Ike Turner

Izear Luster Turner Jr. was a pioneering musician, bandleader, talent scout, and producer whose 1951 recording of 'Rocket 88' (credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats but essentially Turner's band) is widely considered one of the first rock and roll records. Based in Clarksdale and later Memphis, Turner was a crucial figure in the development of the Memphis music scene, working as a talent scout for Modern Records and later Sam Phillips's Sun Studios. His Kings of Rhythm were one of the tightest and most versatile bands in R&B, and his partnership with Tina Turner produced a string of hits including 'A Fool in Love' and 'River Deep, Mountain High.' His personal legacy is complicated by his well-documented history of domestic abuse.