Ike Turner Dies at His San Marcos Home

By Ed Joyce / Reporter, KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published December 12, 2007 at 11:54 AM PST

This story was published more than 16 years ago.

Ike Turner, whose role as one of rock's critical architects was overshadowed by his image as the man who brutally abused former wife Tina Turner, died Wednesday morning at his San Diego County home. K

Ike Turner, whose role as one of rock's critical architects was overshadowed by his image as the man who brutally abused former wife Tina Turner, died Wednesday morning at his San Diego County home. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has more.

Turner's management company says he died at his home in San Marcos and was 76 years old. There's no immediate word on the cause of death.

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Ike Turner had a roller coaster life fighting drug addiction, time in prison and his relationship with Tina Turner. He was married four times. The Ike and Tina Turner Revue was one of the hottest of all R&B ensembles. Fronted by Tina, the band had several hits in the 1960s and early 70s including Proud Mary.

Ike Turner was born on November 5, 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi and started his musical career when he was eleven. In 1959 he met Anna Mae Bullock; she later changed her name to Tina Turner.

Ike Turner's abuse of his wife was chronicled in the film What's Love Got To Do With It, based on Tina's autobiography. Ike Turner wrote a book about his life called Taking Back My Name, in which he downplayed the abuse. He continued his musical career and won a Grammy this year in the traditional blues album category for “Risin' With the Blues.”

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.

Ed Joyce

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Ed Joyce was the environment reporter and afternoon news anchor for KPBS-FM. Before joining KPBS, he worked as an editor/columnist with Copley News Service in San Diego. Ed has an extensive background in newspaper, radio, web and TV journalism. After graduating with a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington in Seattle, Ed began a career in broadcast journalism. His work has included stints in public broadcasting, commercial broadcasting and education -- working as an affiliate professor of communication and reporter at the University of Idaho and Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. During the past 20 years he has worked in radio, TV and print as a news reporter, anchor, writer, editor and producer. Along the way he has won numerous awards for general news reporting, newswriting, feature and issue reporting and breaking news reporting from The Associated Press, The Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Press Club and other organizations. During the mid-1990s, while working for Oregon Public Broadcasting, he was a frequent contributor to National Public Radio, including a feature report on the memorial service for 14 U.S. Forest Service "hotshots" who died fighting a wildfire in Colorado (the crew was based in a central Oregon town). He’s also filed reports with Marketplace, KQED’s California Report and Climate Watch and with national and regional networks throughout the United States. At KPBS, Ed continues his contributions to National Public Radio and other national and regional news organizations. He has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and San Diego Press Club for his environmental reporting at KPBS-FM-TV and for producing and anchoring radio newscasts. In 2007 he was selected a National Press Foundation fellow for Understanding Violent Weather II program. The seminars were held at the National Weather Center in Norman, Okla. In 2008 he spoke at a UC San Diego conference on U.S. National Security as part of the school’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. Ed led a discussion with the 18 foreign government officials and academics about the political debate over climate change. In 2010, Ed was elected to a three-year term on the board of the San Diego Press Club.

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