The American rock music icon Tina Turner has sued a Passau, Bavaria-based concert promoter over the show “Simply The Best – The Tina Turner Story”.
The legendary singer, songwriter and actress (79), who has been living in Zurich for the past 10 years, says the use of her name and the photo of the singer on the show posters and billboards looks pretty much like her, giving the impression that she’s somehow connected to the concert.
Cofo Entertainment GmbH & Co.KG rejects the claims of the singer. “We do not say: Experience Tina Turner live,” said marketing representative of the concert promotion company, Johannes Heininger. “It is well known that Tina Turner ended her career ten years ago. But of course, the show is a tribute to Tina Turner, and accordingly the actress Dorothea “Coco” Fletcher looks like a young Tina Turner”.
According to the information of Cofo Entertainment, the show has been touring Germany, Austria and Switzerland since 2017 and has been performed 88 times. Next year, the next tour will start a new series of 60 more performances. “The demand is great, we are very satisfied,” said Heininger.
Tina Turner’s lawyers are praying the court to forbid Forster from further using the name “Tina Turner”.
The case will be heard by the district court of Cologne today (Wednesday, 30 October).
With more than 200 million records sold, Tina Turner, who became a Swiss citizen in 2013, is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. Turner, who will turn 80 on 26 November, has won 12 Grammy Awards. She has her own stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Ike Turner.
Austin Ohaegbu