Late singer, Tina Turner’s son, Ike Turner Jr., dies at 67

The Passing of Ike Turner Jr.: A Life Marked by Music, Legacy, and Struggles

In a poignant moment for the Turner family and the music world, Ike Turner Jr., the son of legendary performers Tina Turner and Ike Turner Sr., has died at the age of 67.

His death occurred on Saturday, October 4, 2025, just one day after his birthday, at a hospital in Los Angeles. The cause was confirmed to be kidney failure, following years of declining health that included chronic heart complications and a stroke suffered in September.

Born in 1958 to Ike Turner Sr. and Lorraine Taylor, Ike Jr. was adopted by Tina Turner after her marriage to Ike Sr. He grew up in the intense and often turbulent environment of the Turner household, where music was both a calling and a crucible. From an early age, Ike Jr. displayed a remarkable aptitude for music.

According to family member Jacqueline Bullock, “there wasn’t an instrument he didn’t want to play.” Though he began as a drummer, Tina Turner insisted he dismantle his drum kit after each practice, nudging him toward the keyboard. This shift would later define his musical career.

Ike Jr. eventually became a sought-after sound engineer and musician. He played a pivotal role in managing his father’s Bolic Sound Studios in Los Angeles and earned a Grammy Award in 2007 for producing Ike Sr.’s album Risin’ With The Blues, which won Best Traditional Blues Album. Despite these accomplishments, his personal life was fraught with challenges. He revealed in a 2018 interview that he had not spoken to Tina Turner in nearly two decades, stating, “She’s living her life — she doesn’t want to have anything to do with the past.” His relationship with Ike Sr. was also strained; he once alleged that his father physically assaulted him for working briefly as Tina’s sound engineer after their divorce2.

The Turner family has endured profound losses in recent years. Tina Turner passed away in May 2023 at the age of 83 after a long illness. Ike Sr. died in 2007 from a cocaine overdose. Ike Jr. was preceded in death by his brothers Craig, who died by suicide in 2018, and Ronnie, who succumbed to colon cancer in 20224.

In May 2023, just weeks before Tina’s death, Ike Jr. was arrested in Texas for possession of crack cocaine and tampering with evidence. The incident, which involved an attempted concealment of narcotics during a traffic stop, underscored the personal battles he faced amid his musical legacy.

Jacqueline Bullock, Tina Turner’s niece, shared a heartfelt tribute: “Junior was more than a cousin to me, but rather a brother, as we grew up in the same famed household together.” She added that the family is deeply saddened and has requested privacy during this time of mourning.

Ike Turner Jr.’s life was a complex tapestry of talent, trauma, and tenacity. Though he lived in the shadow of two towering musical figures, he carved out his own path, one marked by artistic achievement and personal resilience. His passing closes another chapter in the storied Turner legacy, leaving behind memories of a man who bore the weight of fame and family with quiet strength.