I, TINA is the life story of Tina Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock, in 1939 in Nut Bush, Tennessee. As a young teen, Little Ann's life was positioned to change forever upon her meeting with a slick, young band leader, Ike Turner. Turner's group, the Kings of Rhythm, was a popular, local band that played on both sides of the Mississippi—St. Louis, MO and East St. Louis, IL. Once Ike discovered the singing talent of Ann, he cajoled her mother into allowing the youngster to join the band. Ike's life-long goal was to be a big star. Although he would never admit it, especially to himself, he didn't have the talent or charisma needed to make it to the stardom he coveted. But Little Ann did have it all. Upon the release of their first record, FOOL IN LOVE Ann's name, without her permission, was changed to Tina Turner forever.

The book covers the ups and downs of Tina's career when she was part of Ike's band and Tina Turner Revue and later when her comeback sparked a meteoric rise to worldwide superstardom as a solo artist. Only when Tina was able to get away from Ike and his obsessive control of her was she able to sing like she wanted to and select music that was far superior to that written by Ike with his limited talents. While the story of Tina's career is interesting, the story that runs parallel with that story is probably more important and one that Tina wanted, needed to tell to hopefully help other women who find themselves in an abusive relationship.

Ike's physical and mental abuse of Tina began almost immediately after she joined the band. Ike seemed to have no real feelings for Tina. Only after she left him for good did he tear up and seem morose. But that sadness was not for Tina; rather, it was for himself. His ticket to stardom was gone. The brutality of Ike's treatment of Tina is almost unbelievable. Another band member witnessed him sticking a lit cigarette up her nose. In a particularly brutal beating, he broke her jaw right before she was due on stage. Of course, he made her sing anyway—despite the pain and the blood running down her face. He would beat her with phones, shoes, hangers—anything that was handy. The beatings were unprovoked. He might look at her with a hateful glare demanding to know what she was thinking. There was no correct answer that she could provide to forestall the beating she would be getting. To escape her hell, she took 50 Valiums one night. On this occasion she couldn't stand up so Ike was not able to bully her on stage. Once she recovered in the hospital, he angrily asks her if she was trying to ruin his career.

The mental abuse she had to endure was just as cruel and unrelenting as the physical. He did not allow her to go anywhere without his permission. She was given no money—he'd buy her what she needed. He would tell her what to wear and how to sing and what to sing. Even though she didn't love him, his blatant infidelity was a huge source of humiliation.

When Tina Turner finally finds the inner-strength to walk away forever, Ike is reduced to a coke-snorting, talentless has been. Contrarily, in the last few chapters the reader relishes the joy of her successful solo career attaining her rightful place as a world-renowned talent and star—something Ike always wanted but just didn't have what it took.