Fierce Femmes: Tina Turner and Her Ikettes Redefining Music History
Throughout music history, tales abound of celebrated music artists arriving late or missing the recording session altogether, paving the way for aspiring talents to seize opportunities and catapult to fame. However, rarer were instances where female artists took over spotlight, conveniently filling the void left by a male recording artist. Yet, many groups have been anchored by a male artist, and the enduring stories of Ike Turner, Bo Diddley, and Ray Charles often overshadow the contributions of the women who played pivotal roles in supporting these men.
Ike & Tina Turner. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
• LITTLE ANN SAVES “A FOOL IN LOVE” •
So began the Ikettes in 1960. Male artist Art Lassiter failed to turn up for a recording session at Technisonic Studios in St. Louis that Ike Turner had arranged. Ike had specifically chosen Lassiter to lead his Kings of Rhythm and felt betrayed, especially after recently lending him money. Anna Mae Bullock, also known as Little Ann, was already familiar with the song after rehearsing it extensively. With Lassiter absent, Ike decided that Little Ann, along with the backup vocal trio of Robbie Montgomery, Frances Hodges, and Sandra Harding (formerly known as the Artettes), could at least record a demo with the studio time already paid for. Originally, Ike planned to remove Little Ann’s vocals from the recording and replace with Lassiter’s. He was persuaded by record promoters and executives to retain her voice and even to go as far to make her the star of the show.
For Ike, the name Little Ann wasn’t going to cut it. Before the “A Fool in Love” single was released, he demanded she change her name to Tina Turner. His muse was Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.
“Ike says he patterned me after Sheena of the jungle. She was white, you know,” Tina remarked to Esquire.
“Ike says he patterned me after Sheena of the jungle. She was white, you know.”
- Tina Turner
Since Ike and Tina were not married yet, his last name was added for protection, trademarking the name so he could pass it along to another female performer should she ever leave him. The group became known as “The Ike and Tina Turner Revue” and often joined by the Ikettes.
Tina Turner was encouraged to take the stage and perform wildly in miniskirts and to sway her long-haired wig. The Ikettes enhanced her look even further. Her look was so unique that it caught the attention of Motown’s Berry Gordy who instructed his girl acts to not imitate Tina Turner and the Ikettes in their performances under no circumstance. For Tina, it was an appearance she embraced.
“They [the Ikettes] represent me, and in my act they gotta look outta sight at all times,” Tina told Esquire. “I also believe in the Ikettes visual. I don’t see it as cheap or vulgar. Nor do I see myself as that. Sex is not cheap or vulgar. And I always loved the look of long straight hair.”
“A Fool in Love” rose to number two on the R&B chart and number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. This achievement marked the beginning of the legendary Ikettes and the iconic Tina Turner. In October 1960, Tina, who was nine months pregnant with Ike as the father, performed the hit on American Bandstand.
LISTEN TO “A FOOL IN LOVE” BY IKE AND TINA TURNER
The momentum of “The Ike and Tina Turner Revue” hinged on a new background trio of Delores Johnson, Eloise Hester, and “Joshie” Jo Armstead. Throughout the sixties, the Ikettes experienced various personnel changes and turnover. “I’m Blue (The Gong-Gong Song),” credited to the Ikettes and Johnson as the lead vocalist, was recorded while on tour, underscoring the imperative for production amid constant traveling. Tina contributed by arranging vocals and lending her voice in the background. As Ike and Tina were affiliated with Sue Records, he chose instead to distribute the record and sign an advance with Atlantic Records’ Atco subsidiary in late 1961. Released in 1962, “I’m Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)” ascended to number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number three on the R&B chart.
“In my case, I helped to write and construct our first release, ‘I’m Blue (The Gong-Gong Song)’ which I got no credit for,” said Armstead. “But he did give me a check for a lot of money—he thought and I thought too—seven hundred dollars royalties... I’m sure he didn’t give Tina anything.”
LISTEN TO “I’M BLUE (THE GONG-GONG SONG)” BY THE IKETTES
• THE IKETTES •
In 1961, the Ikettes personnel changed to Venetta Fields, Jessie Mae Smith, and original Artette—Robbie Montgomery who rejoined the group after a hiatus following her pregnancy. The following year, Ike and Tina were married in a wedding parlor in Tijuana.
Smith was romantically involved with Sam Rhodes, the bass player for the Kings of Rhythm. However, when Ike made the decision to fire Rhodes, it led to a temporary departure for Smith from the Ikettes. This unexpected turn of events opened a unique door of opportunity, paving the way for the talented white singer Bonnie Bramlett to step in as the pioneering first white Ikette.
“Jessie left and they needed an Ikette,” Bramlett recalls. “I was there so I went with them. For three days. I was 17 and I was white and my mother wouldn’t let me stay any longer than that. I could only help them out, she said. So, I just put on a dark wig because I’m blonde and Man Tan because I’m white and helped them out.” Bramlett, inspired by Tina Turner to sing, had provided backup vocals for Albert King, Little Milton, and Fontella Bass.
