On Wednesday, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced their 2021 class of nominees, and wow—what good taste it has.
Per Rolling Stone, the more than deserving heavy-hitters 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; should Turner be inducted, she’ll be the second woman to join the Hall of Fame for a second time. (She and Ike Turner were previously entered in 1991; also worth noting is that Chaka Khan’s former group Rufus was nominated in 2019, but not yet inducted.)
Speaking on the incredible group of nominees, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation Chairman John Sykes said in a statement:
“This remarkable ballot reflects the diversity and depth of the artists and music the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates. These nominees have left an indelible impact on the sonic landscape of the world and influenced countless artists that have followed them.”
Speaking of indelible (and incredible, if I might add) impact, the life of legendary rock & roll star Turner will also be featured in a new documentary for HBO next month. Per a press release sent to The Root, Tina will feature a mixture of exclusive archival footage spanning over 60 years as well as multiple interviews from notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey, journalist Kurt Loder (who co-authored Turner’s autobiography, I Tina), and playwright and P-Valley EP and showrunner Katori Hall, who scribed Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. Turner’s husband and former record executive Erwin Bach also appears, as does Angela Bassett—who iconically portrayed Tina Turner in the 1993 film, What’s Love Got To Do With It opposite Laurence Fishburne.
The feature documentary comes from Oscar-winning directors Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin. Award-winning producers Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn of Lightbox production company 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 on HBO’s Tina, per the press release:
This unvarnished, dynamic account features insightful interviews with Tina herself, conducted in her hometown of Zurich, Switzerland, and with those closest to her. It also features a wealth of never-before-seen footage, audio tapes and personal photos, telling a deep and absorbing story about the queen of rock ‘n’ roll in all its complexity.
In the fall of 1981, struggling to gain meaningful momentum in her career, Tina Turner sat for an interview with Carl Arrington, the music editor of People Magazine. Five years earlier, she had filed for divorce from Ike Turner, her husband and musical partner for over 16 years. Together they had climbed the charts and made musical history with their hits “A Fool in Love”, “River Deep – Mountain High” and “Proud Mary”. Off stage, they appeared to have a healthy marriage and family life.
The story she would tell Carl was an honest and harrowing account of the abuse and torture she had suffered through during her marriage, and the brave 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 fuel the story of her extraordinary yet improbable career comeback.
The documentary debuts Saturday, March 27 at 8 p.m. ET on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.