Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (2024)

Sad news came Wednesday, May 24, that the legendary singer Tina Turner passed away peacefully at her home at 83 after battling a long illness. In the wake of her passing, the world has been eager to learn more about the singer’s life. Tina’s life was full of achievements, abuse, survival, and rebirth. Her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner was well documented, and she was very open about the trauma. But her love story did not end tragically. The “Better Be Good to Me” singer found love again with Erwin Bach, who stood by her side and looked at her with a loving smile. Learn more about the German music executive producer and their love story below.

Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (1)

Tina Turner at Spago\'s Restaurant in Hollywood, California - August 13, 1985

Bach was born on January 24, 1956, in Cologne, Germany. He worked for EMI records in Germany in the 1980s where he played a role in the promotion and distribution of music. His success in the industry helped him rise through the ranks to become a high-ranking executive.

Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (2)

Tina Turner And Erwin Bach

Bach and Turner began their relationship in the 1985. He was working for EMI at the time, and Turner was already a global superstar. They were introduced by her manager, who suggested he pick her up from the airport.

The 42nd annual Berlin International Film Festival 1992

Tina gushed in her documentary that the connection was instant. “The day I first met Erwin, at an airport in Germany, I should have been too tired from my flight, too preoccupied with thoughts of my concert tour, ‘But I did notice him, and I instantly felt an emotional connection,” she said, per DailyMail.

Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (4)

1999

Tina gushed in her HBO documentary that the connection was instant. “The day I first met Erwin, at an airport in Germany, I should have been too tired from my flight, too preoccupied with thoughts of my concert tour, ‘But I did notice him, and I instantly felt an emotional connection,” she said.

Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (5)

2005

She went on to describe it as love at first sight, “My hands were ice-cold. So this is what they call love at first sight, I thought. Oh my God, I am not ready for this.”

Tina Turner

The couple officially tied the knot in a private ceremony in July 2013 after being together for over 25 years. Turner was 73 at the time, and he was 57. They said “I do” in a civil ceremony in front of family friends at their home in Lake Zurich, in Switzerland. They were in the presence of friends and celebrity guests, including Oprah and Bryan Adams, per Italy magazine.

Giorgio Armani 40th Anniversary 2015

The executive was 30 when he met the singer, who was 47. As noted by Daily Mail, people believed that he was just after her money. “Incredibly, considering how long we had been together, there were still people who wanted to believe that Erwin married me for my money and fame,” Turner wrote in her memoir My Love Story. “Erwin always ignored the rumors.”

Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (8)

Giorgio Armani Prive : Front Row -2018

In an interview with Oprah, Bach revealed that he had asked Turner to marry him twice before when she turned 50. “I was committed and I wanted to show this, so I went down on my knee. I never did that before in my life, I was never married before.”

Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (9)

\"Tina: The Tina Turner Musical\" - Press Night 2018

Turner had a stroke three weeks after their wedding. She was diagnosed with intestinal cancer three years later in 2016. She had total kidney failure after turning to homeopathic remedies, per Daily Mail. “I think that’s when the idea of my death became a reality for Erwin. He was very emotional about not wanting to lose me, not wanting me to leave” she wrote in her memoir.

Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach: the man who loved her right (10)

“Tina - The Tina Turner Musical” 2019

Her husband donated his own kidney to save her life. “The best moment was when Erwin came rolling into my room in his wheelchair,” she wrote in her memoir. “He somehow managed to look good, even handsome, as he greeted me with an energetic: ‘Hi, darling!’ I was so emotional — happy, overwhelmed and relieved that we’d come through this alive.”