Armstead found herself at a career crossroads as an Ikette, realizing that her aspirations as a songwriter were not being fulfilled, and the financial rewards were elusive. The breaking point came when Ike imposed a fifty-dollar fine for her tardiness. It was this moment in Los Angeles that prompted her to say farewell to the Ikette chapter of her career. “The next morning when the bus left, I wasn’t on it,” she recalls. When he realized she was missing, Armstead claims that “he wasn’t open to asking me to come back—that would have been beneath him, so that was that. And I was on my own, I burned that bridge.”
“The next morning when the bus left, I wasn’t on it.”
- “Joshie” Jo Armstead
From 1963 through 1964, the Ikettes were in a whirlwind transitioning between various record labels and touring as part of the Revue. Concert announcements and posters often billed them as the “Ike-Etts” or “Ikets” and the spelling variations would stick with them for years. During these years, their songs achieved chart success, although some failed to go national.
In 1965, when “Peaches ‘N’ Cream” showed potential on the charts, Ike assembled a new lineup of Ikettes for Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars tour. The new members were Janice Singleton, Marquentta Tinsley, and Diane Rutherford. Meanwhile, the existing members – Montgomery, Smith, and Fields – continued touring with the Revue. Ike expanded the lineup by adding Pat Arnold (P.P. Arnold), Juanita Hixson, Gloria Scott, and Maxine Smith. Joining later would be Pat Powdrill, Ann Thomas, Shelly Clark (who later joined the group Honey Cone), Rose Smith, and Paulette Parker. It was a safe bet that any woman appearing on stage or in Ike’s orbit, aside from Tina, was likely an Ikette.
LISTEN TO “PEACHES ‘N’ CREAM” BY THE IKETTES
“Ike Turner saw himself as a pimp,” said Dr. Todd Boyd, Critical Studies professor at the University of Southern California, in the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom. “And he saw his backup singers, even his wife, as the women who worked for him – his hoes.”
“He [Ike] saw his backup singers, even his wife, as the women who worked for him – his hoes.”
- Dr. Todd Boyd, Critical Studies professor at the University of Southern California
Former Ikette Claudia Lennear adds, “He made sure you had a certain look, able to walk a certain way and danced the certain way.”
Ike Turner gained a notorious reputation of having multiple affairs with women, including various Ikettes, and while married to Tina. In her autobiography, I,Tina, she recounts how Ann Thomas had been selected as an Ikette, whom she befriended. “She had some Oriental blood, but she looked just like my stage image. Couldn’t sing at all, but there she was – an Ikette.” In a later section of the book, Tina writes that both she and Ann discovered they were pregnant, and at this point, Ike was no longer making any attempt to be discreet about his extramarital affairs. “When I found out that Ann was pregnant by Ike, I lost all feeling for him as my husband. That was it.” Tina terminated the pregnancy.
“When I found out that Ann was pregnant by Ike, I lost all feeling for him as my husband. That was it.”
- Tina Turner
With multiple Ikettes now in the mix, there was tension with the old and new members. Montgomery, Fields, and Smith who were not thrilled with Ike’s personnel changes, left the Ike and Tina Turner Revue in late 1965. Despite their departure, the trio attempted to carry on as the Ikettes, now under the management of Tina’s sister, Alline Bullock. However, their endeavor to continue as the Ikettes proved unsuccessful. Subsequently, under the Mirwood label, the trio rebranded themselves as “The Mirettes.”
• “RIVER DEEP – MOUNTAIN HIGH” •
In 1966, the Ikettes would stay behind and the Blossoms were brought in to provide backing vocals on Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep – Mountain High.” Produced by Phil Spector, the single was considered his masterpiece in the making, a pivotal work that would shape his future. Ike and Phil both had strong personalities and there were concerns about potential clashes. Additionally, Ike’s increasing possessiveness towards Tina and Phil’s reported fear of him added another layer of complexity. Ironically, Ike and and Phil shared similarities in their efforts to exert cruel control over their respective partners—Ike with Tina and Phil with Ronnie Bennett (later Ronnie Spector).
To avoid conflicts, Ike was persuaded to stay away from the studio, as his vocals were neither needed nor recorded for the song. Despite this, he insisted on having his name associated with the record. Spector, recognizing Tina’s star quality, was willing to go to great lengths to capture her unique voice. Tina’s vocal delivery set her apart from previous groups like the Crystals, the Blossoms, or even the Ronettes, who were no longer enjoying success. For Spector, this project represented his last opportunity for success, and he was determined to make the most of Tina’s exceptional talent. In his studio and in his mind, Phil operated in absolutes, embracing either all or nothing. He would later recall, “I said, God, if could make a number one record with her, she could go on Ed Sullivan, she could go to Las Vegas; she could break the color barrier. I was just devastated by her.”
