It’s no exaggeration to say that Tina Turner is an American icon. With more than 200 million records sold and a genre-defining sound, she’s one of the greatest artists of all time. Her life, of course, wasn’t easy. Born into poverty in Tennessee, she overcame the odds to land a spot with Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm.
As her autobiography “I, Tina” — and, later, the film What’s Love Got To Do With It — showed, life with Ike was far from a walk in the park. But, she persisted and finally got away from him. Turner would go on to rebuild her life in ways no one could dream possible, becoming more successful as a solo artist than as part of the Ike and Tina Revue.
In 2021, the Tommy actress sold her music, likeness and image rights to BMG for a tidy sum of $50 million. This only added to her $250 million value, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Outside of her career in the entertainment industry, Turner also helped raise four children – let’s take a look at what they’re doing today.
Editorial note: The net worth listed in this piece is a speculative estimate drawn from a variety of online sources.
Craig Raymond Turner
Tina Turner was just 18 years old when she gave birth for the first time, to her son Craig in 1958. At the time she was in a relationship with Raymond Hill, the saxophonist in Ike’s Kings of Rhythm band. When Tina and Ike eventually wed in 1962, the latter adopted Craig as his son. Despite the benefits of being born into fame and fortune, the eldest Turner boy struggled mentally, causing him to commit suicide at the age of 59.
Craig unfortunately saw the abuse his mother endured at the hands of his adoptive father. In a 2005 conversation with Oprah Winfrey, Turner described her boy as “a very emotional kid,” recalling times when he tried to look out for her amid Ike’s rampages. “He’d always look down in sadness… 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.”
During his life, Craig was known as one of the top real estate agents at Rodeo Realty in Beverly Hills, but under the surface, his mother recognized signs of trouble. “I think Craig was lonely, that’s what I think really got him more than anything else,” she told CBS News after his tragic 2018 passing. “I have pictures all around of him smiling, and I think I’m sensing that he’s in a good place. I really do.” According to Turner, losing her firstborn was her “saddest moment as a mother.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 800-273-8255. Phone lines are manned 24 hours a day, and help is available in both English and Spanish.
Ronnie Turner
Like his parents, Tina and Ike, Ronnie Turner had a natural talent for music that helped him make a name for himself as a bass player in Manufactured Funk. Despite all the chaos he witnessed in his family home, Ronnie managed to find love with French musician Afida Turner, who he wed in 2007. After over a decade and a half of life with his wife, Ronnie tragically lost his battle with colon cancer in 2022; he was 62 at the time.
This loss was gut-wrenching for the Foreign Affair artist as well, as she expressed on Instagram. “Ronnie, you left the world far too early. In sorrow I close my eyes and think of you, my beloved son,” Turner captioned her tribute post.
Ike Turner Jr.
Before settling down with Tina, Ike Turner had two children from another relationship. His first, Ike Jr., picked up the family’s musical genes as well, though he never reached the same levels of superstardom. In 2017, Junior released a single called “Freaky!” with Sweet Randi Love’s assistance.
Interestingly, in 2018, the 65-year-old revealed that he hadn’t spoken with his Tina in nearly two decades. Around the time of his adoptive mother’s death in 2023, Ike Jr. was arrested for crack cocaine possession, according to Page Six. “He tried to eat the drugs before the officers could seize them from him,” an officer from the Alvin Police Department wrote in their report. In total, two grams of crack cocaine and under one gram of methamphetamine were seized.
Michael Turner
Michael is Ike’s second son son with Lorraine Taylor, whom Tina also adopted after she and Ike got married. He was born in 1959, but chooses to keep his life very private, which is why there isn’t much information available about him. Back in the 80s, Michael’s big biological brother suggested that he was struggling in wake of his parent’s divorce. “Michael wanted my mother and father to get back together,” Ike Jr. recalled. “He was hurt by their being apart.”
As per Biography, the least-known Turner struggled with addiction in adulthood. In 2017, Ike Jr. shared that his brother has suffered several strokes and seizers, and was using a wheelchair. The next year, he shared that their adoptive mother supported Michael financially, but didn’t visit him in his Southern California convalescent home.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Biological Kids Did Tina Turner Have?
While working as a musical starlet, Turner found time to build a beautiful blended family. She shared her first son, Craig, with saxophonist Raymond Hill; he was born in 1958. Later, the Queen of Rock n’ Roll and her first husband, Ike Turner welcomed their son Ronnie in 1960. During that marriage, the Tennessee native also took care of Ike Jr. and Michael from her man’s past relationship.
Who Inherits Tina Turner’s Fortune?
As Marca reminds us, the singer opted to leave her hard-earned money to her two adopted children, Ike Jr. and Michael, as well as her widower, Erwin Bach. The German music producer, will inherit nearly half of the $250M she left behind, according to Yahoo News. Seeing as the pair spent decades together and he donated a kidney to help save Turner’s life in 2017, it only makes sense that the late icon would want her husband to be taken care of after her departure.
Did Tina Turner Leave Her Children Any Money?
Turner loved all her children while she was alive, but the “Proud Mary” hitmaker had to experience the ultimate pain as a mother – burying a child – twice. With only two adoptive children left living, there have been questions about how the vocalist’s money will be divided up. Her former daughter-in-law, Afida, had some insight to offer the Sunday Mirror. “As she married in Switzerland, I think around 47 percent will go to the spouse and the rest to the children,“ she told the outlet.
“Tina’s two children are Craig and Ronnie – she never adopted Ike Jr. It’s just because she was with Ike that they were in the family, so the only ‘blood’ descendants are Craig and Ronnie. Today I’m the only one with the name – there are no other Turners,” Ronnie’s widow further alleged. “I’m not here for that. I’m here to respect my mother-in-law. I’ve always earned my own money – no one has ever given me anything in the Turner family – that’s the Turner way, OK.”
