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Barack and Michelle Obama shared a tribute for Tina Turner, who passed away this Wednesday. She was 83. The Obamas joined millions of people who were moved by her passing, writing a statement that praised Turner’s spirit and music.
The tribute was shared on Instagram, featuring a photo of Turner mid-performance. “Tina Turner was raw,” reads the tribute. “She was powerful. She was unstoppable. And she was unapologetically herself—speaking and singing her truth through joy and pain; triumph and tragedy. Today we join fans around the world in honoring the Queen of Rock and Roll, and a star whose light will never fade.”
Turner’s manager revealed that she died peacefully in her home of Küsnacht, near Switzerland, following a long battle with an illness. She began her career in the 50’s and grew into an American icon, earning the label of “the Queen of Rock and Roll,” and releasing multiple songs that went on to win her Grammys and recognition all over the music industry. She hosted a show in Rio de Janeiro that amassed a crowd of 180,000 people. It remains the world’s largest concert audience for a single performer.
President Biden shared a statement and called Turner a “once-in-a-generation talent.” “With 12 Grammy Awards, she was the only woman to win in the pop, rock, and R&B categories, a signal of her versatility, creativity, and broad appeal,” he said. “Overcoming adversity, and even abuse, she built a career for the ages and a life and legacy that were entirely hers.”
In the year 1985, Turner met music producer Erwin Bach, later marriying him and becoming an European citizen. She had two sons, which passed away before her. She is survived by Bach and two children she adopted.