Martyn Ware says Tina Turner was an ‘exemplar of Black female power’

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Heaven 17's Martyn Ware, who co-produced Tina Turner's 1983 hit cover Let’s Stay Together, reminisced about the late singer’s talent, calling her “the best performer” he has ever worked with.

The Heaven 17 group helmed the rebirth of Tina Turner as a pop icon when they suggested Turner sing some covers, with Let’s Stay Together by Al Green on top of their list. That cover went on to become a worldwide sensation.

Looking back at the time he made music with Turner, Ware said, "She was very professional, very friendly and very humble . She had utmost confidence in her ability and her ability to perform,"

“She was always funny and charming and always had a twinkle in her eye. For that, I am eternally grateful.”

Ware acknowledged the struggle Turner must have gone through in Hollywood as a Black female, "She had to fight for her dues in a largely white-dominated industry. She was a very powerful exemplar of Black female power".

"She was purely the best performer I have worked with in a recording studio. She had this unique talent to communicate with people as though she was talking directly to them,” he added.

He concluded saying, "Anybody can do energy and sexuality, but it doesn't make you one of the all-time great performers. You need to have a wide range of performative skills from delicacy to sensitivity — emotions that people can empathize with."

Which Turner, in his opinion, did.