About Ike Turner
He had started playing the piano and guitar as a young child, and as a teenager, he quickly founded the Kings of Rhythm. His debut track, “Rocket 88” is a candidate for the title of the first rock and roll tune. Turner worked as a talent scout and producer for Sun Records and Modern Records in the 1950s. Through these companies, he helped launch the careers of several blues performers, including Bobby “Blue” Bland, Howlin’ Wolf, and B.B. King.
1976 saw the end of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, and in July of that same year, Tina split from Ike. Due to his drug addiction and numerous arrests, Ike struggled to find success as a solo musician. After serving time in prison, he sold 20 masters that he and Tina had never released to Esquire Records. After Salt-N-Pepa copied his song “I’m Blue (The Gong Gong Song)” for their 1993 hit “Shoop,” he received royalties of over $500,000.
