 Grammy Awards. After that, it’s been hit after hit and success after success for the hall of famer. She starred in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome; sang duets with Bryan Adams, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and Italian superstar, Eros Ramizotti. She was even entered in the record books for her performance in Macarana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro - the largest paying audience ever to see a single performer where 186,000 spectators were on hand. She starred in the successful “Twenty Four Seven” millennium world tour in 2000, which was the highest grossing US tour of that year. She followed that up with her “Greatest Hits” album including a new single, "Open Arms." The album became a worldwide hit and debuting at #2 in the US charts. Tina’s performance with Beyonce was so well received that she got a standing ovation from the adoring crowd. Not looking a day above fifty (though being 68years old) the duet garnered rave reviews in the press. Her fans clamored for her to return to performing, and with the request so persistent, Tina relented and that triggered her return to touring which kicked of last October. To date, her total album sales top 170 million units. Her new show has recently garnered great reviews that fans are hoping she can stay active in the music industry even when she’s beyond 70. The way she looked last year at the Grammy’s, expect her to turn heads till she’s 80.
|
