Inside Cher And Tina Turner's Sweet Friendship

The friendship between Cher and Tina Turner is hailed as one of the most iconic in all of music. The two pop superstars met in the 1970s, quickly forming a bond that would endure up until Turner's heartbreaking death in 2023 — and beyond. Throughout their nearly 50-year journey as friends, Cher and Turner shared the stage, had each other's backs, and even exchanged some meaningful gifts.

It all started in April of 1975 when Turner guest-starred on Cher's eponymous CBS variety show. The two immediately hit it off, owing in part to how impressed Turner was with what Cher had accomplished. "Cher was so free," Turner said in an interview with Oprah. "She was in control of her career and her life and what was in the studio." In early 1975, Cher was in the process of divorcing fellow singer Sonny Bono, who she says had become increasingly controlling over her life and career. Cher striking out on her own no doubt struck a chord with Turner, who was still married to bandmate Ike Turner at the time. Turner accused Ike of being physically abusive throughout their marriage and ultimately filed for divorce in 1976.

While Turner's appearance on "Cher" in 1975 was her first time sharing the stage with the show's star, it wouldn't be the last. After splitting from Ike, Turner again performed with Cher on an episode of "The Sonny and Cher Show" in 1977 (Sonny and Cher were divorced, but had resumed a working relationship).

Over the years, Cher and Tina Turner performed together on a few more occasions — and continued to make time for each other in their personal lives, even after Turner started having health struggles. Dealing with high blood pressure since the 1970s, Turner eventually had a stroke in 2013, less than a month after beginning her second marriage to music producer Erwin Bach. She was diagnosed with intestinal cancer just three years later, and in trying to treat that with homeopathic methods, Turner wrote in her memoir that she damaged her kidney to the point of needing a transplant (via People). 

Shortly before Turner's death, Cher went to visit the "We Don't Need Another Hero" singer one last time at the latter's home in Switzerland. "For two hours we were running around the house, and she was laughing hysterically," Cher told People. "She just needed to talk and yell. That's the Tina that I loved. We had the best time and talked about the old times." Cher also revealed the final gift Turner gave her: a pair of high heels. "I'm not going to wear them," she said. "I just have them up in my closet."

Turner passed away on May 24, 2023, at the age of 83. Afterward, Cher called Turner "one of the great artists in our generation" (via Entertainment Weekly). Bringing things full circle, Cher also recalled Turner feeling "so free" after she left Ike Turner in 1976. "I was so thrilled," she said (via People). "You could just see her being able to take a big breath. Her new life was like a big, fresh breath."