Ike Turner
Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Controversial rock and roll pioneer Ike Turner, who passed away last month, died of an apparent cocaine overdose, according to a report filed by the San Diego County coroner's office on Wednesday (January 16). Turner had a long, well-known history of drug problems.

"The cause of death for Mr. Turner is cocaine toxicity with other significant additions contributing," Paul Parker, the chief investigator at the medical examiner's office, said in a statement earlier Wednesday. Those other factors included hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema.

Parker concluded that Turner's death would be ruled accidental, although an official announcement has not been made.

Though Turner was a famed musician and record producer, he was best known for his rocky relationship with Tina Turner and the claims of spousal abuse that she brought against him. During the 1980s, Turner was convicted of drug-related charges, and he was later sentenced to serve several years in a California state prison.

In recent years, Turner sought to ensure his legacy in a brighter light. He won his first Grammy Award in 2007 for Best Traditional Blues Album thanks to his Risin' with the Blues LP. And in a 2000 appearance on VH1's "Behind the Music," Turner seemed to recognize his need to come to terms with his past tribulations.

"I went back over my complete life, man, and I see the things that I did that was good and I see things that I've done that was wrong," he said. "I don't wanna be remembered as the demon they made me [in the media]. ... People that know me, what they really know I am, that's what I want to be remembered for."

On December 22, a funeral and memorial service were held for Turner in Gardena, California, south of Los Angeles. Phil Spector and Little Richard were among those who eulogized the late rock and roll pioneer, with Richard calling Turner "one of the greatest musicians I have ever met in my life."

Turner was 76 years old.

• A Rock And Roll Legend: Ike Turner Remembered (1931-2007)

• Ike Turner

Ike Turner
Photo: MTV News

A three-hour funeral and memorial service for Ike Turner was held Friday at the Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena, California, south of Los Angeles.

Phil Spector and Little Richard were among those who eulogized the late rock and roll pioneer, according to The Associated Press. Little Richard reportedly called Turner "one of the greatest musicians I have ever met in my life."

Turner's eight-piece band, the Kings of Rhythm, reportedly performed "Nutbush City Limits," "Proud Mary" and more of the rock legend's greatest hits.

The Ikettes, a female trio who backed the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, were also in attendance, according to TMZ.com.

Turner was a musician, bandleader, talent scout and record producer best known for his work with former wife Tina Turner. He died December 12 at his home in San Marcos, California, at age 76.

According to TMZ.com, Turner will be cremated. The disposition of the ashes has not been announced, the site says.

Ike and Tina Turner were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, and he was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2001. Ike released his last solo album, Risin' With the Blues, in 2006, and it earned him a Grammy Award.

While his contributions to the world of music were largely overshadowed by his personal turmoil (documented in the 1993 Tina Turner biopic, "What's Love Got to Do With It"), Turner was a true rock legend, having released what many consider to be the first rock and roll song, "Rocket 88" (albeit under the name of his band's singer, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats), in 1951.

Little Richard alluded to Turner's personal troubles in his eulogy, as did others, although no one addressed his domestic- or drug-abuse problems.

"Stop holding this mess — whatever it is — against this man. Even Jesus forgives," Richard said.

Spector, on the other hand, made direct accusations at Tina Turner — as well as Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg — in his eulogy. He reportedly said, "Ike made Tina the jewel she was," and that he was "demonized and vilified" by her. Spector — was tried for murder earlier this year — also said Winfrey and Goldberg "demonized" Ike Turner on their talk shows, and that the "What's Love Got to Do With It" biopic was a "piece of trash movie," according to AP.

"He was sent to prison for no other reason than he was a black man in America."

(See photos of Ike Turner from over the course of the rock and roll legend's career right here.)

• A Rock And Roll Legend: Ike Turner Remembered (1931-2007)

• Ike Turner

Ike Turner
Photo: Jon Freeman/ Getty Images

Ike Turner, the musician, bandleader, talent scout and record producer best known for his work with former wife Tina Turner, died at his home on Wednesday (December 12), according to The Associated Press. He was 76.

Turner's death was confirmed by his manager, Scott Hanover. "He did pass away this morning," Hanover said. There has been no official announcement of the cause of his death, but TMZ.com reports that Turner died in his sleep at his San Marcos, California, home.

