Who Is Tina Turner’s Fiancé, Erwin Bach?

By Laura Ferreiro

Earlier this year, it was announced that Tina Turner would marry her longtime boyfriend, Erwin Bach. So who exactly is this dapper, younger (by 16 years) man who has stood by her side for nearly three decades and swept her off her feet?

As it turns out, Bach is a German music executive whom the 73-year-old "What's Love Got to Do With It" singer met at a record label party in London in 1985. The pair reportedly began dating a year later and have been practically inseparable ever since.

When interviewed alongside his lady love, 57-year-old Bach often remains quiet or says he has "no comment." But as it turns out, the longtime record label executive must have quite an opinion, since he's credited with being instrumental in the success of several major artists, including Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Queen and Pink Floyd as well as Turner herself in his native land, where he served as divisional managing director of EMI Germany.

Later, as managing director of EMI Recorded Music Switzerland, he helped boost the careers of such groundbreaking acts as Manu Chao and Radiohead.

Bach's love of Switzerland must have rubbed off on Turner, who's reportedly renouncing her American citizenship to become a Swiss citizen, although the Nashville-born singer says she still considers herself to be very American.

Bach revealed in a 1996 interview with 60 Minutes that it's Turner who's in charge in their relationship. "I think she is the boss, yeah," he said. "I'm second to the boss, but she's the boss," he says.

He also clarified that it's not Turner's superstar status that interests him. "I'm not in love with the rock act," Bach said. "I'm in love with the human being."

The pair is reportedly planning to wed at their Swiss Chateau on Lake Zurich this summer. This will be quite a milestone for Turner, who was famously married once before to an abusive husband, Ike Turner. Their tumultuous relationship was chronicled in Turner's book I, Tina: My Life Story.

Now, with a bright future ahead of her, it seems that she's drinking in all that life has to offer. When asked by 60 Minutes whether she deserves to be living in the luxurious European homes she shares with Bach, Turner said, "I deserve more."