Ike Turner

Tina Turner Fanclub | home

Ike Turner

Tina Turner got her first hitsingle with the song 'A Fool In Love' in 1960 together with Ike Turner. Later the duo married and had a whole bundle of hits together. Ike and Tina have two sons together. In 1976 Tina Turner left Ike after years of serial physical abuse. 7 Years later Tina Turner made an enormous comeback with the multi-platinum album 'Private Dancer', the start of a great career as a solo-artist.

But what about Ike Turner? For a lot of Tina-fans an interesting person to talk about. Especially in these days, when there is a new single-version released of the duo's first hit ever 'A Fool In Love'.

A lot of Tina websites don't look back to the 16 years the duo had hits together. But nobody can't deny that Ike Turner hadn't a big influence on the life of Tina Turner.

At this page we will keep an eye on the life of Ike Turner, the man who discovered Tina Turner. A look over his lifestory and about his recent work. Ike Turner, who will become 70 years later this year, recently brought out a new studio-album. Let's have a look on the life of Ike during and after Tina..

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Ike Turner was born November 5, 1931 in Clarksdale Mississippi *

Ike Turner obtains his first piano at age 7 in 1938. In that time he played with friend Ernest Lane and he gets inspired by his first piano teacher, Pinetop Perkins. At the age of 11 Ike played in a band to accompany Robert Nighthawk. With Nighthawk Ike played live in Clarksdale on the air at radio station KROX as well as at clubs around Mississippi.

The Bihari Brothers discovered Ike Turner while Ike was playing during a break in a BB King session. Ike sounded like what they wanted and they paid off the other piano player and Ike moved in to the piano chair. He played on the early BB King recordings, notably his first number one hit '3 O Clock Blues' (1951). It was BB King who introduced Ike to Sam Phillips and that led Ike bringing Howling Wolf and others to Sam Phillips Memphis recording service (the precursor to Sun Records).

On March 5th 1951, Ike Turner and his Kings Of Rhythm came to Sun Records and recorded 'Rocket 88', along with four other tracks. Jackie Brenston does vocals and s listed as the leader of the band. 'Rocket 88' is released in April and appears on the charts on May 12th 1951 and peaks at #1, the single remains on the charts for 18 weeks. It was also number one in the jukebox-playlist at that time. In 1951 Ike also played on the early sides of Howling Wolf including the song 'Crying At Daybreak' and 'Moanin At Midnight', these recordings were made in Memphis.

Little Milton's first recordings were don at Sun Studio with Ike Turner on piano, July 28th 1953. They returned to the studio together March 30th 1954. Many consider this to be Milton's finest sides. Ike also made early recordings at Sun with Junior Parker, and Roscoe Gordon.

ACCORDING TO IKE, WHEN INTERVIEWED IN 1996 IN NORWAY:

'Elvis.. I didn't know who Elvis was. This is a little short story. I was playing in West Memphis on 11th Street, Matt Murphy and all of us. There was a white guy that was driving a gravel truck. And he used to come around to the back of the club. They wouldn't mix in those days, in the South. Blacks and whites wouldn't go to the same club. He used to back up his truck to the back of the club. I would pull out the piano from the wall and he would stand behind the piano, to watch me play. But I didn't know him. He had never recorded at that time.

Anyway, long story short - Years later, when we opened up the International Hotel in Las Vegas, which is now the Hilton, Elvis Presley was in the main room. And Red Foxx, Ike & Tina and some other acts were in the lounge. When you get ready to go to the stage of the hotel, you have to go down back...... We were pushing this cart down the hall and this guy came down, which was Elvis. He walked up to me and said: "You don't remember me, do you?", and I said: - "No?" He said: "I'm the guy you used to put behind the piano". Well, WOW! So anyaway, that's about the length of it.

Ike learned playing the guitar (instead of piano) and was taught by Earl Hooker and Willie Kizart as they traveled together playing clubs in Florida (1952 / 1953). Ike went to St.Louis in 1954 and made records for RPM, a Bihari imprint. In 1956 Ike signed a record-deal with Syd Nathan of Federal Records. He made numerous recordings with male vocalists including Clayton Love, Dennis Binder, Tommy Hodges, Billy Gayles and Jimmy Thomas. Ike had a vital live show where he performed on guitar and was famous for doing aerial back flips while playing guitar. Little Willie John, who became famous for the song 'The Fever' approached Ike to take the Kings Of Rhythm on the road in 1954-1955, but Ike and his band were fresh from the South and declined out of fear of leaving St.Louis.

Ann Mae Bullock, later Tina Turner, sings between sets at a Kings Of Rhythm gigue in St.Louis. Ike hears her sing and despite the fact that R&B bands of the day have male vocalists almost exclusively, Ike begins to work to bring her into the show..

In 1960 Ike makes the single 'A Fool In Love' with the newly named Tina Turner on vocals for Sue Records. It appears on the charts and rises to #2 and remains on the Billboard R&B chart for 21 weeks. In 1961 the single

'It's Gonna Work Out Fine' rises to #2 on the R&B charts and #14 on the pop Billboard charts. In 1962 Ike makes an instrumental record inapropriately titled, 'Dance with Ike and Tina Turner', it does not involve Tina at all. It is an instrumental album with Ike on guitar.


