Rock and blues legend Ike Turner died Wednesday at his San Marcos, California home.  He was 76. 

Turner was born Izear Luster Turner, Jr., in Clarksdale, Mississippi where he began his career as a Mississippi disk jockey and later a bandleader, finding success with the group The Kings of Rhythm with the hit, “Rocket 88″ in 1951. While on the road, the band adopted a revue format for live performances and used the band to try out new talent, among them a virtually unknown young singer named Anna Mae Bullock, who became a solid act in the revue during the 1950’s. Turner and Bullock would later move in together when Bullock found herself pregnant by another member of the band. The couple eventually married and in 1958, Anna would became known the world over as Tina Turner. 

Together the pair toured across the country and became a successful duo in the 1970’s, toured with the Rolling Stones and had a hits with their songs, “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits.” Eventually, the couple separated in 1975 and Tina would later claim that Ike both physically and mentally abused her, revealing that her husband was a control freak who was addicted to cocaine and who would often burn her with cigarettes during their marriage.

Throughout his turbulent life and in his later years, Ike was arrested on numerous charges, mostly for drug related crimes. In 1991, both Ike and Tina were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, however Ike was unable to attend because he was in prison on drug charges. Ike was later denounced for his abuse of Tina in her biopic, “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”

In 2001, Turner attempted a come back and scored with ”Here And Now,” and although nominated for a Grammy award in the Best Traditional Blues Album category, he would lose, only to win this year in the same category for ”Risin’ with the Blues,” at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards held in February. 

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