We trace Tina Turner's journey from the cotton fields of Nutbush, Tennessee to global superstardom. We dig into the abuse that nearly ended her career, her extraordinary reinvention, and the overlooked influence she and other Black women had on a genre that too often erased them. This is the real story of one of music's most powerful voices,  and the legacy the industry tried to forget.

Additional archive:  Simply The Best, Capitol Records, 1991

River Deep Mountain High, Philles Records, 1966

Connect with the team! 
Follow our hosts Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi
Follow Pushkin on Instagram, LinkedIn or X 
Follow BBC Podcasts on YouTube and Instagram

We trace Tina Turner's journey from the cotton fields of Nutbush, Tennessee to global superstardom. We dig into the abuse that nearly ended her career, her extraordinary reinvention, and the overlooked influence she and other Black women had on a genre that too often erased them. This is the real story of one of music's most powerful voices,&nbsp; and the legacy the industry tried to forget.
Additional archive:&nbsp; Simply The Best, Capitol Records, 1991
River Deep Mountain High, Philles Records, 1966
Connect with the team!&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Follow our hosts <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kai_wright/" data-airgap-id="12">Kai Wright</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newsmanual_/reels/" data-airgap-id="13">Emmanuel Dzotsi</a></li>
<li>Follow Pushkin on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pushkinpods/" data-airgap-id="14">Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/pushkin-industries/posts/?feedView=all" data-airgap-id="15"> LinkedIn</a> or <a href="https://x.com/pushkinpods?lang=en" data-airgap-id="16">X</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Follow BBC Podcasts on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@bbcpodcasts" data-airgap-id="17">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bbcpodcasts/" data-airgap-id="18">Instagram</a></li>
</ul>

Every legend has a twist. From pop culture icons to music and comedy greats, award-winning journalists Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi dig into the BBC archive to unpick the story behind the icons who shape our culture.

Each week on Big Lives, Kai and Emmanuel take an iconic figure — from musical trailblazers like David Bowie, Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner to stars of the screen like Richard Pryor, Meg Ryan and Jane Fonda — and dissect their lives. Join them as they see these icons in a new light, uncover deep cuts from the BBC's archive, and learn how each legend set the stage for our contemporary cultural landscape. 

After all, you can't understand today's culture until you understand the icons who built it. Smart, curious, and full of heart.

The Guardian: "A smart and chatty show"

The Telegraph: "Presenters sift wittily through the BBC archive"

Listen ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the Big Lives show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Subscribe to BBC on Apple Podcasts and on BBC.com.

Every legend has a twist. From pop culture icons to music and comedy greats, award-winning journalists Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi dig into the BBC archive to unpick the story behind the icons who shape our culture.
Each week on Big Lives, Kai and Emmanuel take an iconic figure &mdash; from musical trailblazers like David Bowie, Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner to stars of the screen like Richard Pryor, Meg Ryan and Jane Fonda &mdash; and dissect their lives. Join them as they see these icons in a new light, uncover deep cuts from the BBC's archive, and learn how each legend set the stage for our contemporary cultural landscape.&nbsp; After all, you can't understand today's culture until you understand the icons who built it. Smart, curious, and full of heart.
The Guardian: "A smart and chatty show"
The Telegraph: "Presenters sift wittily through the BBC archive"
Listen ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the Big Lives show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Subscribe to BBC on Apple Podcasts and on BBC.com.

Big Lives

Every legend has a twist. From pop culture icons to music and comedy greats, award-winning journalists Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi dig into the BBC archive to unpick the story behind the icons who shape our culture.
Each week on Big Lives, Kai and Emmanuel take an iconic figure — from musical trailblazers like David Bowie, Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner to stars of the screen like Richard Pryor, Meg Ryan and Jane Fonda — and dissect their lives. Join them as they see these icons in a new light, uncover deep cuts from the BBC's archive, and learn how each legend set the stage for our contemporary cultural landscape. 

After all, you can't understand today's culture until you understand the icons who built it. Smart, curious, and full of heart. 

From Pushkin Industries and BBC Studios, Big Lives drops new episodes on Mondays.

Every legend has a twist. From pop culture icons to music and comedy greats, award-winning journalists Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi dig into the BBC archive to unpick the story behind the icons who shape our culture. Each week on Big Lives, Kai and Emmanuel take an iconic figure &mdash; from musical trailblazers like David Bowie, Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner to stars of the screen like Richard Pryor, Meg Ryan and Jane Fonda &mdash; and dissect their lives. Join them as they see these icons in a new light, uncover deep cuts from the BBC's archive, and learn how each legend set the stage for our contemporary cultural landscape.&nbsp; After all, you can't understand today's culture until you understand the icons who built it. Smart, curious, and full of heart.&nbsp; From Pushkin Industries and BBC Studios, Big Lives drops new episodes on Mondays.

How Tina Turner Built Rock 'n' Roll (And Got Left Out of It)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/68aa806d-f186-4e54-b3cd-b48a00f85133/transcript