Brownsville, TN – Already celebrated with a museum inside the Flagg Grove Schoolhouse she once attended, the late Tina Turner received yet another lasting tribute this weekend as the City of Brownsville unveiled a bronze statue of the global icon in the city’s Heritage Park (709 East Jefferson Street). Positioned to face Carver High School—where Turner was once a student—the statue stands as a powerful reminder of her roots and enduring influence.
The unveiling drew a packed crowd that included state and city dignitaries, members of the Turner family, longtime fans, and the Brownsville community. Mayor Bill Rawls, who served as emcee for the joyful celebration, called the moment the culmination of years of community vision and effort.
“You often hear people talking about (wanting to do something) for their community,” said Mayor Rawls. “Well, with this statue, we are actually doing it!”
Commissioned by the City of Brownsville with generous support from Ford Motor Company and dozens of community donors, the statue was created by Atlanta-based artist Fred Ajanogha (Ajano Art). Sculpted from clay and later cast in bronze, Ajanogha’s work captures both the artistry and strength of the eight-time Grammy-winning Tina Turner.
“When making this statue, I tried to capture three things: her flexibility and her movement, then on her hair, I wanted it to be… like a mane of a lion, to represent her strength as a woman. Lastly, her hand holding the microphone—there is one finger held up. I used that to represent that there is only one Tina Turner,” said Ajanogha.
The bronze was cast by Lugar Foundry in nearby Shelby County. “We have been blessed to be a part of lots of different community involvement and various statues, where we get to bring a bronze sculpture to a community which didn’t previously have one,” said Geordan Lugar, owner of Lugar Foundry. “That’s the best part of my job, where I get to be involved in these different projects that mean so much to the communities they go in.”
Nestled just off Interstate 40 in the heart of West Tennessee, Brownsville — known as Soul Town, Tennessee — offers visitors a welcoming blend of shops, restaurants, and historic architecture. At Interstate 40’s Exit 56 sits the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center, home to the Tina Turner Museum at Flagg Grove School, the final home of Sleepy John Estes, and exhibits on West Tennessee’s music, cotton heritage, and the Hatchie River.
The city features the Dunbar Carver Museum housed in the former Carver High School — where Tina Turner once attended and played basketball — just across from Heritage Park. You will also find Billy Tripp’s Mindfield, Tennessee’s tallest freestanding sculpture, and the Hatchie River, the only unchanneled tributary section of the Mississippi River, celebrated here.
Visitors can begin at the West Tennessee Heritage Center to get an overview of Tina Turner’s life and career and then take the short drive to Heritage Park at 709 East Jefferson Street in Brownsville to see the statue honoring the two time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, one of only three women to be inducted twice into the prestigious institution honoring the icons of music.
The unveiling served as the centerpiece of Tina Turner Heritage Days, an annual celebration that draws fans from around the globe. This year’s festivities included appearances by Turner family members, Dr. Catherine Meeks, Las Vegas entertainer Hot Chocolate, Tim Riley, Dale McReynolds, Ferly Prado, and Ollie Maryland, along with a rousing tribute concert by Elevation Memphis: A Tina Turner Experience.
