I had the honors of meeting and talking with the great Ike Turner the musician. Hailed as a “Great Innovator of Rock and Roll” by fellow musicians the likes of Little Richard and Johnny Otis. Ike began playing guitar and piano as a child and formed his first group, the Kings of Rhythm, as a teenager. He employed them as his backup band his entire career. Ike’s first recording was in 1951 when he recorded “Rocket 88” and many say that it is the first Rock and Roll song. The record was credited to Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, Jackie, who was Ike’s saxman and sang at times with the band. The story as I remember it goes like this… Ike’s vocalist, Johnny O’Neal, left the band to pursue a solo career and his saxman, Jackie Brenston sang when Ike was on the piano. The song was licensed to Chess Records and was released under the name Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats instead of Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm featuring Jackie Brenston … as you can imagine it created some problems in the band … Jackie was either fired by Ike or left to form solo career. Ike became a session player and production assistant for Sam Phillips. Throughout the 1950’s he recorded for several record labels like Federal, Cobra and Artistic and was a staple in the Rhythm and Blues movement. In 1957, Ann Bullock entered the picture when she went to see the Kings of Rythm at the Manhattan Club in St. Louis and sang a song … Ike was impressed with her voice and invited her to join the band … he gave her the name … “Little Ann”. The rest is Rock and Roll History! Talking with Ike was like reading a Rock and Roll History book … his life on the road touring the Chitlin Circuit … his hardships on the road … his reinventing himself as a Rhythm and Blues musician into a Rock and Roll Icon and then one of the great Soul Music Icons. I will never forget … Ike Turner … the Great Innovator of Rock and Roll!