Ike Turner

Ike Turner just died. Though probably best known as Tina Turner's abusive husband (thanks in part to Laurence Fishburne's Oscar-nominated portrayal in What's Love Got To Do With It), he was a major musician in his own right.

He's deservedly in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He was a popular session guitarist and pianist, who, in 1951, long before he met Tina, recorded "Rocket 99," considered by many to be the first rock and roll record.

With Tina, he recorded "River Deep, Mountain High" in 1966, perhaps the ultimate example of the Phil Spector sound. (Its failure to chart in 1966--it only went to #88 on Billboard, though it was a huge hit in England--made Spector leave the business for a while.)

Ike and Tina's signature tune, an amazing workout of CCR's "Proud Mary," was their one big hit. They didn't chart a lot, but other songs, such as "Nutbush City Limits," are just as memorable. Also memorable was their lively stage show, featuring Ike, Tina and the Ikettes.

He abused drugs (which he admitted--he denied abusing his wife) and went to jail for 17 months starting in 1989. He rehabilitated himself and his career in his final years.

Ironically, when I think of him, I think of two things that are really not about him:

1) At the 1994 Oscars, the winner of the Best Short Documentary was Defending Our Lives, about abused women (Blood Ties: The Life And Work Of Sally Mann should have won, but as usual, the Academy went for subject over content). After the filmmakers accepted the award, the show cut to Laurence Fishburne just before the break. That couldn't have been a coincidence.

2) On Letterman, there was a bit where they showed recent books, and my favorite of all-time might be Ike Turner's alleged autobiography, Womans Be Thinkin' Too Much.