BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — 50 years ago, Tina Turner released her classic track, Nutbush City Limits. It was the story of her hometown in West Tennessee. With Tina's death, NewsChannel 5 took a trip to the home county of the queen of rock 'n' roll.
There's a room in the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Haywood County that tells the story of a performer with a such infectious energy that to watch her was to love her. A lot of those great shows were performed in high heels. Before Goldeneye, before the Thunderdome, before the Grammys, and Private Dancer, there was a little farming community nearby.
The story is so legendary; you probably know it by heart. Nutbush is the home of a rock icon. Of course, when she lived there she wasn't 'Tina Turner.'
"Growing up, she was Anna Mae Bullock," said Sonia Outlaw-Clark, who runs the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center. The center includes an old school building Tina attended, now a showcase of career moments and tour costumes.
"It is a replica of the movie costume," Sonia said, gesturing to a tour outfit in the style of Tina's character from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
"Every time we do karaoke, we're always Rollin' on the River," smiled a guest to the center, Angela Heard.
For people of Haywood County like Sonia, growing up in the same place that gave us a legend is such a sense of pride.
"There was a performer out there filling stadiums, and she's from my hometown!" Sonia said.
After Tina's death, people stopped at the center to say goodbye.
"We just had to stop and think about what we had lost," Sonia said.
"It hurt to see her go," said another visitor, Janie Alcala.
"I'm gonna miss ya, Tina," Angela added.
It was the same out in Nutbush, where people stopped to take pictures of a sign declaring the city the home of Tina Turner.
"She's an inspiration to young girls," Carol Dawson of Australia said.
"[She gave] a confidence that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."
"She came through a lot of misery in her life," Erminio Dawson said. "She was a survivor."
