Tina Turner’s Memory Lives On With New Statue Unveiling

Workers unveiled a bronze figure of Tina Turner at Heritage Park in Brownsville, Tennessee. The statue celebrated her legacy and roots at 10 a.m. on September 27, and it's almost eight feet tall.

Money from Ford Motor Company helped the city bring this project to life. Artist Fred Ajanogha, who works in Atlanta, shaped the piece. It faces the grounds of Carver High, where young Tina once shot hoops and studied. The statue symbolizes Turner's humble beginnings and rise to international fame.

This special moment marked the beginning of the yearly Turner festival, which ran for three days, starting September 26. Fans can catch music acts, listen to old tales, mix with locals, and walk the streets where the star grew up. People call it the Tina Turner Heritage Days. On Facebook, the Tina Turner Museum wrote, "Great kick off to Tina Turner Heritage Days weekend! Congratulations to Fred Ajanogha for an amazing art exhibition." 

Her old classroom is nearby, and it's now the Turner Museum at Flagg Grove School. The tiny building tells the story of her start.

The world lost Turner on May 24, 2023, when she died at home in Kusnacht, Switzerland. She was 83 years old. Her raw power and wild moves shook up rock music for fifty years, and other statues worldwide have also commemorated her.

Cities across the globe have put up metal tributes to rock stars. Burslem built one for Lemmy Kilmister, and Dartford cast Mick Jagger in bronze. There's a statue of The Beatles in Liverpool and a Marc Bolan statue in London. Now, Turner joins their ranks.

Each September, music fans flock to this small Tennessee town. Guides show them the spots that transformed Tina Turner from a rural farm girl into a global star.