Tina Turner Backup Singers Names

The Ikettes, also known as The Artettes, were a trio of female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. They were active from 1960-1976 and 1998-2000.

These female vocalists became the most successful artists in the 1960s with their singles such as I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong) and Peaches 'N' Cream. Their song I'm Blue ((The Gong-Gong) was listed at number 63 on Billboard's list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.

Initially, the band began as The Artettes as the backing group of Art Lassiter. In the 1960s Venerra Fields, Robbie Montgomery, and Jessie Smith were the main members.

Their first official lineup was composed of Eloise Hester, Delores Johnson, and Josie Jo Armstead.

With the two neighborhood friends Frances Hodges and Sandra Harding, Robbie formed a singing group called the Chordettes. Art Lassiter hired them as backup singers for the first time and they became Artettes.

Later, Montgomery along with Smith and Venetta, they formed the official name as The Ikettes after Turner formed Ike & Tina Turner Revue.

The Ikettes Members were Robbie Montgomery, Eloise Hester, Jo Armstead, and 50 others. The 1960s Ikettes were listed below:

Venetta Fields

Venetta is an American-born Australian singer and musical theater actress. She was a backing vocalist for many American and British acts of the 60s and 70s.

The singer has also worked as a session recording vocalist so she has collaborated with Ike & Tina Turner, Barbara Streisand, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Neil Diamond, and Elkie Brooks.

After moving to Australia in 1982, Fields worked with numerous Australian artists including Cold Chisel, James Morrison, Richard Clapton, Australian Crawl, and John Farnham.

Robbie Montgomery

Robbie Montgomery is a well-known original Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in the 1960s. Professionally, she is an American singer and restaurateur.

The singer was a member of the Mirettes which was composed of former members of Ikettes in the Ike $ Tina Turner Revue. Robbie was also a backing vocalist for acts including Barbara Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker, and the Rolling Stones.

Jessie Smith

An American R&B vocalist started her music career with musician Benny Sharp. Jessie is also regarded as one of the original Ikettes in the Ike & Tina Turner.

Jessie has also sung as a backing vocalist for numerous artists such as Dr. John, AI Kooper, Leon Ware, Jose Feliciano, and Paul Williams. At the age of 16, she worked as a background vocals for Albert King and Ike Turner.

However, she was hired by the bandleader Benny Sharp and his band the Zorros of Rhythm.

The singer left the band and joined the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in 1962. Smith, Montgomery, and Fields left the revue and formed the Mirettes in 1966.

Tina Turner was well known as the 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll'. She was a singer, actress, and songwriter whom we lost earlier this year.

Turner came into the spotlight after becoming the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Tina joined musician Ike Turner's band the King of Rhythm as a vocalist in 1957. So, she began the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in 1960. 

The successful singer has sold over 100 million records globally and has become one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. Additionally, Tina received 12 Grammy Awards and was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

Her husband Ike Turner began the Ikettes to replace the Artettes as the backing group for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. The Ikettes were one of the ten top R&B female groups of all time.

However, Ike never paid them much so they left the group and became the Mirettes. 

The trio were successful in their own right. Surprisingly they had more hits in the early and mid 1960's than Ike & Tina Turner. 

The Ikettes had released the song which three of them charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The next three songs were also listed on the Billboard Hot R&B.

The songs released by the Ikettes are listed in the table below:

Come Together

This song was originally recorded by English rock band the Beatles. Ike & Tina Turner also covered the singles on their versions.

They released the song in 1976 with the Ikettes backing vocals which was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The group released the single for their sma titled album that reached at number 57 on the US Hot 100 and number 21 on the R&B charts.

I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)

The song was written by Ike Turner and released in November 1961. It was recorded by Ike & Tina Turner's backing trio The Ikkettes.

I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song) listed at number 63 on the Billboard list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time in 2017. Additionally, the single by Turner became a national hit peaking number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the R&B chart.

I Want To Take You Higher

The single from the album Come Together was released in May 1970. It was recorded in 1970 and published through Liberty Records.

I Want To Take You Higher was originally written by Sly Stone and produced by Ike Turner. Later, it was also covered by Ike & Tina Turner which was also credited to the Ikettes. The song became a top 40 hit and reached at number 34 on the Billboard Pop list and number 25 on the R&B list.

Tina Turner Backup Dancer's Names include Ann Behringer and Lejeune Richardson. They were with her for her solo career.

Tina went on the world tour Foreign Affair: The Farewell Tour in 1990 along with her backup dancers.

The tour broke the record for a European tour which was attended by around three million people.