They met in 1986, 10 years after Tina Turner broke free from her abusive relationship with Ike Turner. Erwin Bach was then one of the top players in the EMI record label (he worked with Queen and Pink Floyd, among others) and was sent to the airport in Dusseldorf to greet the star in Germany. They quickly found a common language, but at first it was a platonic feeling, although the star mentioned m.in. in her biography that she immediately drew attention to him. The 30-year-old was in her opinion extremely handsome, but of course she only intended to be friends with him. In a 2021 HBO documentary, Turner recalled, “He was really handsome. My heart was beating faster and my hands were shaking, and that meant to me that kindred spirits had met.”
“What else could a younger man want from an older woman?” Erwin Bach has always ignored gossip
However, it was not possible to remain on a friendly footing for a long time – as the singer said, she decided to listen to her heart and go beyond her comfort zone and open up to love. They started dating in the same year, but did not decide to get married until 10 years ago. Many times they also had to listen to comments about the 17 years that separate them. In her autobiography, My Love Story, Turner wrote:
Unbelievable considering how long we’ve been together, there were still people who wanted to believe that Erwin married me for my money and fame. What else could a younger man want from an older woman? Erwin always ignored these rumors.
So, 27 years after the first meeting, they decided to get married, although they had previously said publicly that the “paper” was not necessary for their happiness. Then, perhaps especially Tinie, because Bach twice asked her to marry her around her 50th birthday. That’s what he heard on a yacht sailing in the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by friends dressed specially for the occasion in white.
A fairy-tale wedding, and then a real life together “for better and for worse”
The ceremony took place at their home in Switzerland. Tina, who later said that it was her only real marriage (with Ike Turner technically they never were, because he was previously married) wanted a setting like a fairy tale, so the decoration was, among others 70 thousand red and yellow roses imported from the Netherlands. Among the 120 guests were their closest friends – m. Oprah Winfrey, Bryan Adams, Giorgio Armani and David Bowie. All elegantly dressed, at the request of the bride and groom, women in white or beige dresses, men in tuxedos. Tina Turner wore a dark Swarovski crystal-encrusted gown with a tulle hem that showed leggings.
Just three weeks after their wedding, Turner suffered a stroke. Her husband was with her. Similarly, three years later, when the rock ‘n’ roll legend found out he had bowel cancer. Due to the poor response to therapy, the singer turned to homeopathy, which resulted in a drastic deterioration of her health. She also had kidney failure. “The consequences of my ignorance became a matter of life and death,” she wrote in her autobiography. “In that terrible moment of guilt and self-blame, I learned something wonderful about Erwin. He never reproached me for my mistake. Instead, he was loyal, kind, and understanding – and determined to help me get through it all alive.” At that point it was so bad that the artist considered euthanasia. In April 2017, however, Turner underwent a kidney transplant operation. Her husband was the donor.
He was also with her in 2018 when her son committed suicide. He was with her to the end. The artist passed away at her home in Kusnacht, Switzerland. What was the secret of their successful relationship?
“We give each other the freedom and space to be individuals, and at the same time we are a couple,” the singer wrote in her book “Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good”, adding: “Erwin, who is a force of nature in his own right has never been in the least bit intimidated by my career, my talents, or my fame. It shows me that true love doesn’t require my light to be dimmed in order for it to shine. On the contrary, we are each other’s light of life, and we want to shine together as brightly as it’s only possible”
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.
