Ike and Tina Turner

1
  • Year:
    1991
  • Inducted by:
    Phil Spector
  • Category:
    Performers

Introduction

A charismatic bandleader and an unbridled whirlwind of sexual energy formed one of the most formidable live acts in history.

Ike and Tina Turner were such a presence onstage that even their own albums don’t do them justice. The explosive duo made such enduring hits as “River Deep–Mountain High,” “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits.”

Hall of Fame Essay

1991

Michael Hill

Ike and Tina Turner’s story is really one about the blues.

The blues were in the way they lived— a life that mirrored the rough-and-tumble songs they played like “Stagger Lee” and “A Fool In Love,” a life of never-ending one-night stands, frustrating brushes with serious fame and fortune, and a stormy relationship that did not (in the words of one of their most popular numbers) work out fine.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Program Cover 1991
1 of 2
a wild, real-life musical rollercoaster
Ahmet Ertegun

2

Gallery

Photography: Kevin Mazur, WireImage