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Ike and Tina Turner Marriage Profile

By , About.com Guides

Ike and Tina Turner in 1960s Photo

Studio portrait of American pop-soul husband and wife duo Ike and Tina Turner in early 1960s.

Photo: Frank Driggs Collection / Getty Images
More Images (3)
The tempestuous, abusive marriage of Ike and Tina Turner is well-known not only for the physical abuse Tina Turner experienced, but also for the serial infidelity of her drug-addicted husband, Ike Turner.

Here is information about the marriage of Ike and Tina Turner.

Fast Marriage Facts - Tina and Ike
Met: 1959.
Married: 1962.
Divorce: 1978.
First Marriage: No.

Did You Know?
Their abusive marriage ended when Tina left Ike in Las Vegas in 1976.

News Updates:

4/03/2013: Tina Turner, at age 73, is engaged to her partner of 27 years, Erwin Bach, a German record producer. Tina and Erwin met in 1986 in Germany while she was on tour. At the time, Erwin was an executive at her record label EMI. Read more.

Born:

Izear Luster Turner Jr. aka Ike Turner: November 5, 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Anna Mae Bullock aka Tina Turner: November 26, 1939 in Nut Bush, Tennessee.

Died:

Ike Turner: December 12, 2007 in San Marcos, California. Ike died at 76 in his sleep at his home. A report from the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office stated that Ike died from a cocaine overdose.

A memorial service was held on December 21, 2007 at the Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena, California.

How Ike and Tina Met:

Tina, still a teenager, first met Ike in 1959 when she sang during one of his shows in St. Louis, Missouri.

Wedding Date of Ike and Tina Turner:

Tina and Ike were married in Tijuana, Mexico in 1962.

Children:

  • Ike Turner Jr: Born in 1958. Son of Lorraine Taylor and Ike Turner.
  • Raymond Craig Turner: Born in 1958. Son of Tina Turner and Raymond Hill.
  • Michael Turner: Born in 1959. Son of Lorraine Taylor and Ike Turner.
  • Ronald "Ronnie" Renelle Turner: Born in 1960. Son of Tina and Ike Turner.
  • Mia Turner: Daughter of Margaret Ann Thomas and Ike Turner.

Divorce of Tina and Ike Turner:

The violent marriage of Ike and Tina came to an end when Tina left Ike in July 1976 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their divorce became final on March 29, 1978.

Occupations:

Ike: Award winning singer, guitarist, songwriter, piano player, writer, and actor.

Tina: Award winning singer, songwriter, actress, and author.

Residences:

Tina Turner has lived in Kuesnacht on Lake Zurich in Switzerland for many years.

Ike Turner had a home in San Marcos, California.

Read More: Tina Turner Renounces U.S. Citizenship to Become Swiss

Quotes About the Marriage of Ike and Tina Turner:

Tina on deciding to not take any money from Ike in their divorce: "It's not about leaving with money. You leave with knowledge. Inner strength. All the discipline I have to have now came from being with that man ... I knew what I was doing, and I knew why, and I got out. You don't step out and do what I did with my life if you don't have some control there."
Source: Gerri Hirshey, "Woman Warrior at 53, the Amazing Tina Turner Just Keeps on Rollin'," Gentleman's Quarterly, 6/1993 as noted in Tina Turner: Break Every Rule by Mark Bego, page 147.

Ike about being abusive: "All the fights Tina and I had were about her being sad about something. I get real emotional if you're worrying and don't tell me what it is. Then I can't think about nothing else. So I'd slap her or something like that ... If I owe anybody an apology, that would be Tina. I put her through hell with other women. I regret it today, but I can't undo it."
Source: Tim Nudd, "Ike Turner Dead at 76", People.com, 12/12/2007.

CNN.com: "In her 1987 autobiography, I, Tina, she narrated a harrowing tale of abuse, including suffering a broken nose. She said that cycle ended after a vicious fight between the pair in the back seat of a car in Las Vegas, where they were scheduled to perform. It was the only time she ever fought back against her husband."
Source: CNN.com. 12/12/2007.

Robert Fontenot about Tina's comeback: "[Tina] overcame bankruptcy and a violent marriage to orchestrate the most amazing comeback in the history of rock."
Source: "Profile -- Tina Turner", Oldies.about.com

Previous Marriages of Ike Turner:

Ike Turner reportedly had several other marriages, but we were unable to verify that number of marriages.
Geoff Boucher: "Ike Turner said on repeated occasions that he was married 13 times ..."
Source: Geoff Boucher, "Music legend Ike Turner dies at 76 in Calif. home", NashuaTelegraph.com, 12/14/2007.
  • Edna Dean Stewart: Edna was from Ruleville, Mississippi. Ike and Edna were reportedly married while Ike was still in his teens.
  • Rosa Lee Sane: Ike and Rosa were said to have been married in West Memphis.
  • Bonnie Mae Wilson: Pianist. Ike and Bonnie supposedly were married in 1953. Their brief marriage ended in Sarasota, Florida.
  • Alice [last name unknown]:
  • Anna Mae Wilson: A pianist from Greenville, she and Ike reportedly were married in the mid-1950s.
  • Lorraine Taylor: Lorraine and Ike had two children. Their marriage ended in divorce around 1979.
  • Margaret Ann Thomas: Margaret was a singer when she and Ike met. Las Vegas records reflect Ike and Margaret's marriage on April 11, 1981. They had one child. Their marriage ended in divorce.
  • Jeanette Marie Bazzell: Records show a July 4, 1995 wedding date in Las Vegas for Jeanette (another singer) and Ike.
  • Audrey Ann Madison: Ike and Audrey (another singer) were married October 8, 2006 in Las Vegas. They apparently were divorced on August 1, 2007.

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