Tina Turner sold the rights to her music catalogue, including hits like The Best and Nutbush City Limits, to music publishing company BMG.
The deal also sees BMG acquire the rights to Turner’s name, image, and likeness for future sponsorship and merchandising deals. The company did not disclose how much it paid, but industry sources said the figure would be north of $50m (£37m).
Turner said she was confident her music was “in reliable hands”.
The 81-year-old is one of the most recognisable and vibrant stars in pop music history. Born Anna Mae Bullock in Tennessee, she joined Ike Turner’s band as a backing singer when she was 18. Within two years, she was the star of the show, and the duo scored a string of hits with future R&B standards like A Fool In Love, River Deep, Mountain High and Nutbush City Limits.
She has received 12 Grammy Awards and will enter the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist in October - her second induction after entering the pantheon with Ike Turner in 1991.
The deal with BMG sees her handing over her share of the recording and publishing rights for those hits and dozens more, spanning the six decades of her career. Warner Music will remain the record company distributing the star’s music.
“Like any artist, the protection of my life’s work, my musical inheritance, is something personal,” said Turner in a statement. I am confident that with BMG and Warner Music, my work is in professional and reliable hands."
She is the latest artist to cash in on the value of their back catalogue, following in the footsteps of Blondie, Shakira and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks.
Good for Tina - she’s earned every penny … 