Turner, who, along with Tina, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, released his last solo album, Risin' With the Blues, in 2006; the effort won a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2001.

"There is no doubt that Ike Turner was one of rock and roll's great architects with his genre-defying sound as an instrumentalist and bandleader," Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement issued Wedneday. "His innovative musicality helped lay the foundation for rock and roll and R&B more than 50 years ago. As a bandleader, his well-rehearsed ensembles were some of the most exciting live groups the world had ever heard. As a two-time Grammy Award winner and recipient of the Recording Academy's 2004 Heroes Award, Ike's legacy as a groundbreaking pioneer in the music industry will never be forgotten."

(See photos of Ike Turner from over the course of the rock and roll legend's career right here.)

While his contributions to the world of music have been largely overshadowed by his personal turmoil (documented in the 1993 Tina Turner biopic, "What's Love Got to Do With It"), Turner was a true rock and roll pioneer, having released what many consider to be the first rock and roll song, "Rocket 88" (albeit under the name of his band's singer, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats), in 1951.

Izear Luster Turner Jr. was born in 1931, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He formed his first band while still in high school, and by the late '40s had assembled an outfit dubbed the Kings of Rhythm — the group recorded "Rocket 88," although authorship of the song has been disputed. The song became a hit and the Kings went on to work with such legendary blues musicians as Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy and many others.

Turner and the group continued performing and recording throughout the 1950s, with Tina joining the group late in the decade and ultimately marrying Turner in 1958. In the ensuing years the Ike & Tina Turner Revue built up a strong following, scoring several hits in the 1960s and becoming a top live draw. Tina's voice caught the attention of producer Phil Spector, who cut "River Deep - Mountain High" with them in 1966; a huge hit internationally (although not in the United States), the song has since attained classic status.

In 1969, the group was invited to open the Rolling Stones' American tour (documented in the film "Gimme Shelter"), which broke them out of genre status and led to a series of hit covers of rock songs, including Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary," which won them a Grammy. However, Turner's problems — including substance and spousal abuse — soon became untenable and Tina left him in the middle of a tour in 1975; they divorced in 1978.

Reflecting the distance that had grown between the ex-spouses over the years — and the bitter feelings that allegedly still existed between them — Tina Turner's publicist reportedly told TMZ.com on Wednesday, "Tina is aware that Ike passed away earlier today. She has not had any contact with him in 35 years. No further comment will be made."

While Tina's career eventually thrived following her split with Ike, Turner's own solo efforts failed to generate much interest. He was married four times publicly, although in October of this year, Turner was interviewed on "The Howard Stern Show" and claimed he and Tina were never actually wed.

For years, Turner denied Tina's claims of spousal abuse, but in his 2001 autobiography "Takin' Back My Name," he said, "Sure, I've slapped Tina ... There have been times when I punched her to the ground without thinking. But I never beat her."

During the 1980s, Turner was convicted of drug-related charges; he was later sentenced to serve several years in a California state prison. When he and Tina were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, he was in prison and missed the ceremony. He was released in 1993, and claimed sobriety thereafter.

After his release from prison, Turner returned to music. In 2001, Turner's Here and Now was nominated for a Grammy, and in 2005, he appeared on the Gorillaz's album Demon Days, playing piano on the track "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead."

In February of this year, Turner won his first solo Grammy in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for Risin' With the Blues.

"I went back over my complete life, man, and I see the things that I did that was good and I see things that I've done that was wrong," he told VH1's "Behind the Music" in 2000. "I don't wanna be remembered as the demon they made me [in the media]. ... People that know me, what they really know I am, that's what I want to be remembered for."

[This story was originally published at 4:51 p.m. ET on 12.12.2007]

• A Rock And Roll Legend: Ike Turner Remembered (1931-2007)

• Ike Turner
• Tina Turner

Jurassic 5
Photo: Interscope

When the electronica revolution hit Austin, Texas' South By Southwest festival four years ago, it was hard to picture how anonymous DJ culture was going to coexist with four nights of indie rock, Americana and roots music.

