Remembering Tina Turner: Her Vancouver concerts were simply the best

Like any road warrior, Tina Turner rolled into Vancouver more than a few times over the course of her 66-plus-year career.

The singer — who was born Anna Mae Bullock on Nov. 26, 1939, in Brownsville, Tenn. — died on Wednesday in Küsnacht, Switzerland, following a long illness. She was 83.

A look back at the archives proves Turner was no stranger to Vancouver. From her early days to the heights of her solo career, the queen of rock ‘n’ soul stirred local listeners’ hearts on many occasions.

One of the earliest gigs on record is the July 24, 1974, visit by the Ike & Tina Turner Revue to Baceda’s located at 1607 East Hastings. A hot spot for blues, funk, soul and Motown artists, the venue hosted B.B. King, James Brown, Little Richard, the Miracles and many more.

According to a Setlist.fm entry for the show, the group that at the time was considered the hottest live act in R&B performed a set that included covers of I’ve Been Loving You Too Long and Respect to the duo’s hit version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary.