Hollywood stars were heartbroken over the news of Tina Turner’s death on Wednesday and took to social media to pay tribute to the late music icon.
Turner died Wednesday “after a long illness” in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, her reps announced. “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model,” they said.
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The iconic entertainer sold 200 million albums and won eight Grammy Awards, having risen to fame in the 1960s as the centerpiece of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. With more than 60 years in the spotlight, her landmark album Private Dancer launched her to solo superstardom at age 44.
“Tina Turner was an icon and a trailblazer who broke barriers for women on and off the stage throughout her incredible career,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of The Recording Academy, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “She amazed audiences worldwide with her electrifying performances, including on our GRAMMY stage in 1985 and 2008, and reached legendary status with her show-stopping hits like “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and “The Best.”
His statement continued, “An eight-time GRAMMY winner, three-time GRAMMY Hall of Fame inductee, and 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, Tina was an undeniable rockstar who paved the way for so many with her signature style and powerful vocals. She will be greatly missed by all the people she touched around the globe.”
Apart from music, Turner also had acting roles including in The Who’s rock opera Tommy (1975) and in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). On television, she was a fixture on variety shows, on MTV and in commercials, most notably as the face of a $20 million campaign for Hanes hosiery.
In her 1986 memoir, I, Tina, Turner publicly revealed her ex-husband Ike Turner’s 16-year reign of terror, her escape and rise from economic ruin. The book inspired the feature film starring Angela Bassett, What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), and the acclaimed 2018-19 Broadway and West End production Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.
Bassett, who earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Turner in the 1993 film, told THR in a statement of Turner: “How do we say farewell to a woman who owned her pain and trauma and used it as a means to help change the world? Through her courage in telling her story, her commitment to stay the course in her life, no matter the sacrifice, and her determination to carve out a space in rock and roll for herself and for others who look like her, Tina Turner showed others who lived in fear what a beautiful future filled with love, compassion, and freedom should look like.”
Bassett continued, “Her final words to me — for me — were ‘You never mimicked me. Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.’ I shall hold these words close to my heart for the rest of my days. I am honored to have known Tina Turner. I am humbled to have helped show her to the world. So on today, while we mourn the loss of this iconic voice and presence, she gave us more than we could have ever asked. She gave us her whole self. And Tina Turner is a gift that will always be “simply the best.” Angels, sing thee to thy rest…Queen.”
A myriad of stars including Forest Whitaker, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Diane Warren, Viola Davis and more took to social media to pay tribute to Turner.
“Tina Turner was an icon, whom we loved for her voice, her dancing, and her spirit,” Whitaker tweeted, encouraging everyone to honor the late singer by reflecting on her “resilience” and to think about “all the greatness that can follow our darkest days.”
“A Survivor and a Badass. Every note she sang shook the room and shook your soul. There will never be another like her. Shake the roof off of Heaven Tina Turner,” Warren tweeted.
Davis wrote on Instagram, “Iconic. Beautiful. A survivor. Brilliance. Our first symbol of excellence and unbridled ownership of sexuality!! You were my childhood. Oh man!!! God is getting an angel today!!! Rest well Ms. Tina Turner. We will bask in your legacy!!!”
“Miss Tina lived an amazing life, full of drama and pain and in later years anchored by Buddhism,” Ann Wilson said in a statement to THR. “She showed what courage was and danced through her life on those mighty legs as an inspiration to us all. Rock on Angel!!”
Roberta Flack remembered the star in a statement, saying, “We went to Ghana together in 1971 for the Soul to Soul Tour. Her meteoric energy on stage was in such contrast to her gentle, kind and quiet demeanor off stage. My friend, Tina, thank you for inspiring us to always be everything we were meant to be–regardless of life’s challenges. A woman without limits. You will always be my hero.”
Collective Soul guitarist Dean Roland also shared in a statement, “We had the privilege of sharing the stage with Tina in Australia. The woman changed the world for good. Her presence is eternal.”
Read on for more tributes.
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