Tina Turner

The huge voice, the big hair, the towering personality — has anyone ever strutted their stuff quite like Tina Turner? In a career that covered five decades, the singer wowed crowds around the world with her mix of hits spanning rhythm-and-blues, soul, and rock 'n' roll. She picked up an impressive 12 Grammy Awards, and along the way even managed to give Mad Max a run for his money as the glamorous Aunty Entity in 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Classic singles such as “River Deep, Mountain High,” “What's Love Got to Do With It,” and “The Best” propelled Turner to stardom and secured her a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame not once, but twice — first alongside Ike Turner in 1991 and again 30 years later as a solo artist. After ending a tumultuous and abusive relationship with husband Ike, Turner struggled at first to make it big on her own. But in the 1980s, she pulled off what Billboard called “one of the greatest comebacks in music history.” In 1984, at the age of 44, she released the multi-platinum album Private Dancer, which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. The diva was back, and better than ever. After joining Turner onstage during the final concert of her 1985 British tour, David Bowie famously said, “Standing up there next to her was the hottest place in the universe.” Today, at 82, Turner remains an inspiration — and along with her songs, she has given us plenty of wise words through the years, including the following quotes on self-confidence, inner beauty, and overcoming adversity.