	Tina Turner Fanclub \| home News \| New Releases \| Tina Lifestory \| Tina Contest \| TT-Shop \| Ike & Tina 'Albums' \| Ike & Tina 'Singles' \| Tina Turner 'Singles' \| Tina Turner 'Albums' \| Contact Me \| Ike Turner \| Fanclub Information Ike Turner Tina Turner got her first hitsingle with the song 'A Fool In Love' in 1960 together with Ike Turner. Later the duo married and had a whole bundle of hits together. Ike and Tina have two sons together. In 1976 Tina Turner left Ike after years of serial physical abuse. 7 Years later Tina Turner made an enormous comeback with the multi-platinum album 'Private Dancer', the start of a great career as a solo-artist. But what about Ike Turner? For a lot of Tina-fans an interesting person to talk about. Especially in these days, when there is a new single-version released of the duo's first hit ever 'A Fool In Love'. A lot of Tina websites don't look back to the 16 years the duo had hits together. But nobody can't deny that Ike Turner hadn't a big influence on the life of Tina Turner. At this page we will keep an eye on the life of Ike Turner, the man who discovered Tina Turner. A look over his lifestory and about his recent work. Ike Turner, who will become 70 years later this year, recently brought out a new studio-album. Let's have a look on the life of Ike during and after Tina.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Ike Turner was born November 5, 1931 in Clarksdale Mississippi * Ike Turner obtains his first piano at age 7 in 1938. In that time he played with friend Ernest Lane and he gets inspired by his first piano teacher, Pinetop Perkins. At the age of 11 Ike played in a band to accompany Robert Nighthawk. With Nighthawk Ike played live in Clarksdale on the air at radio station KROX as well as at clubs around Mississippi. The Bihari Brothers discovered Ike Turner while Ike was playing during a break in a BB King session. Ike sounded like what they wanted and they paid off the other piano player and Ike moved in to the piano chair. He played on the early BB King recordings, notably his first number one hit '3 O Clock Blues' (1951). It was BB King who introduced Ike to Sam Phillips and that led Ike bringing Howling Wolf and others to Sam Phillips Memphis recording service (the precursor to Sun Records). On March 5th 1951, Ike Turner and his Kings Of Rhythm came to Sun Records and recorded 'Rocket 88', along with four other tracks. Jackie Brenston does vocals and s listed as the leader of the band. 'Rocket 88' is released in April and appears on the charts on May 12th 1951 and peaks at #1, the single remains on the charts for 18 weeks. It was also number one in the jukebox-playlist at that time. In 1951 Ike also played on the early sides of Howling Wolf including the song 'Crying At Daybreak' and 'Moanin At Midnight', these recordings were made in Memphis. Little Milton's first recordings were don at Sun Studio with Ike Turner on piano, July 28th 1953. They returned to the studio together March 30th 1954. Many consider this to be Milton's finest sides. Ike also made early recordings at Sun with Junior Parker, and Roscoe Gordon. ACCORDING TO IKE, WHEN INTERVIEWED IN 1996 IN NORWAY: 'Elvis.. I didn't know who Elvis was. This is a little short story. I was playing in West Memphis on 11th Street, Matt Murphy and all of us. There was a white guy that was driving a gravel truck. And he used to come around to the back of the club. They wouldn't mix in those days, in the South. Blacks and whites wouldn't go to the same club. He used to back up his truck to the back of the club. I would pull out the piano from the wall and he would stand behind the piano, to watch me play. But I didn't know him. He had never recorded at that time. Anyway, long story short - Years later, when we opened up the International Hotel in Las Vegas, which is now the Hilton, Elvis Presley was in the main room. And Red Foxx, Ike & Tina and some other acts were in the lounge. When you get ready to go to the stage of the hotel, you have to go down back...... We were pushing this cart down the hall and this guy came down, which was Elvis. He walked up to me and said: "You don't remember me, do you?", and I said: - "No?" He said: "I'm the guy you used to put behind the piano". Well, WOW! So anyaway, that's about the length of it. Ike learned playing the guitar (instead of piano) and was taught by Earl Hooker and Willie Kizart as they traveled together playing clubs in Florida (1952 / 1953). Ike went to St.Louis in 1954 and made records for RPM, a Bihari imprint. In 1956 Ike signed a record-deal with Syd Nathan of Federal Records. He made numerous recordings with male vocalists including Clayton Love, Dennis Binder, Tommy Hodges, Billy Gayles and Jimmy Thomas. Ike had a vital live show where he performed on guitar and was famous for doing aerial back flips while playing guitar. Little Willie John, who became famous for the song 'The Fever' approached Ike to take the Kings Of Rhythm on the road in 1954-1955, but Ike and his band were fresh from the South and declined out of fear of leaving St.Louis. Ann Mae Bullock, later Tina Turner, sings between sets at a Kings Of Rhythm gigue in St.Louis. Ike hears her sing and despite the fact that R&B bands of the day have male vocalists almost exclusively, Ike begins to work to bring her into the show.. In 1960 Ike makes the single 'A Fool In Love' with the newly named Tina Turner on vocals for Sue Records. It appears on the charts and rises to #2 and remains on the Billboard R&B chart for 21 weeks. In 1961 the single 'It's Gonna Work Out Fine' rises to #2 on the R&B charts and #14 on the pop Billboard charts. In 1962 Ike makes an instrumental record inapropriately titled, 'Dance with Ike and Tina Turner', it does not involve Tina at all. It is an instrumental album with Ike on guitar.