she started singing early, but it’s no secret that before she managed to make a stunning solo career in the mid-1980s, she was the victim of a sadistic husband for years. She was born on November 26, 1939 in Nutbush as Anna Mae Bullock and, under the pseudonym Little Ann, took her first steps in the music industry at the turn of 1959 and 1960. Her voice and talent were quickly appreciated by Ike Turner – the leader of the Kings of Rhythm group.
Tina Turner. Music, a sadistic husband and a solo debut
He persuaded Miss Bullock not only to cooperate musically, change her name and surname, but also to get married. For many years they played in the band Ike & Tina Turner. Together they launched such hits as “A Fool in Love” or the famous cover of “Proud Mary”, they also supported, among others, The Rolling Stones.
Although their musical achievements were impressive – dynamic and lively concerts quickly became legendary, and subsequent awards were pouring down like a sleeve – their private lives were a nightmare. Ike had problems with drugs, alcohol, aggression and constantly cheated on his wife, as well as mentally abused her. The first time he hit her was when she was pregnant with her eldest son. Tina endured constant violence for years – she often went on stage immediately after her husband beat her. She managed to escape only in 1976 – she had only 36 cents with her, sunglasses and a bloody white suit. It took nearly a decade for the singer and her new manager to convince music producers that it was worth investing in her.
Released in 1984, the solo album “Private Dancer” turned out to be a huge success. It sold nearly 20 million copies, and the “Guinness Book of Records” states that the number of tickets sold for Tina’s concerts reached the highest in history. People were delighted with the music and the lively singer, who was giving fire on stage. Her short and teased hair quickly became her trademark and a symbol of a strong, independent woman who not only escaped from the oppressor, but also achieved great success.
Tina Turner has been making her own wigs for years. She ordered her hair from Europe
Before a concert in Budapest in 1996, Tina Turner gave an interview to Swiss television in her dressing room, in which she said that she did her stage make-up herself. It was a big surprise for the television crew to learn that she also makes her signature wigs herself.
“That’s why I don’t have many of them, because it’s difficult,” she explained. Each of her wigs was made to measure, and the artist ordered hair from Africa and Italy to make them. “I’ve been making them all my life, so they’ve never looked like they’ve been taken off a hanger,” she said. Tina dyed and cut her own hair.
During an interview with the American network on May 22, 1985, the presenter asked on behalf of his seven-year-old son: “Wow, dad, how does she make her hair look like this?” Turner laughed as she described the backcombing process:
First of all, you need to wash them and let them dry by themselves. Then you need to ruffle them with a comb and rub them with e.g. hair gel and ruffle again. I repeat this about three times.
Even then, she emphasized that she did not arrange her famous hairstyle every day, because it made it easier for her to blend in with the crowd. “It’s been very difficult lately, if only because of the color of my hair or the fact that I’m a black woman. I think I’m the only one with that shade, it’s enough to stand out from the crowd and attract attention.
In her 2018 autobiography, My Love Story, Tina Turner also confessed that while her wild haircut was her trademark, wigs were also the reason why in her private life: “Don’t laugh, I was always nervous about starting a relationship with a new man because I didn’t know how he would react to my wigs.” “I loved the comfort they gave me and the ease with which they guaranteed a great look, but I always had some fears. That I would get involved in a romantic relationship with a man who is attracted to Tina with her rebellious and styled hair, but will be disappointed when she wakes up next to unadorned Anna Mae.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
