LaTimes.com
1/16/2008

Music legend Ike Turner died of a cocaine overdose, the San Diego medical examiner's office concluded today.

Turner, the musician who gave the world what many historians consider the first rock 'n' roll record -- "Rocket 88" in 1951 -- died in December at his home in San Marcos, north of San Diego. He was 76.

The medical examiner listed the cause of his death as "cocaine toxicity."

Turner's career spanned more than six decades and peaked in the late 1960s and early 1970s when he and his wife, Tina, were an incendiary force in R&B and live music, with hits such as "Proud Mary," "I Want to Take You Higher," "Nutbush City Limits" and "River Deep-Mountain High."

The pair's dynamic revue took them well beyond the R&B scene in 1969 when they opened for the Rolling Stones on the British group's North American tour.

Ike Turner, however, struggled with drug use since the mid-1970s.

and for a second there, I actually believed that he died of natural causes. Damn "hope" can be a mutha....

missfee said:

You weren't the only one.

And didnt they say he died right after Breakfast? If you are doing coke that early in the morning you are freaking hooked! I thought Elton John was hooked back in the late 70's and early 80's when he would do a bag of coke and go on stage, sometimes with coke still showing over his lip.

lastdecember said:

Whoa.
So that wasn't powdered sugar that he had sprinkled on his corn flakes?

SURPRISE!!!!

Ok, since I'm not the only one going to hell for speaking on this...

Why is it that when I read this...all I could think of was Lawrence Fishborn's portrayal of Ike Turner in "What's Love Got To Do With It?" when he had "Tina" outside of her first rehearsal post Ike and he said, "I'm done with that narcotic!"

Just an aside: Does anyone know if Tina ever issued a statement of condolence or anything after Ike's death? And I don't believe she attended the funeral. (Thank goodness, given Phil Spector's tirade.) Anyone hear otherwise?

Y am I not surprised?

Well, her rep issued a statement saying something like, that Tina hadn't had any contact with Ike since 30 years and that she will not comment on his death!

coke is killing a lot of old people lately. The folks who did it in their hey day. Unless you understand what it's like to do coke (it's not like a lifestyle but like having a drink , I wouldnt even say its like smokming ciggies) then you would know that most people are not gonna give it up. The thing is the ammount they could do when they were younger with no probs may kill you when you get older. I'm not surprised but it's senseless.

Note to self: No blow after 50

Seriously, it one of those drugs I never could understand. It's expensive and the first taste makes you immediately want a second and third, etc. So it's obvious that the addiction factor is really high. Then when it's gone, the depression kicks in and you feel like a dumbass for spending so much money and you're body is just fucked for days. Glad I learned this lesson when I was young, I just never have the need to do that or any drugs again. Some people don't learn...

Kevin Debrow, John Entwistle, Rick James

Dude, if $11 million dollars' worth of the stuff didn't get you high enough, IT'S TIME TO QUIT IT!

Sex, Drugs, & Rock N Roll. He's had a way more interesting life than me so far.

magnificentsynthesizer said:

Denial, and spousal abuse... there's nothing macho or sexy about a man puttng his hands on a women in a violent way .

I hate the fact he's gone, and died in such away as drug use.

Well, you know what they say about Old habits...even when your almost 80!!