It was a spectacle to say the least. Upon Tina’s arrival at Gold Star studios, she was met with a scene of 21 musicians, numerous background singers, and curious onlookers awaiting her. Reportedly there was the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson who sat “transfixed” and “did not say a word.” Phil’s vision for the song involved creating a grandiose “Wall of Sound,” necessitating excessive layers of instrumentation and vocals.
Recording “River Deep – Mountain High” proved to be a lengthy and complex process. The initial session had to be abandoned as Tina felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of people present, making it challenging for her to deliver the desired performance.
“I must have sung that 500,000 times,” Tina remarked. “I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing.”
“I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing.”
- Tina Turner
Not only were Tina’s vocal chords stressed, musicians were frustrated, and the guitarists rubbed their fingers raw playing the same riffs repeatedly. “Play it dumb,” Spector would often say in sessions. After multiple sessions and a ridiculous number of takes, Phil’s signature perfectionism eventually led to the right vocal captured for the song.
Phil’s overreaching ambition and maniacal arrangement, coupled with such high stakes riding on its success, turned the project into a significant risk, if not a liability. Upon its release on May 14, 1966, the initial critical response was positive. While the single performed well in the United Kingdom, it faced a setback in the American chart, peaking at a dismal number 88 and dropping off entirely a week later. Phil’s grandest production to date turned out to be his most significant failure, leading to feelings of resentment toward the American music industry and a sense of betrayal by the American public.
“If Phil had released that record and put anybody else’s name on it, it would have been a huge hit,” Ike later remarked. “But because Tina Turner’s name was on it, the white stations classified it as an R&B record and wouldn’t play it. The white stations say it was too Black, and the Black stations say it was too white, so that the record didn’t have a home. That’s what happened to ‘River Deep – Mountain High.’”
“The white stations say it was too Black, and the Black stations say it was too white, so that the record didn’t have a home.”
- Ike Turner
Aware the industry had turned against him, with many hoping for his failure, Phil faced the consequences of his past antic and behavior. The culmination of these challenges led a dramatic downfall. Ronnie Spector found herself caught in the turmoil as Phil retreated into hermit-like seclusion in his mansion for two years.
LISTEN TO “RIVER DEEP - MOUNTAIN HIGH” BY IKE AND TINA TURNER
As Phil retreated into seclusion, the Ikettes, Ike and Tina resumed their work and touring. Despite the failure of “River Deep – Mountain High,” the Ikettes endured. Many former Ikettes would go on to have successful careers as background singers for many other famous singers and bands, Black and white.
Between 1960 and 1975, Ike and Tina Turner placed 25 records on the charts, including “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” “Nutbush City Limits,” and “Proud Mary.” Ikette Lennear would go on to record with Joe Cocker and many other popular artists.
LISTEN TO “IT’S GONNA WORK OUT FINE” BY IKE AND TINA TURNER
“Without Ike and Tina, I’d probably be 20 miles from stardom, not 20 feet...they taught me how to perform, how to work with other singers and musicians,” Lennear said recently. “Ike taught me how to support Tina on stage. And Tina taught me how to present myself.”
• TINA’S ENDURING LEGACY •
Within their marriage, a dark aspect emerged, as detailed in Tina Turner’s biography, I, Tina. She courageously disclosed instances of domestic abuse that significantly impacted her well-being, leading to suicide attempts. The Ikettes, being close to her, were aware of the ongoing turmoil, but the era lacked adequate resources and support for women facing such challenges. Other Ikettes corroborated Tina’s accounts, shedding light on Ike’s disturbing attitude towards women, viewing them as disposable. According to Armstead, Ike “admitted to being married at least twenty times, but he could only remember the name of twelve women.” Tina often found herself isolated from the rest of the Ikettes during travels and worked within the confines dictated by Ike. Despite the societal norms of the sixties tending to overlook domestic abuse, Tina’s struggles did not escape notice.
Armstead adds, “I saw bruises, I saw black eyes, I saw busted lips, and she sang through it all. No, we never talked about it, but we were all so happy to see her and we were the girls, the women together. We didn’t talk about the rough times. I think her [Tina’s] outlet was performing, that was her freedom.”
I think her [Tina’s] outlet was performing, that was her freedom.”
- “Joshie” Jo Armstead
Her inimitable stagecraft could only be compared to male Soul counterpart James Brown. “Tina, frantically screaming into the stand-mike, her hips and hair swinging in unison, clearly equals James Brown for pure emotional raving,” wrote Bill Millar of Soul Music Monthly in 1968.
After breaking free from the shadows of Ike Turner and the Ikettes, Tina not only triumphed against all odds but also embarked on a mission to reclaim Rock & Roll as a space for Black origin and expression. With unwavering determination, she nurtured her distinctive voice and talents, crafting a path entirely her own. It was through electrifying live performances that she breathed new life into her career, emerging as a powerhouse—an influential force in both the realms of music and acting. Tina’s journey is not just a story of resilience; it’s a testament to the indomitable spirit that can transform adversity into unparalleled success.