But now, even though the electronica invasion has faded somewhat from public consciousness, you're almost as likely to see a rapper or button-pushing mixer during the fest as you are a standup bass player or string-tie-wearin' Tex-Mex combo.

When the 14th annual music gathering kicks off Wednesday, it will have the usual wide variety of acts — 1,000 total. But as far as creative director Brent Grulke is concerned, at this point beats and boots are just business as usual in this music Mecca.

"The interaction between electronic music and hip-hop now represents a really significant part of the festival in a way that was virtually nonexistent a few years ago," said Grulke, who has been involved with the festival every year of its existence.

Part music-industry confab, part band showcase and all about schmoozing, SXSW is the kind of place where you can see ya'llternative singer/songwriter Sally Timms playing just a few doors down from ghetto tech star DJ Assault.

Its 8,000-plus registered attendees will descend on the college town and state capital to stumble from venue to venue, drink beer, eat barbecue and check out panels on such topics as, "How Do You Publicize a Mike Watt in a Britney Spears World?" "It's not just the numbers [of hip-hop groups] involved," Grulke said. "We now have very established talent that performs, we have two of our largest venues, Stubb's and the Austin Music Hall, with entire nights dedicated to hip-hop this year." Among the big names on tap for this year are twangy singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams, who will debut some of the material from her upcoming album, Broken Butterflies, (due in the spring) and the Black Crowes, in town to preview songs from their upcoming album, Lions (May 8).

Also performing are hip-hoppers Jurassic 5, the Liks and Black Eyed Peas; local rockers Fastball; experimental turntablist DJ Spooky; and a rare show from ex-Tina Turner hubby Ike Turner with his Ike Turner Revue.

Psychedelic popster Robyn Hitchcock will head up a reunited version of his late-'70s psych-pop band the Soft Boys, and Juliana Hatfield will take the stage for a reunion with her mid-'80s Boston pop rock group the Blake Babies.

Other acts performing on more than 40 stages include bluegrass star Ricky Skaggs, Los Angeles rock 'n' soul act the Bellrays, arty poppers the New Pornographers, Japanese pop punkers Ex-Girl, Canadian live house band the New Deal, turntablists X-ecutioners, world beat star Thomas Mapfumo, Latin all-star band Los Super Seven and Los Angeles punk rockers Texas Terri & the Stiff Ones.

Grulke said the festival also will feature one of the biggest slates to date of world music acts. Joining such international rock bands as Aterciopelados (Colombia), Coccoon Pit (Japan), the Gift (Portugal) and Yao (China) will be more than 70 other acts spanning the globe, including Moroccan reggae group Sawt el Atlas, world beat singer Henri Dikongue (Cameroon), Hungary's DJ Pozsi and hip-hoppers Pepe Deluxe (Finland).

SXSW's star-making mythos has been overstated in the past, but it is a good opportunity for bands to get in front of what is arguably one of the biggest concentrations of U.S. music media. No pressure, right? Just imagine if it was among your first-ever U.S. performances. That's the case for English hip-hop/punk group Brassy, who will have played just five shows in this country before unleashing their Digital-Hardcore-meets-Luscious-Jackson sound on the media elite Friday night.

"I don't know anything about it," said lead singer/guitarist Muffin Spencer, 32, an expat American who said she left the U.S. 14 years ago because she thought British bands were more interesting. "We met with our former publishing company and there was a little old man there who said it [SXSW] is a place to go and get smashed on tequila, which sounds fine." Spencer, younger sister of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion leader Jon Spencer, said she thinks the festival will be a good chance for critics who might have missed the recent U.S. release of the band's full-length debut, Got It Made, to check out their energetic live show. The 17-track album features such break-beat pop as "Work It Out" and the band's electro-punk anthem "No Competition." Grulke said one thing that won't be as prominent in the festival's sprawling trade-show area this year is the proliferation of dot-com booths that sprung up like weeds last year. "A lot of those companies that didn't know what their business agendas were are gone," Grulke said.

• Jurassic 5
• DJ Assault
• The Mekons
• Lucinda Williams
• The Black Crowes

A Rock And Roll Legend: Ike Turner Remembered (1931-2007)

• Ike Turner