This is Tina’s very first solo album while she was still married with Ike and a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. All songs are cover versions from different artists, recorded at Ike’s Bolic Sound studios in June, 1974. Tina recorded twenty songs, but only a selection of ten made it to the final tracklist. The remaining tracks were released for the first time in 1979 on the album Good Hearted Woman. The only song Tina performed live in her concerts was „Help Me Make It Through The Night,“ available on the Wild Lady Of Rock home video from 1984. The track „Bayou Song“ was performed live from Ike & Tina at the TV-Show Midnight Special in 1975 as well as „I’m Movin On“ at the De Van Speyk Show in 1974 for promotion. The album didn’t charted, but was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975.
Producer: Tom Thacker
Photographer: David Alexander
Design: Bob Cato
Release: August 1974 / November 2023 (Digital)
Label: United Artists
Format: Vinyl / Cartridge / Cassette / Digital
Grammy: Best R&B Vocal Performance (Nomination 1975)
Tracks
- Bayou Song 3:28
- Help Me Make It Through The Night 2:55
- Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You 3:00
- If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 3:05
- He Belongs To Me 4:07
- Don’t Talk Now 3:04
- Long Long Time 4:55
- I’m Moving On 2:40
- There’ll Always Be Music 4:17
- The Love That Lights Our Way 3:15
Billboard
September 14, 1974
Fine mix of country, folky and soft rock tunes done in Tina's inimitable style. On this effort she flexes her voice from it’s softest to it’s usual rough tone and molds it perfectly around each cut. Drawing from a wide range of composers from Dylan to Dolly Parton to Kris Kristofferson to Hank Snow. Ms. Turner should gain easy soul and pop play and possibly some country play. Surprisingly effective are the slow cuts, and Tina proves just as adept an interpreter of other's material as she is a singer of original songs.
The Writers: B. Dylan, G. White, J. Taylor, H. Snow, K. Kristofferson, J. Rostilli, P.J. Morse, D. Parton, F. Karlin/M. Karlin The Songs: Don’t Talk Now, There’ll Always Be Music, Help Me Make It Through The Night, If You Love Me (Let Me Know), Bayou Song, Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You, He Belongs To Me, Long Long Time, I’m Moving On, The Love That Lights Our Way The Voice: TINA TURNER - "Tina Turns The Country On" On United Artists Records & Tapes
Abilene Reporter News
September 29, 1974
One of the worst things a sports writer can do is to try and write a column with the record player blarring out good country and westery music. Especially if the records are the latest from Eddy Arnold, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner and Tina Turner. Tina Turner?
That's right, the rock and roll-blues singer has just released an album on United Artists "Tina Turns The Country On," and it ain’t be bad. She’s certainly no Olivia Newton-John by any means, but perhaps the best song of the lot is Olivia’s "If You Love Me Let Me Know.“ Other songs C&W followers will recognize are Hank Snow’s "I’m Moving On,“ Dolly Parton’s "There Will Always Be Music" and an off-beat version with her own word arrangement of Kris Kristofferson’s "Help Me Make It Through The Night.“
She also does the theme song from the television movie, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, "The Love That Lights Our Way," "Bayou Song," "Don’t Talk Now" and two Bob Dylan songs, "Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You" and "He Belongs To Me." Now some of these are entirely country, but one wouldn’t expect the soul singer to go all this direction the first time she tried it. (Bill Hart)