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Inside Tina Turner's relationship with Kings of Rhythm saxophonist Raymond Hill that gave her a son when she was 18

Tina Turner gave birth to her first son Craig in 1958, who was later adopted by her first husband, Ike, leading to his surname being changed to Turner

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND: Tina Turner, internationally renowned singer and mother of four, known as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, began her journey into motherhood at the young age of 18. The music icon, who sadly died in May 2023 at the age of 83 following an extended period of illness, gave birth to her first son, Raymond Craig in August 1958 with Raymond Hill, a saxophonist from the Kings of Rhythm.

Later, Tina's first husband, Ike Turner, whom she was married to from 1962 to 1978, adopted him, and his name was changed to Craig Raymond Turner. Tragically, Craig died by suicide at the age of 59 in July 2018. 

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Who was Raymond Hill?

Raymond Earl Hill, born on April 29, 1933, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, was a talented saxophonist and musician. Growing up in a musical environment, with his parents running cafes and his father operating a juke joint featuring notable artists, such as Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Nighthawk, Hill developed a passion for playing the saxophone from a young age.

In the late 1940s, Hill joined Ike Turner's band Kings of Rhythm, forming a close bond with drummer Billy Gayles. Together, they became an integral part of Turner's early recording sessions at the renowned Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, in March 1951. It was during these sessions that the iconic R&B classic 'Rocket 88' was produced, credited to fellow saxophonist and singer Jackie Brenston. The song reached number one on the R&B chart and is often referred to as "the first rock and roll record." Although Hill left Turner's band in 1952 due to payment disagreements, he continued to contribute to some of Turner's recordings while pursuing his own career as a session musician at Sun and other local labels.

Tina Turner started dating Raymond Hill when she was only 17

In 1957, Hill began a romantic relationship with the band's newly introduced singer, Anna Mae Bullock, then 17, who would later be known as Tina Turner. Tina, then referred to as Little Ann, gave birth to their first child, Craig, at the age of 18. Craig eventually took on the Turner surname. Prior to Craig's birth, Hill suffered a broken ankle, which led him to leave the band. He stayed in St. Louis with Jackie Brenston while Ike Turner and his band relocated to California.

Hill died at the age of 62 in Clarksdale on April 16, 1996, due to heart failure. Tragically, Craig took his own life in 2018 at the age of 59 at his home in Studio City. "My saddest moment as a mother. On Thursday, July 19 2018, I said my final goodbye to my son, Craig Raymond Turner, when I gathered with family and friends to scatter his ashes off the coast of California. He was fifty-nine when he died so tragically, but he will always be my baby," Tina added in a Twitter tribute to her son.