On 3rd May, 1996 Tina will commence her first tour of Europe in six years in Paris at the Bercy. This will be a very long European tour going through until Christmas. The initial dates that have been put on sale have sold out immediately. Already, Tina has sold out eight shows at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, three shows at the Bercy in Paris, three nights at the Globe in Stockholm, five nights in Brussels, and it seems that this will be Tina's most successful tour of all time, even bigger than her huge sell-out "Foreign Affair" tour of 1990. Tina has been actively involved in designing the stage set, working with well known English designer, Mark Fisher, who designed stages and sets in the past for the Rolling Stones, U2 and Pink Floyd.

Mark Fisher has previously worked with Tina on her Foreign Affair stage set. The stage set will have plenty of surprises and will feature jumbotron video screens as well. Roy Bennett, well known lighting designer for Janet Jackson and Prince etc. has designed the lights. Tina will be working with three female dancers this time who she has never worked with in Europe before, two of the dancers, twins - Karen and Sharon Owens previously worked with Tina on her last American tour three years ago.

In addition to those two dancers is Cynthia Davila who has just finished a two year tour as one of Janet Jackson's dancers. Tina is keeping her long time band of musicians who have been with her for many years. They include John Miles and James Ralston on guitar, Kenny Moore on piano and vocals, "Muscleman" percussionist, saxophonist and keyboardist, Timmy Cappello, Drummer - Jack Bruno, Bass Player - Bob Feit and has one new member, Dire Straits Keyboardist - Alan Clarke. The band is starting rehearsals in one month's time and will be putting a show together featuring several new songs from the new album plus of all of Tina's well known classics and favourites, some with some new arrangements.

The tour comes to England in June starting in Murrayfield in Edinburgh on 30th June, Gateshead International Stadium on 12th July, Cardiff Arms Park on 14th July, Don Valley Stadium Sheffield on 18th July and Wembley Stadium on 20th July and 21st July. The show will have plenty of surprises and will be one not to be missed.

Tina refuses to become a pensioner. Five years ago she told that she had been singing in concert for the last time. But now she is back. Fifty-six old Tina is the first to fill the concerthall Globe in Stockholm 3 times in a row. Dressed in a short black dress the grand old lady of rock entered for the press at Grand Hotel in Stockholm Friday night, to do some promotion for her coming tour and new album: Wildest Dreams, which will be released April first.

Wildest Dreams is her first new studio album since 1989, and also her first new product since she performed in Scandinavia 5 years ago. She then said it was definitely her last tour, but now she has changed her mind, and she 'blames' James Bond for this decision.

"The title song for the new James Bond movie GoldenEye gave me a new hit single. There is a big interest for tickets to my concerts and I decided to come back. Besides I love to dance," forever young Tina smiled, and gave a little dance for the press and photographers at Grand Hotel. And it seemed she has no problems with keeping herself fit.

"Very few of my old dresses need to be re-sewed," says Tina and continues: "I still love sweats and coffee with sugar and milk. But before the tour I decided to eat more healthy food. But it is not funny."

Norwegian fans who want to see her sing and dance get their wishes full filled in June when she 12, 13, and shows up in Oslo Spectrum. And the interest for these concerts confirm that her stardom has held even she was on stage long before many of the stars of today could crawl.

More of these 'youths" such as Sting, Pet Shop Boys, Sheryl Crow and Bono from U2 are involved in her new album. Bono and Tina are neighbors in the south of France, and worked together in her house when they made the title song for GoldenEye. An artist who probably is not so clear, is Antonio Banderas who sings in the background of one of her new songs.

The reporter asked Tina about the opening in Atlanta and if she knew anything about it. Tina looked very surprised and said she will not be there and she didn't had heard about this before. (see the January issue page 14).

Tina has insured her body and voice for £5million for her European tour. And, as the picture shows, the 56-year-old singer is in better shape than ever after shedding half a stone on a vegetarian diet. Tina has promised that her 46-date European tour will be her most spectacular yet. She has insured herself for £3million against injury and cancellation of gigs and her voice is covered for a further £2million.

Curvy Tina says: "I put on a few pounds last year but I'm back to my best. I can't stand gyms so I dance to stay in shape." One person delighted with Tina's new look is Erwin Bach, 38, her boyfriend for the past nine years. Tina's European tour kicks off in Paris on May 3, and arrives in the UK on June 30 for her first British show in Edinburgh.

Tina's new single Whatever You Want is released on March 11 with her Wildest Dreams out on April first for Europe.

She's not just Tina Turner anymore. The singer is being made a Chevalier of Arts and Letters, France's highest arts honor. Philippe Douste-Blazy, France's culture minister, the pinned the medal on Turner's lapel Monday evening during a ceremony at Paris' Palais des Congres.

"I've wanted this medal for so long," Turner said. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine would be given such a great honor by the French government." The medal is awarded only to artists who are considered to have made notable contributions toward popular culture in France. A select group of other foreign-born artists too have received it include Bob Dylan, Sharon Stone and Clint Eastwood.

Tina Turner, 56, lives in Cap Ferrat, just outside Monaco on the French Riviera, and she has a house in Zurich, Switzerland. She hasn't lived in the United States for about 15 years.

Arizona Republic 13 February 1996