Tina Turner dead: Aussie boot-scooters will attempt to break Nutbush dance world record

With the passing of the legendary Tina Turner, organisers of a major Queensland event hope to break a dance record for one of her biggest hits.

Aussie boot-scooters will attempt to break the dance record to Tina Turner’s hit Nutbush City Limits in what would mark Australia’s biggest tribute to the star.

Organisers of the Birdsville Big Red Bash are hoping around 5000 people will come together for the event, that will be adjudicated by the Australian Book of Records.

The 4084 Nutbush City Limits world record set at last year’s Birdsville Big Red Bash annihilated the previous mark of 2878 dancers, which was set at the 2021 event.

A new world record was set in the heartland of outback Australia at last year’s Birdsville Big Red Bash. Picture: Matt Williams

The Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash staged an epic ‘State of Origin’ battle to try and wrest the world record from the Queensland event however ultimately fell short by 364.

“We were very sad to hear of Tina Turner’s passing earlier this morning. She was an incredible performer and her Nutbush City Limits song and associated world record attempt is a huge, fun part of our events,” said Steve Donovan, Operations Manager for the Outback Music Festival Group who stage the Birdsville and Broken Hill event.

“We always get quite a few people dressed up as Tina for the Nutbush world record attempt, but we’re now expecting even more this year.”

Punters peppered the sprawling red desert plains in remote Southwest Queensland for the 2022 event.

AUSSIE PROMOTER BEHIND TINA’S SUCCESS

He is the little-known Aussie that gave Tina Turner her big break.

Roger Davies helped the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll reign supreme after escaping a violent relationship with her manager-husband Ike Turner.

The ambitious Australian promoter paved the way for Turner to break free of the cabaret scene and go on to become a music legend.

(from left) Erwin Bach, Tina Turner, Roger Davies and Tali Pelman. Picture: Hugo Glendinning

“She was playing in lounges, casinos and cabaret shows, bits and pieces, anywhere she could get a break,” entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins said today, following news of her death.

“Roger saw her in a stage show in the US and found What’s Love Got To Do With It and the rest is history.

Tina Turner: Farewell to an Icon

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“He is the loveliest man, who will be doing it very tough today and Roger, I know you’re here, we send you all our love.”

Unbeknown to many, Turner was not keen to sing the hit, but Davies managed to persuade her.

“She had reservations about singing that song, she wanted to be a rock singer, but of course it became a massive hit,” Wilkins said.

Turner turned to her celebrity fans for support in the early days scoring opening acts for the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart. And David Bowie lobbied for her new recording contract, describing her as his “all-time favorite singer” to EMI executives.

Davies, Turner’s manager for three decades, on Thursday reminisced about her as “an unmatched force of nature whose strength, energy, and towering talent made her unique. Since our first encounter in 1980, she possessed an unwavering belief in herself when the world seemed hesitant.”

As well as having an Australian manager in Davies (who manages Pink and previously Cher), Turner recorded the iconic NRL anthem Simply the Best with Jimmy Barnes.

“I have so many happy connections to Australia – my concerts, filming Mad Max, and the Nutbush City Limits line dance always makes me smile! But becoming the voice of the NRL, that was truly an honour, then and now,” she said in an interview with News Corp in 2021.

Originally published as Tina Turner dead: Aussie boot-scooters will attempt to break Nutbush dance world record