Birthday Music Facts celebrates the life of Ike Turner, who was born on Nov. 5, 1931.
Check out the five facts below:
1. Ike Turner is credited with creating the first Rock ‘n Roll record ever released, “Rocket 88.” His band, the Kings of Rhythm, recorded the single in 1951, although the track is credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats. Brenston was the saxophonist and the lead vocalist on the track.
2. “Rocket 88” was produced by legendary engineer Sam Phillips, at Sun Studios in Memphis. The record contains one of the first examples of guitar distortion, which came about by accident, when one of the amplifiers was damaged before the recording.
3. Ike Turner said his love of music began when he was as young as eight years old, when he would visit a local radio station and watch the DJ play records.
4. In 1991, Ike Turner was released from prison after serving 18 months of a 26-month sentence, for drug charges. While incarcerated, Ike Turner worked at the prison library. “I loved it – my first job in my life,” Ike Turner said. “The only thing I did since I was six was music.”
5. Ike Turner and his former wife Tina were inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Share this content:
