H.R. No. 2368
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Fans the world over are mourning the loss of music
superstar Tina Turner, who passed away on May 24, 2023, at the age
of 83; and
WHEREAS, Born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939, she grew
up in rural Nutbush, Tennessee, and nearby areas and later moved to
St. Louis, Missouri; there, she met R&B bandleader Ike Turner and
began singing with his group, the Kings of Rhythm, as a teenager;
when the group's main vocalist missed a recording session, she took
the lead on "A Fool in Love," and the song reached No. 2 on the
Billboard R&B chart; Mr. Turner gave her the catchier stage name of
Tina, and they married in 1962; her powerful, richly textured voice
fueled a number of R&B hits, while her frenetic dancing and volcanic
charisma made the act a big draw at "chitlin' circuit" venues across
the country; the Ike and Tina Turner Revue kept up a relentless
schedule, and tours with the Rolling Stones in 1966 and 1969
introduced them to a wider audience in Britain as well as the U.S.;
and
WHEREAS, In 1966, Ms. Turner recorded the future classic
"River Deep, Mountain High" with legendary rock producer Phil
Spector and began to recognize she was an artist in her own right;
the Ike and Tina Turner Revue scored its biggest hit in 1971 with a
cover of the Credence Clearwater Revival song "Proud Mary," but Ike
Turner's abusive behavior and drug addiction exacted a toll
personally and professionally; Ms. Turner fled the marriage in 1976
and, for a time, was forced to live with friends in exchange for
cleaning their houses; determined to make a comeback, she toured
again with the Rolling Stones in 1981 and scored her first solo hit
with a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together"; she was appearing
at a New York City nightclub two years later when David Bowie came
to see her, Capitol Records executives in tow, and they signed her
to a contract; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Turner's 1984 album Private Dancer became a
massive hit, yielding the No. 1 single "What's Love Got to Do With
It"; finally achieving international stardom in her mid-40s, she
remained one of the world's top concert draws for the next 25 years
and sold over 100 million records; she took on acting roles as well
and played a central part in the movie Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,
for which she sang the soundtrack hit, "We Don't Need Another Hero
(Thunderdome)"; her 1986 memoir inspired the Oscar-nominated movie
What's Love Got to Do With It; in addition, she and her husband
Erwin Bach were executive producers of a Broadway hit based on her
life, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical; in 2005, she received a Kennedy
Center Honor, and she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
twice, as both a member of the revue and a solo artist; she retired
from the stage in 2009; and
WHEREAS, A mesmerizing performer with a peerless voice, Tina
Turner inspired countless people with her indomitable spirit as
well as her immense talent, and her legacy will continue to resonate
in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Tina Turner and extend
sincere condolences to all who mourn her passing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Tina
Turner.
Cole
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2368 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 29, 2023.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House