The Queen of Rock `n´ Roll is the legendary TINA TURNER (26 November 1939 ~ 24 May 2023), who has had one of the most remarkable and extraordinary careers in music history, turned 80 years-old on November 26, 2019. Tinas career began in 1958 and her fascinating but tumultuous life story has almost become a myth. On May 24th 2023 Tina Tuner sadly died, age 83. She will be missed and loved forever, as a trailblazer and pioneer and the first woman in Rock `n´ Roll music.
But there is only ONE person who has been close to Tina for most of her life.
RHONDA GRAAM was a young lady in 1964 when she began following the explosive Ike and Tina Turner Revue and soon became their tour manager, personal assistant and helping hand. Rhonda has really been part of music history, with an unusual history as a white woman, working in a mans world in the early 1960´s, as a road manager for a black group during a difficult era of racial segregation, working on the Chitlin´ Circuit in the United States.
Tina Turner was the first woman in Rock music and her dynamic, explosive and wild performances and distinctive multifaceted raspy vocal, which made her an international superstar for 60 years, in a career that lasted almost 8 decades.
Rhonda Graam was also one of the very few who stayed with Tina, when she broke up with her infamous and violent ex-husband and music partner, Ike Turner. Rhonda continued to be Tina´s close personal friend and assistant during all the years after her historic comeback with the album "Private Dancer" in 1984, and was Tina´s maid of honor when she married German record company executive, Erwin Bach.
Interviewer and artist, Lucas Alexander, sat down to speak to Rhonda Graam at the Tina Turner Museum at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Brownsville, Tennessee, close to her hometowen, Nutbush. The video also features Miss Robbie from "Sweetie Pie´s", aka, ROBBIE MONTGOMERY, one of the original Ikettes, who were close friends with Tina in the beginning of her career as a backup singer and dancer for the Ike and Tina Turner revue.
Rhonda Graam talks about the very early days working for Ike and Tina Turner, and later on for Tina solo, and what it was like meeting and working with so many legends and music icons of the past.
Since the interview was conducted on September 24th, 2016, a succesful musical about Tina Turner´s incredible life has opened in London´s West End, on Broadway, Hamburg and soon in Amsterdam, where there is also an important character of Rhonda Graam.
Sadly RHONDA GRAAM died on January 13, 2021, just 2 months before the release of the Documentary film about Tina Turner´s extraordinary, fascinating and difficult life called "TINA!", which premiered on HBO on March 27th, 2021. That would be Rhonda Graam´s last appearance on camera. A Documentary film she contributed a lot to, and which could hardly have been made without her. But in this video by Lucas Alexander, we get Rhonda - in-depth and straight-forward. She was of unmeasurable value to Tina Turner´s life and carrer. Tina wrote an official press statement after the passing of Rhonda:
"I am heartbroken. Rhonda was my dear friend and confidant. She believed in me before anyone else did and I will sorely miss her kind heart, humor and wise counsel. I will forever cherish her friendship.
Rest in Peace.
TINA"
R.I.P. Rhonda Graam (February 6, 1944 ~ January 13, 2021) and Thank You for your great work.
R.I.P. Tina Turner (November 24, 1939 ~ May 24, 2023) - we will LOVE YOU forver!
THANK YOU to everyone who helped with collecting pictures.
NO copyright infringement intended of certian pictures and footage.
This video is a fan-production with special thanks to Rhonda Graam and Robbie Montgomery and the Tina Turner Museum.
© 2019 ARTRIX FILMS // Lucas Alexander Productions
5 июл 2024
