Where Are Tina Turner's Kids Today? Sadly, Two Died in the Singer’s Lifetime
Updated May 24 2023, 3:07 p.m. ET
Music legend Tina Turner was a force in Hollywood for her impeccable vocals and timeless songs for decades before her death on May 24, 2023. When anyone thinks of Tina, they probably automatically think of her famous tracks "Proud Mary" or "What's Love Got to Do with It."
If you didn't know, the singer was married twice and had four kids — two of them are her biological ones and the other two are adopted. Unfortunately, before Tina died, she endured two devastating losses of her children. Keep reading to learn the details about Tina's kids and family life.
Where are Tina Turner's kids now?
Tina had her first child when she was 18 with Raymond Hill, a saxophonist for the band Kings of Rhythm. His name was Craig, and he was born in 1958. But, sadly, in 2018, Craig died by suicide. He was only 59 years old.
A Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner spokesperson told People that Tina's eldest was pronounced dead after being found in his Studio City, Calif., home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Tina's sons, Ronnie and Craig Turner.
Craig was the only son she had with Raymond. But just a few years after the birth of her oldest son, she started seeing another member of the Kings of Rhythm band — Ike Turner (the frontman of the group) — and she had her second kid with him, Ronnie Turner. Two years after Ronnie was born, Tina and Ike got married. Once they became husband and wife, the musicians adopted each other's kids from previous relationships. Ike had two sons, Ike Jr. and Michael.
Ronnie was born in 1960 and made his on-screen debut in his mother's "What's Love Got to Do with It" music video in 1993. In 2007, he tied the knot with French singer Afida Turner. Afida and Ronnie had a close relationship with Tina and often played with Tina at her shows. Throughout his life, Ronnie continued growing his music career with songs like “Chuck’s Back” and “Cough and Drop.”
Sadly, the artist died on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022.
According to TMZ, law enforcement officials answered a 911 call from someone concerned about Ronnie’s well-being. The caller found Ronnie outside of his house, struggling to breathe. When the paramedics arrived at the San Fernando Valley, Calif., home, Ronnie had completely stopped breathing. After several attempts to revive him, Ronnie was pronounced dead on the scene at age 62.
Ronnie’s official cause of death was complications of metastatic colon carcinoma, also known as colon cancer, per Today. The L.A. County Coroner’s Office added that Ronnie developed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease before he died, a condition that can make the artery walls harder and stop blood from flowing to the heart.
Ronnie was Tina’s second biological child and died just four years after his big brother, Craig. Upon the news of Ronnie's death, Tina took to Instagram to pay tribute to her son. “Ronnie, you left the world far too early,” the singer wrote. “In sorrow, I close my eyes and think of you, my beloved son.”
Tina is survived by adopted sons Ike Jr. and Michael Turner.
Tina and Ike’s other sons have typically stayed away from the public. However, like his mother and father, Ike Jr. seemed to go the musical route. He formed a band called The Love Thang alongside artist Sweet Randi Love. They released their first single as a group in 2017 called "Freaky!" As for Michael, there isn't much information about him as he hasn't been in the spotlight.
Pictured circa 1972, clockwise from bottom left: Michael Turner (Son of Ike & Lorraine Taylor), Ike Turner Jr. (Son of Ike & Lorraine Taylor), Ike Turner, Craig Hill (Son of Tina & Raymond Hill), Ronnie Turner (Son of Ike & Tina)
Tina and Ike divorced in the '70s.
After being married for almost 20 years, the two were legally separated in 1978. Tina had initially filed, citing "irreconcilable differences." But in her autobiography — I, Tina: My Life Story — she opened up about Ike being an abusive partner.
In an interview with Oprah in 2005, she talked about how her son Craig had witnessed the abuse and was definitely affected by it.
"One day when Ike was fighting me, Craig knocked on the door and said, ‘Mother, are you all right?’ I thought, ‘Oh, please, don’t beat me at home.’ I didn’t want my children to hear,” she revealed to Oprah. Tina also mentioned that Craig “was a very emotional kid.”
Tina's ex-husband died in 2007 of a cocaine overdose. She got married again in 2013 to Erwin Bach, who is 16 years younger than her. They started dating in 1986, shortly after her first marriage with Ike.
What was Tina Turner's cause of death?
On May 24, 2023, Tina Turner died at the age of 83 in Switzerland, where she had been living with her husband Erwin. She had been dealing with several health issues for years, including a kidney transplant in 2017. (Erwin donated a kidney to Tina.)
Our hearts go out to Tina's loved ones!