Tina Turner and Ike Turner divorced after 15 years, 9 months of marriage. The settlement was reportedly about $1M. Full timeline and prenup facts inside.
Figures are reported estimates. Last updated Oct 2026.
Tina walked away with almost nothing, keeping only her stage name.
Tina Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, and Ike Turner, a bandleader and musician from Mississippi, met in St. Louis in the 1950s, and she joined his band, the Kings of Rhythm. He renamed her Tina and the pair formed the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, which became one of the most electrifying live acts in American music. They married on 1 July 1962 in Tijuana, Mexico, and had a son together, Ronnie, born in 1960, as well as other children from earlier relationships.
The couple's income came from the Revue's records and live shows. Their hits included A Fool in Love, River Deep, Mountain High, and a cover of Proud Mary in 1971, which won a Grammy Award. The pair toured relentlessly, performing in the United States and Europe. Ike controlled the group's finances and the business was in his name, which meant Tina had little personal wealth despite her fame.
The couple married in 1962 and performed together for the next 14 years. Tina later described years of abuse during the marriage. In July 1976, on the eve of a tour, she left Ike in Dallas with little money, and she filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized in March 1978. Tina then rebuilt her career as a solo artist and became one of the biggest stars in the world in the 1980s with the album Private Dancer in 1984.
Tina asked for no alimony and did not claim a share of the royalties or property. Instead she asked to keep her stage name, Tina Turner, and agreed to take on some of the debts of the Revue. The financial value of the settlement was tiny, and the figure of about $1 million is a very rough estimate. Ike kept the recording studio and most of the property. Tina was left with almost nothing.
The reported sum is not large, and the settlement is better understood as a rare case in which a spouse gave up material wealth in return for freedom. Under California law, she could have sought a share of the earnings of the Revue, but she was reluctant to continue business ties with Ike. The agreement allowed her to start again.
Tina Turner's solo career produced hits such as What's Love Got to Do with It, which won three Grammy Awards in 1985, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Her autobiography, I, Tina, was published in 1986 and became the basis for the film What's Love Got to Do with It in 1993. Ike Turner was inducted with her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and he died in 2007. Tina died in May 2023.
The Turner case is the opposite of the large settlements on this list. It is the story of a woman who gave up almost everything to start a new life, and it shows that the value of a divorce cannot always be measured in money. In terms of its cultural significance, it is among the most important entries on the list.
Tina Turner kept the name Turner and the stage name that Ike had given her. She became a Swiss citizen in 2013 and married Erwin Bach in 2013. Her song Proud Mary was written by John Fogerty. The $1 million figure is a rough estimate and is probably far above what she took away.
Ike Turner's reported settlement was about $1 million.
They married in 1962 and divorced in 1978, a marriage of roughly 16 years.
No prenuptial agreement was reported.
Yes, the family is reported to include 2 children.
Reported assets include: Stage name rights, minimal cash assets.
The reported sum is not large, and the settlement is better understood as a rare case in which a spouse gave up material wealth in return for freedom. Under California law, she could have sought a share of the earnings of the Revue, but she was reluctant to continue business ties with Ike.