Cher Describes Longtime Friendship With Tina Turner, Singer’s Final Months: ‘She Fought This Sickness for Such a Long Time’

Like truthful galore fans, celebrities and chap artists paying tribute to Queen of Rock N’ Roll Tina Turner, Cher thought her friend was simply nan best. The vocalist paid tribute to Turner, who died connected Wednesday (May 24) astatine property 83, during a telephone successful to MSNBC’s The Beat pinch Ari Melber conscionable hours aft nan news collapsed that nan Grammy-winner and two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer had passed pursuing a agelong illness.

“I started going to sojourn her because I thought, ‘I request to put this clip into our friendship, truthful she knows we haven’t forgotten her,'” Cher told Melber. “So we each took turns going and spending clip pinch her and it made her happy.” She noted that a friend said it was ever a segment erstwhile they were together because they would ace each different up and laughter their “distinct” laughs.

Cher said nan first clip she went to sojourn Turner astatine her location successful Switzerland nan vocalist was laying connected a chaise lounge she had positioned successful beforehand of a model overlooking a reservoir and warned that she didn’t person overmuch clip to bent out. “Then 5 hours later we were laughing for illustration crazy and she wanted to get up and show everything that she’d bought successful nan house,” Cher said. “She was having a bully clip successful spite of nan truth that she was really sick and not wanting group to cognize astir it.”

Though nary origin of decease was given, Cher said that Turner had “her dialysis instrumentality successful her house,” hinting that nan “What’s Love Got to Do With It” prima whitethorn person been employing nan instrumentality typically utilized by group pinch kidney nonaccomplishment aliases end-stage renal disease. Turner was known to suffer from kidney issues and sewage a kidney transplant from her husband, Erwin Bach, successful 2017.

“She fought this sickness for specified a agelong clip and she was truthful beardown arsenic you deliberation she would be, but I cognize towards nan end, she told maine once, she said, ‘I’m really ready. I conscionable don’t want to put up pinch this anymore,'” Cher said.

Cher called Turner “one of nan awesome artists” successful stone history, saying location was nary 1 other for illustration her. “As a woman, she gave you tons of spot and I’m judge she’s encouraged truthful galore young people… she gave maine tons of spot sometimes and I gave her tons of strength, too. I deliberation we were cleanable friends for each different truthfully.”

Calling her a “force,” Cher said Turner ever approached life “head-on… She wasn’t astir to stop. She mightiness not person won each battle, but she fought each war. She was location fighting for each nan things she believed in.”

Thinking astir nan past clip they hung out, Cher — who first met Turner erstwhile she was successful nan midst of her abusive matrimony to ex-husband Ike Turner — said Tina sent her location pinch a very memorable gift. “She gave maine a brace of shoes nan past clip I saw her. What benignant of shoes? Tina Turner shoes!” Cher laughed. “The large precocious heels that she conscionable [walked] astir successful for illustration they were nothing.”

Listen to Cher’s tribute to Turner below.