Wednesday, October 8, 2008

A Royal Read: Tina Turner Takes Aretha Franklin To Task Over "Queen" Controversy

Aretha Franklin/Tina Turner
A Royal Read: Tina Turner Takes Aretha Franklin To Task Over "Queen" Controversy

After an eight-year retirement, Tina Turner kicked off her "Tina Turner Live" tour at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. on Oct. 1.

Performing for the first time in almost a decade isn't the only thing the 'What's Love Got To Do With It' singer is doing.

The 68-year-old singer also broke her silence and addressed the controversy surrounding her appearance with Beyoncé Knowles on the 50th anniversary of the Grammy Awards where they performed together for the first time.

 
In KnowleBeyonce & Tina Turners' introduction of Turner, she referred to the rock icon as "the queen," a reference that upset the "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin.

The day after the Grammy telecast, the 66-year-old 'Respect' singer released a statement that said: "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé. However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

(See also: 'Royally Dissed: Aretha Franklin Feels Snubbed By Beyonce')

Turner told USA Today that she wasn't surprised by Franklin 's overreaction to the incident.

"Aretha has always been like that. We've always accepted that from her. She's the queen of soul, and I'm the queen of rock 'n' roll. There were so many kings and queens there that night. Her ego must be so biTina Turner live on tourg to think she was the only one," she laughed. "That's how queens are!"

"Tina Turner Live" will play 22 cities in the U.S. through Dec. 6, with the last show being in Hartford, Conn.

The tour then goes international, playing Canada, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, England, France and Ireland.

The concert is 150 minutes, includes a 30-minute intermission, and features Turner tunes like 'Better Be Good To Me,' 'Private Dancer,' 'We Don't Need Another Hero,' 'Let's Stay Together,' 'Proud Mary,' and 'Nutbush City Limits.'

*****

VIDEO: Watch this video of Beyonce and Tina Turner performing together on the 2008 Grammy Awards.

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