Tina Is 75: The Celebration Of A Legend

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Tina Turner 2009

“Big wheel keep on turning, Proud Mary keeps on burning”

The only certainty in life is that nothing is certain. Everything changes, nothing stays the same. When Tina Turner was asked for her sixtieth birthday what kind of message she wants to deliver to her audience, she answered exactly that. The feeling that everything changes and nothing stays the same.

This thought for many people might be a frightening one. Indeed we spend a lot of our time trying to counter change and to maintain the status quo. We fear the unknown, we fear what lies ahead. The uncertainty of the future can turn into a fear so real that it blocks our daily lives.

When we celebrate a birthday, we celebrate somebody’s life. Now what about Tina’s life do we celebrate today? We can celebrate her platinum selling records. We can celebrate her sold-out tours. We can look back on all the wonderful songs she recorded and shows she performed. But do we really need another career-retrospective? Today, we should celebrate what makes Tina a legend. What is it about her that made her touch so many lives. The answer lies in the quote that started this article.

“Everything changes, nothing stays the same”

Why do we love Tina? We love Tina because through her music but most of all through her life, she has shown her audience and she has shown the world that change is not something to be afraid of. Change is something to be welcomed with open arms. In the darkest of her days, she has kept a faith and kept on going against all odds. She has proven the world that everything can change for the better.

Seventy-five years ago, Tina was born into a dirt-poor family in the south of the United States. Slavery back then was not yet a story told in the history books but an actual experience lived by parents and grandparents. Society was segregated. The daughter of a cotton farmer, she was not likely to ever live outside of the town she was born in. She was not likely to have a career or to become financially independent. Most of all she was not likely to become a world-famous rock and roll superstar.

Fast forward to 2014. Anna Mae Bullock, the daughter of a cotton farmer, is now better known as Tina Turner. She is one of the world’s best-selling recording artists of all time. With her concerts, she has drawn a combined audience of millions. Anna Mae Bullock now lives on the banks of Lake Zürich, Switzerland. Today, Anna Mae Bullock turns seventy-five.

“Everything changes, nothing stays the same”

From 1969 until 2009, over a period forty years, Tina closed the mains set of her show with the same song, night-after-night. The song is Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Proud Mary’.

“I never lost one minute of sleeping, worrying about the way the things might have been.”

Proud Mary is a song about a boat. Tina Turner has transformed it into a song about life. The big wheel keeps on turning. Proud Mary keeps on burning. The wheel will always keep turning. There is nothing you can do about it. It is not possible to stop the wheel. And it is certainly not possible to turn back the wheel of time. There is only one thing that you can do and that is to keep on burning. Rolling, rolling, rolling down the river.

You never know what is up around the next bend. But the river keeps on streaming, the wheel keeps on turning. So why resist? Why not roll down that river. Because in the end everything changes and nothing stays the same.

So, thank you Tina for teaching us this lesson. Thank you for showing it throughout your work and your life. We wish you a happy birthday. Keep on burning!

Published by Sjef

56 Replies to “Tina Is 75: The Celebration Of A Legend”

      1. I hope you had a great birthday . I am just around to your blog so I am late with the wishes. Plus Congrats on your marriage you both complement each other. May u both have many happy moments.

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  2. Happy birthday and blessings to you! May love, peace, happyness and sunshine allways stay in your heard!
    Many greetings from anna ❤

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  4. Dear Tina,
    the very best congratulations and the best wishes on your 75th birthday today. Without you, my life would have been only half as nice. Only the fall of the Wall in Germany, I was able to see you twice in Munich live.
    You are my biggest idol. I love you and I wish you a wunderful birthday.

    In deepest solidarity and recognition of your Ines Schneider (a very big fan)

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  5. Tina, I have been a fan for almost 45years and to this day, I am still your biggest fan ever. I hope you live to see many, many birthdays. Take care my love, Due’s Paid.

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  7. What a fantastic homage to Tina Turner. Happy Birthday to Tina Turner and thank you Tina Turner Blog for a wonderfully written story!

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  10. My dear queen Diva,

    Happy Birthday to you and enjoy your life!

    I will never forget our moment when I was 6yr old.
    When I met you by Lou van Rees in Vinkeveen The Netherlands..

    A life time experience which I keep in my heart and remembers me when I listen to your music!

    Warm greetings!
    Jeroen de Graaf

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  15. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINA TURNER. WE SHARE THE SAME BIRTHDAY AND I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU AS A PERSON AND AS A WOMAN. MY ONLY REGRET IS THAT I NEVER GOT TO SEE YOU PERFORM IN PERSON.

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  19. I wish all the best for You, Tina! I loved Your music and personality always. Thank You for everything what You gave us for fans! Happy Birthday!

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  23. С Днюхой Тиночку!!! Лав лав лав ю! Желаю еще 75 лет активной жизни здоровья любви кайфа!!!

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  30. To the Queen of Rock-n-Roll, another milestone has been reached, Happy 75th, may you be blessed with many more years of life!! Much love from the state of Texas.

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  32. Thank you for all the wonderful moments that a have with your music.
    Parabéns, it´s the Portuguese word the wish you Happy Birthday.
    Namasté

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  36. Happy birthday Tina! I was born on November 26th, 1939 too! I live between Valencia, Spain, and Paris. Kind regards. Dominique

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  38. Happy Birthday acid queen! I wish only the best thing in your life! You’re very speciall and a wonderful singer. Love all your songs! Have a beautiful day!!!!
    Kisses from Brazil ❤

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  41. Happy Birthday TINA! I acknowledge my debt of gratitude and profound appreciation for all the joy and inspiration you have shared throughout the years with your music and your life’s story. May the Divine continue to bless you and keep you, now and always. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

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  49. Pingback: They Celebrated Tina this week! | The Tina Turner Blog

  50. Ms Turner Congratulations with your 75e birthday i wish you strong health and much happiness, your my great idol from 46 years. there is not one day in my live without you’re music, you are mine simply the best.
    I love you ms. Turner and i hopen you stay for an long time with us.
    God Bless You

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