How to encapsulate all that was Tina Turner? Her death last week at 83 left us with a wealth of music over a number of decades, rising in the abusive collaboration that was the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, becoming a clarion for Phil Spector and after conquering R&B and blues, conquering rock with a crucial opening tour for The Rolling Stones.
The entirety of one of her sets, billed as Tina Turner and the Ikettes was included in our 90 minute salute, which had some later highlights working with the Who, Rod Stewart, David Bowie and Herbie Hancock; winning her final Grammy singing Joni Mitchell.
Memorial Day brought another meditation about soldiering and war from music’s best minds, with Springsteen followed by John Price, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and the Pogues, the latter singing Eric Bogle’s classic.
The death of Smiths bassist Andy Rourke earlier this month at 64 brought a short set of Smiths songs where his inventive playing was prominent. And we closed by marking the birthday of Sylvia Robinson, born this day in 1935, who had a hit as a duo in the ’50s, landed a naughty solo novelty in the 70s, and helped launch a whole musical genre a few years later. And she put together an early Tina Turner hit, too, as well.
Alas, I can only give you a setlist this week; recording failed. A reminder to both live in the moment and to try and listen live.