NEWCASTLE'S Ross Ferguson had a priceless front row seat working as Tina Turner's roadie for five years and said watching the late diva perform was "mind-blowing."
Ferguson, like millions of music fans around the globe, was saddened by news on Thursday that Turner had died at her home in Ksnacht, Switzerland after a long illness.
She was 83.
For generations of Australians Turner is best known for her trademark smoky vocal and her plethora of hits such as What's Love Got To Do With It, We Don't Need Another Hero, Private Dancer, What You Get Is What You See, Nutbush City Limits and rugby league's most beloved anthem, The Best.
But to Ferguson, Turner was a fair, but driven boss, and an incredibly talented performer.
Ferguson worked in production on Turner's Wildest Dreams Tour from 1996 to 1997, which included her final performance at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on March 8, 1997.
Turner also played two shows at the Broadmeadow venue on her 1993 tour and made her Newcastle debut as a solo artist at the Civic Theatre in 1977.
Ferguson also worked on Turner's 121-show Twenty Four Seven Tour in 2000 across North America and Europe.
"She was demanding and wouldn't accept anything but 150 per cent, but she gave 150 per cent herself," Ferguson said.
"Some people think that's being hard, but it's not. You get paid to do what you do.
"She was amazing. You'd look at her and the dancers would do four songs with her and they'd come off and be exhausted, but she'd go all night.
"There was no Pro Tools or recording stuff like they use today, it was all live. She sang it all live."
Following the 2000 tour Ferguson and the crew were invited to her Swiss home for a party and she once sang happy birthday to him at Wembley Stadium.
However, on one occasion Ferguson did receive a rap over the knuckles from the American diva, after she discovered he and another crew member had been impersonating her trademark dancing from the side of the stage.
After being called into her dressing room, Turner told Ferguson: "You and Elaine are very good dancers and you take me off very well, but if you do it tonight you'll be going home tomorrow."
Ferguson also saw first hand Turner's dedication to her fans. At one show in Texas Turner's driver took her to the wrong town, causing a major delay.
Turner's management told her she'd need to cut the show short or face playing overtime to the entire crew.
"She said without thinking, 'I don't care what it costs me, these people paid the same amount for a ticket as last night and they'll get the same show'," he said.
"That gives you an indication of what she felt for her audience."
Lizotte's owner Brian Lizotte catered the backstage food for Turner's three Newcastle shows in the 1990s.
"Tina and her backing singers were amazing to look after," Lizotte said.
Lizotte said Turner had a fondness for Australian lemon myrtle tea to keep her vocal chords warm.
"We always flocked to her dressing room and to look after someone like that was pretty special," he said.
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