Ike Turner, 76; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Lived Life of Blues

Izear Luster Turner Jr. was born Nov. 5, 1931, in Clarksdale, Miss., a birthplace shared by blues guitarists Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. He was raised by his mother, a seamstress, who bought him a piano at 7, when he was awe-struck after hearing boogie-woogie.

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Mr. Turner showed early skill as an organizer of musicians. By high school, he had formed a jump blues band modeled after Louis Jordan's group that would become the first incarnation of the Kings of Rhythm. They soon won an audition for Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Studios in Memphis.

"Ike had the best-prepared band that ever came in and asked me to work with them," Phillips once said. "And Ike! What a piano player he was! People don't know that Ike Turner was the first stand-up piano player. Man, he could tear a piano apart and put it together on the same song."

His 1951 cut of "Rocket 88" was regarded by many music historians as one of the first rock 'n roll records and reached the top of the R&B charts. The title extolled the virtues of an Oldsmobile and "cruisin' and boozin' along."

Saxophonist Jackie Brenston, who doubled as the singer, was credited as the bandleader, a common practice among record companies. Mr. Turner, who played piano on the recording, was reportedly too shy to protest.

Mr. Turner found work as a background musician in Memphis with such blues stars as Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and Elmore James before focusing on his new wife, Tina Turner. He featured her on one of his compositions, "Fool in Love," which sold almost 1 million copies in 1960.

They ground through a series of R&B hits, but Mr. Turner had already developed a reputation as a difficult partner. While working on the 1966 song "River Deep, Mountain High," producer Spector made a deal that Mr. Turner would get musical credit as long as he stayed away from the studio.

It was unclear how many times Mr. Turner married, but his most recent marriage was apparently to singer Jeanette Bazzell. He had at least four children, including two with Tina Turner.

Staff writer Terence McArdle contributed to this report.