Tina Turner in Philly: Live Aid with Mick Jagger, Eastern State music video, 6abc interview

ByBrock Koller WPVI logo
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Music world mourns loss of Rock n' Roll legend Tina Turner
Music world mourns loss of Rock n' Roll legend Tina Turner

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The world is remembering legendary singer Tina Turner who passed away on Tuesday.

Fans are looking back on her music, her concerts and her impact on the industry.

One of Turner's most memorable performances took place right here in Philadelphia.

Turner joined The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger on stage at JFK Stadium in South Philadelphia for Live Aid on July 13, 1985.

Singer Tina Turner, left, and Mick Jagger perform together during Live-Aid concert at JFK Stadium, Saturday, July 13, 1985, Philadelphia, Pa.
AP Photo

The two sang "State Of Shock" and "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" in front of 100,000 people.

One day before Live Aid, 6abc previewed the benefit concert, which raised money for the Ethiopian famine disaster, on a special edition of the station's newsmagazine show "AM Philadelphia."

The show featured interviews with many of the musicians who were set to take the stage including Turner, as well as rocker Ozzy Osbourne who was live in studio with host Lizabeth Starr.

Before a pre-taped interview with Turner aired, Starr asked Osbourne about playing the same show with the "Queen of Rock and Roll."

Ozzy Osbourne is interviewed on "AM Philadelphia" in July 1985.
6abc

"I'm a very big Tina Turner fan," Osbourne said. "I love her voice."

Starr had interviewed Turner in California a few weeks earlier. The singer was promoting her role in the movie "Mad Max Beyond Thunder Dome."

Turner let the Philadelphia viewers know that she was in this movie because director George Miller had wanted an actor who was "like a Tina Turner" to play the character Aunty Entity.

"What's that like?" Turner asked, before explaining it herself. "She flies around the stage. She's wild. She's aggressive. Warrior-like on stage. After they couldn't think of anyone 'like Tina Turner,' George says, 'I'm going to have her read for me and I'll find out if she can do it. While I try to find someone like her, let's get her.'"

From the 6abc vault: Tina Turner is interviewed on "AM Philadelphia" in July 1985.

Turner said she related to her character's determination.

"My parents separated in my early age. I was sort of shifted from grandparents to grandparents to godmothers, etc. In other words, I basically grew up without mother and father. But still a kind of loneliness. I came alone almost. A loner. Fighting my own way. Working my own way through school, etc., etc. It was very much like I was a nobody. And I worked my way right on through the schools and right on into my dream," Turner said.

Tina Turner sits down with "AM Philadelphia" to talk about her role in "Mad Max Beyond Thunder Dome."
6abc

And what did she think about her performance?

"In the end, I was very proud because I saw an actress," Turner said.

Along with Live Aid, Turner was also getting set for her own concert days later at the Spectrum on July 31, 1985.

The "Private Dancer" singer made another stop while in Philly.

On July 29, 1985, Turner visited Eastern State Penitentiary to film a music video for her song "One of the Living," off the soundtrack to the "Mad Max" film.

The soundtrack also featured Turner's hit song "We Don't Need Another Hero."

Turner died Tuesday at her home in Switzerland after a long illness.

She was 83 years old.