The legacy of Tina Turner, the undisputed “Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll,” was celebrated Saturday with the unveiling of a 10-foot statue in Brownsville, Tennessee, near her childhood community of Nutbush.
The bronze monument, designed by sculptor Fred Ajanogha, depicts Turner with her trademark wild hair and microphone in hand, poised as though commanding the stage. Ajanogha said he aimed to capture her iconic energy, describing her hairstyle as the “mane of a lion” and replicating the unique way she held the microphone with her index finger extended.
The unveiling coincided with the annual Tina Turner Heritage Days, which honors the star’s roots in rural Tennessee before her rise to international fame. Turner attended school in Nutbush and later high school just steps away from the park where the statue now stands.
Turner, who passed away in May 2023 at age 83, remains celebrated for her groundbreaking career spanning decades. From early success alongside Ike Turner in the 1960s and ’70s to her solo resurgence with the 1984 hit “What’s Love Got to Do With It”, she became one of the world’s most electrifying performers. Her catalog includes classics like “Nutbush City Limits,” “Proud Mary,” and “Private Dancer.”
The statue’s creation took nearly a year, with contributions from about 50 donors, including a $150,000 donation from Ford Motor Co., which is building an electric truck plant in nearby Stanton. The monument now stands near the Tina Turner Museum at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center. The museum, housed in Turner’s childhood schoolhouse, opened in 2014 as a lasting tribute to her journey from Nutbush to global superstardom.
For fans like Karen Cook, who traveled from Georgia with a cousin of Turner’s, the tribute was deeply personal. “She’s a great artist, I love her music. My mom listened to her a lot. It’s a big deal and a great thing for the community to have Tina Turner in her small town,” she said.
With admirers ranging from Mick Jagger to Beyoncé, Turner’s influence transcends generations. The new statue ensures her powerful presence continues to inspire in the very place her story began.
