Cher Reflects On Giving Tina Turner Strength To Leave Ike
Cher has always been a force to be reckoned with, but her influence went beyond music and movies — she even played a part in helping Tina Turner break free from an abusive relationship.
In her new memoir, Cher: The Memoir, Part One, released on November 19, the 78-year-old icon opens up about a moment when Tina came to her for guidance on leaving her husband, Ike Turner. Cher writes that Tina, who performed twice with Ike on The Sonny & Cher Show, confided in her during one of their filming days.
It began with a quiet, telling request. Tina asked Cher for some makeup to cover a bruise on her arm. That small moment led to a life-altering conversation. Tina asked Cher how she had found the strength to leave Sonny Bono, her former husband and creative partner, whom she married in 1969 and divorced in 1975.
Cher’s response was direct and honest: “I just walked out and kept on going,” she told Tina.
Cher paints a chilling picture of Ike during rehearsals for their show. According to her, he didn’t smile one time and used to play the guitar without any emotion.
“I just knew whatever he was feeling wasn’t good,” she recalled.
Tina’s marriage to Ike had started in 1962, and while their music as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue skyrocketed them to fame, the relationship was deeply troubled. By 1976, Tina, who passed away in 2023 at age 83, had finally walked away for good. In a 1981 PEOPLE interview, Tina reflected on her escape, saying, “I was living a life of death. I didn’t exist. I didn’t fear him killing me when I left, because I was already dead. When I walked out, I didn’t look back.”
During the height of their success, Tina described feeling like “just a shadow.” Ike controlled everything – sound, management, money – while she was expected to wake up at 4 a.m. to cook breakfast for the band.
Eventually, she found solace and strength in Buddhism. However, practicing her faith only aggravated Ike’s anger. “When Ike saw me chanting, the veins in his face popped out. He didn’t want to hear about anything that would give me power,” Tina shared.
Despite occasional moments of kindness, Ike’s support came at a cost. “He helped a lot of people in trouble, but you owed him your life. He didn’t give freely,” Tina explained.
