Mariah Carey, Chuck D, other Long Island music stars offer tributes to Tina Turner
Rock icon Tina Turner, seen performing in 1997 in San Francisco, died Wednesday at her home in Switzerland. She was 83 years old.
Credit: AFP via Getty Images / Monica Davey
Long Island's music stars are among those paying tribute on social media to Rock &
Roll Hall of Famer Tina Turner, who died Wednesday at age 83 at her estate in Küsnacht, Switzerland.
“The words legendary, iconic, diva, and superstar are often overused and yet Tina Turner embodies them all and so many more — an incredible performer, musician and trailblazer,” wrote five-time Grammy Award-winning global superstar Mariah Carey, who was born in Huntington and raised there and in Melville, Northport and Greenlawn. “To me, she will always be a survivor and an inspiration to women everywhere. Her music will continue to inspire generations to come. Rest in Peace, Queen.”
“She brought out the rocker in all of us,” wrote Merrick-raised Debbie Gibson, posting video clips of herself performing Turner songs in concert, including while wearing a shimmering, fringed silver minidress a la Turner. “Eternal[ly] live the QUEEN @tinaturner #SimplyTheBest.”
Roosevelt-raised Chuck D, born Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy, tweeted simply, “Ms Tina,” with an emoji of a broken heart. In a second tweet, he confided, “I had just seen Ms Tina documentary yesterday,” evidently referring to HBO’s 2021 “Tina.” “I mean….,”: he continued, trailing off.
The Twitter account for Long Island rock staple Zebra posted, “Rest in Peace Tina,” while the band’s Felix Hanemann, of Wantagh, tweeted, “She was a force of power, talent and a fantastic performer!”
Other luminaries included New York City-born Angela Bassett, whose portrayal of Turner in the 1993 biographical drama “What's Love Got to Do with It,” earned her an Oscar nomination.
“How do we say farewell to a woman who owned her pain and trauma and used it as a means to help change the world?” the actor began a long Instagram post. “Through her courage in telling her story, her commitment to stay the course in her life, no matter the sacrifice, and her determination to carve out a space in rock and roll for herself and for others who look like her,” she added in part, "Tina Turner showed others who lived in fear what a beautiful future filled with love, compassion, and freedom should look like. Her final words to me — for me — were ‘You never mimicked me. Instead, you reached deep into your soul, found your inner Tina, and showed her to the world.’ ”
And among the rock royalty eulogizing Turner was Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, who performed together with her at times throughout their careers. “I’m so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner,” he wrote. "She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer. She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.”
Others paying their respect online included Bryan Adams, with whom she sang on his hit “It’s Only Love,” Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Gloria Estefan, John Fogerty, Gloria Gaynor, Blondie’s Debbie Harry, Questlove, Diana Ross, The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson and the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood.
