Christiaan Hermans - Tina Turner – 1976 – 2016 – 40 Years of Freedom and Independence

Tina, a free and liberated woman - Part 2

Last week we’ve described Tina’s situation after leaving her former husband after 16 years of bad marriage.
Without any money, material possessions or career progress, Tina had to hit rock bottom before she could clime her own mountain to success.
The only thing Tina had was her will power and her aim to change and get the life she wanted for herself.
Although it didn’t come easy and she had to go through many learning processes, there was a change happening after concluding that this management couldn’t do much more for her anymore except for performing live.
Tina wasn’t exactly happy with her current situation. She wanted to move on and moving on to the Rock scene.
Changing management was Tina’s best decision she ever made to finish the goals she had set for herself.
After her performance in The Fairmont Hotel in 1980, things began to change when Tina invited Roger Davies to talk herself into his management company.

Roger Davies saw during Tina’s show that she was an amazing talent, but it was a risk.
After Tina told him she wanted to be in the Rock scene, Roger told her that she had to change her whole act.
No more Las Vegas dresses and acts. He knew it would be a big challenge.
Tina hadn’t had a hit record for a long time. Record labels weren’t interested in her anymore because of Ike’s image and age. At first, Roger sat down and simply said "What am I going to do with her? I really don’t know".
After putting a new band together, selecting mostly songs she could cover.
Songs from Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones. Of course Tina covered songs before but this was another challenge.

She could keep songs in the setlist like "Proud Mary", "River Deep, Mountain High" and "Nutbush City Limits", because the audience knew them.
She just had to find another way to deliver these songs in a more Rock ‘n’ Roll way.
After putting a setlist and show together with a totally different style, Roger sent Tina on the road again, and tried to get as much publicity as he possibly could get for her.
Tina started her new show on the 18th of March 1981, and critics were outstanding for Tina. Her shows were a success.

Tina’s shows were a success all over the world, but Tina still wasn’t able to get the record companies signing her up.
Roger was able to get Tina into a B.E.F. project in 1982 which was a project of the group Heaven 17.
Tina recorded the song "Ball Of Confusion" which was a protest song against the US government.

The song was a cover song. It was originally recorded and released by The Temptations in the 70’s.
When Tina’s version was released, Capitol Records noticed Tina and did sign her at their label.
The single was a small success in certain countries and Tina was allowed to record more songs.
After recording a few more covers with the Heaven 17 group, Capitol Records wanted to drop Tina of their label again.

Roger Davies didn’t accept their decision and asked for another chance for Tina to record songs with the Heaven 17 group.
Capitol Records told Roger to take her away and take this last shot. Roger did and almost a year later, Tina recorded Al Green’s "Let’s Stay Together".
The song became a hit in Europe and in the US and became Tina’s comeback single. She could no longer be denied.

Tina’s comeback was huge. Her shows were improving by the day. Capitol Records signed Tina on their label in 1983-1984, with a little push from David Bowie.
Tina had to record new songs in a quick tempo, (which she was used to).
Tina recorded a full album in a week which later turned out to be the best selling album she ever recorded. The "Private Dancer" album.

Tina’s career changed as she always had wished for.
Her songs were strong, mostly autobiographical ("What’s love got to do with it") and spiritual ("I might have been queen").
Tina wanted to give the message to the people that (after) living a hard life, you should make things better for yourself.
Find your inner self, connect with yourself, know what you want and what you don’t want and go for it.
Tina planned everything ahead for herself. Escaping from a dominant marriage, tryong to make a living, staying alive and making the best of it.
She came, saw, conquered and became a free, strong and independent woman.
Embrace your freedom!! YOU KNOW WHYYYYY???, because you’re The Best.

Andrew Lee - You Were There
Linda Scheppink - Concert De Doelen - Rotterdam, the Netherlands - 13 Nov. 1982
Miriam Rouw - Tina fan since I was 14 years old
Scotty Stillman - Why I love Tina Turner's "Foreign Affair"
Sjors Arts - Seeing Tina perfom in the Gelredome - Arnhem, the Netherlands - 2009
Esther Vastenhout - Proud Mary, Lets stay together Dancing in my dreams!
Esther Vastenhout - Anna Mae Bullock – The girl in the field with no name
Bartosz Jagodzinski - Berlin – January 2009
Angie Spencer - Private Dancer Tour – Perth – 24 Dec. 1985

Christiaan Hermans
River Deep, Mountain High - A 50 Year Milestone Anniversary - 2016
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Christiaan Hermans
40 years of Freedom and Independence - 2016
Part 1, Part 2

Christiaan Hermans - I heard it through the grapevine

Christiaan Hermans
The Rule Breaking Album’s 30th Year Anniversary - 2016
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.1, Part 3.2, Part 3.3, Part 3.4, Part 3.5, Part 4, Part 5

Johanna Ouwerling
Open Arms Trips
Oslo, Leipzig, Zürich, Copenhagen

Johanna Ouwerling - Proud Mary - 45th Anniversary - 2016

Johanna Ouwerling - Simply the Best - 25th Anniversary - 2016

Johanna Ouwerling - Review Concert Wembley Stadium - 16 July 2000