THIS JUST IN – Music legend Tina Turner passed away at her home in Küsnach near Zurich Switzerland at 83 after a long bout with an unspecified illness.
‘With the passing of this iconic singer, the world loses a music legend and a role model,’ her representatives said in a statement.
An accompanying statement on the singer’s social media pages read: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner.
Tina Turner was more than a singer and an entertainer for many. Her resilience after a publicly abusive marriage to Ike Turner, with whom she performed for years, served as an inspiration for many women who lived in abusive relationships.
‘With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow.
‘Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music.
‘All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.’
Turner was Born in 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee.
She rose to fame as part of the Ike and Tina Turner duo in the 70s before launching a solo career that is among the most successful of any female performer in history.
Dubbed the Queen of Rock ‘N’ Roll, she is survived by two adult sons and her husband Erwin Bach. The pair married in 2013 after years of friendship.
She was previously married to Ike Turner, who died in 2007, between 1962 and 1978.
Two of her sons tragically preceded her in death; in 2018, her son Craig, then 59, killed himself at home in Los Angeles.
In December last year, Turner’s son Ronnie died at the age of 62 from complications caused by colon cancer.
Her marriage to Ike was also plagued with physical and emotional abuse, which she discussed in interviews in recent years.
In what is thought to be her final interview with The Guardian last month, when asked how she would like to be remembered, she said: ‘As the Queen of Rock’n’Roll.
‘As a woman who showed other women that it is OK to strive for success on their own terms.’
