Anna Mae Bullock was born November 26, 1939 in a hospital in Brownsville, a short drive from Nutbush, Tennessee, where she grew up. When she was 16, she left to live with her mom in St. Louis, which is where she met Ike Turner. When they started performing together in 1960, he insisted she take the name "Tina Turner," even though they didn't get married until two years later. In November 1973 the duo released "Nutbush City Limits." Far from being a city, Nutbush is a hamlet on Highway 19 in Tennessee.
In this song, Turner recalls her memories of Nutbush, painting a picture of a friendly little town with a strong community. She once said that she didn't turn any heads in Nutbush, as she was too skinny, and many women there had the goods.
Tina Turner didn't write many songs, but she is the sole composer on this one, which is her biggest hit as a songwriter. It's also the first song she ever wrote. Following the advice of "write what you know," she put the song together in an attempt to get Ike & Tina Turner back on track; after landing a hit with their cover of "Proud Mary" in 1971, they struggled. "Nutbush City Limits" did the job, giving them another hit in 1973.
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