On Wednesday, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2021 nominee class and, wow, what a good taste it has.
By Rolling Stone, the most worthy of weight include Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J (again), Chaka Khan, Jay-Z, Fela Kuti, Dionne Warwick, Rage Against the Machine and Tina Turner. Other nominees include Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden, Kate Bush, Devo, Carole King, The New York Dolls and Todd Rundgren. 2021 marks the first year that Jay-Z, Warwick, Kuti, Khan and Turner are all eligible; if Turner is inducted, she will be the second woman to enter the Hall of Fame a second time. (She and Ike Turner were previously enrolled in 1991; also noteworthy is that the former Chaka Khan group Rufus was nominated in 2019, but not yet introduced.)
Speaking about the incredible group of nominees, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President John Sykes said in a statement:
“This remarkable vote reflects the diversity and depth of the artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates. These nominees left an indelible impact on the sonic landscape of the world and influenced countless artists who followed them. “
Speaking of indelible impact (and incredible, if I may add), the life of the legendary rock & roll star Turner will also be featured in a new documentary for HBO next month. By a press release sent to The root, Tina will feature a mix of exclusive archival images from more than 60 years, as well as several interviews from notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey, journalist Kurt Loder (who co-authored Turner’s autobiography, I have), and playwright and P-Valley EP and showrunner Katori Hall, who wrote Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. Turner’s husband and former record label executive Erwin Bach also appears, as does Angela Bassett – who represented Tina Turner iconically in the 1993 film, What does love have to do with it alongside Laurence Fishburne.
The documentary is by Oscar-winning directors Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin. Award-winning producers Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn of Lightbox and Diane Becker produced, alongside Erwin Bach, Tali Pelman, Will Clarke, Andy Mayson, Mike Runagall, David Gilbery, Charles Dorfman, Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller as executive producers. More at HBO’s Tina, according to the press release:
This dynamic, bare and raw account features insightful interviews with Tina herself, conducted in her hometown, Zurich, Switzerland, and with the people closest to her. It also features a wealth of never-before-seen footage, audio tapes and personal photos, telling a deep and engaging story about the queen of rock ‘n’ roll in all its complexity.
In the fall of 1981, struggling to gain a significant boost in her career, Tina Turner sat down for an interview with Carl Arrington, the music editor at People Magazine. Five years earlier, she had filed for divorce from Ike Turner, her husband and musical partner for more than 16 years. Together, they climbed the charts and made musical history with their hits “A Fool in Love”, “River Deep – Mountain High” and “Proud Mary”. Offstage, they seemed to have a healthy marriage and family life.
The story she would tell Carl was an honest and distressing account of the abuse and torture she suffered during her marriage, and the courageous escape she made after years of trauma. The article would be the first of many profiles that would cement Tina’s image as a survivor, helping to feed the story of her extraordinary but unlikely return to career.
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The documentary premieres on Saturday, March 27 at 8 pm (Brasília time) and will be available for broadcast on HBO Max.