Celebrity Death

Beyoncé says any fan of hers is a fan of Tina Turner ... so she had her concert crowd pay tribute to the late singer.

During her Friday tour stop in France, Beyoncé took a minute from her set to thank Tina for paving the way for her, then told the crowd to show their love to Tina.

Beyoncé told the packed house at her "Renaissance" world tour ... "I want you guys to just scream, so she can feel your love."

Naturally, the place went nuts.

Selena Gomez, Lenny Kravitz, Kris Jenner, and Natalie Portman were also in attendance.

As you know ... Tina died Wednesday at her home in Switzerland at age 83 and tributes have been pouring in from all over the globe.

Lizzo honored Tina onstage in Arizona ... getting emotional as she performed one of Tina's hits, "Proud Mary."

Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty, who wrote "Proud Mary," also paid homage to Tina at a concert in England.

Beyoncé's shared the stage with Tina before ... back in 2008, they performed together at the Grammys.

There has been a slew of tributes to the great Tina Turner in the last few days, but one that really landed was from the man who wrote the song that put the legend front and center for the world to see.

John Fogerty, the frontman for Creedence Clearwater Revival who penned and sang "Proud Mary" -- a big hit for the group in 1969 and a year later a monster hit for Tina -- paid homage to her at a concert in Manchester, England ... and the audience went crazy.

Fogerty and his son, who is on tour with him, sang "Proud Mary" to a packed venue.

As you know, the Creedence version was powerful and steady, while Tina's version was gripping and wild. It's one of her biggest hits and conventional wisdom is that it's the best performative song in Tina's enormous string of iconic hits.

It's pretty amazing ... when Tina was in her 50s, the backup singers/dancers 3 decades younger sometimes had trouble keeping up with her! She was incredible.

Tina Turner's undeniable impact on music, and beyond, is being felt all over the world ... with some of the biggest artists paying homage to the legendary singer -- some of them live onstage.

Lizzo stopped to give Tina her flowers, following her death ... getting emotional during a concert, as she performed "Proud Mary."

She told her fans "I would not exist without Tina Turner ... there would be no rock 'n' roll."

Coldplay also took time to pay respects during their show in Barcelona, saying ... "Thank you to Tina for being sweet, not just to us but to the whole world and making us so entertained." They also performed a version of "Proud Mary."

Meanwhile, Janet Jackson's concert featured a sing-along to Tina's hit, "What's Love Got to Do With It."

And, celebs didn't just honor the singer onstage.

Beyoncé, who is in the midst of her massive "Renaissance" tour, posted a note on her site, thanking the singer for paving the way.

Her mother, Tina Knowles, also shared the impact TT had on her daughter's life and career.

Mariah Carey and Mick Jagger shared similar sentiments ... calling Tina a huge inspiration for all.

And fans all over have been showing love and streaming her music like crazy, with her tunes seeing massive spikes, just hours after her death.

As we reported, Tina's team announced the 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll' died Wednesday at the age of 83.

RIP

Tina Turner regretted not taking better care of her kidneys ... admitting two months before her death that her approach put her in "great danger."

The legendary singer opened up about her struggles with hypertension, high blood pressure, and kidney issues in a March 9 post on her Instagram page, talking about her health struggles for International World Kidney Day.

At the time, Tina admitted ... "My kidneys are victims of my not realizing that my high blood pressure should have been treated with conventional medicine. I have put myself in great danger by refusing to face the reality that I need daily, lifelong therapy with medication. For far too long I believed that my body was an untouchable and indestructible bastion."

Tina died Wednesday, 11 weeks after she talked about her kidney issues. The cause of death is unclear but she was reportedly battling a "long illness."

In addition to her IG post for International World Kidney Day, Tina also shared more about her health issues in a blog post for Show Your Kidneys Love.

There, Tina revealed she was diagnosed with hypertension way back in 1978 ... though she says she "didn't care much about it" and "didn't really try to control it."

She said she found out her kidneys had lost 35% of their function after her 2009 stroke.

Tina said she had to start dialysis to survive and admitted it was "depressing to be connected to a machine for hours." She said she was lucky to get a kidney transplant in 2017 from her second husband, Erwin Bach.

Tina Turner -- the iconic and adored singer known as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A statement from Tina's reps reads, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow."

They continue, "Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly."

As of right now, the cause of her death is unknown, though we do know she's had her health battles in the past -- including a stroke in 2013, intestinal cancer in 2016 and a kidney transplant in 2017.

Tina was born in Tennessee as Anna Mae Bullock and raised in the small town of Nutbush, but later moved to St. Louis ... where she frequented the nightclubs and first encountered Ike Turner in the late '50s.

After hearing her sing, Ike made her a featured vocalist in his band, and in 1960 she was introduced to the world as Tina Turner as the duo put out their hit, "A Fool in Love."

The 2 would go on to get married in 1962 and become a massively successful music act in the '60s and '70s with hit songs like "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," "River Deep - Mountain High," "Nutbush City Limits" and the legendary, Grammy-winning "Proud Mary."

However, the duo wouldn't last, and after disbanding in 1976 they divorced in 1978. Tina would reveal years later in her autobiography that she was a victim of domestic abuse.

Turner then launched one of the greatest music comebacks ever as a solo artist in the '80s, by first releasing the hit "Let's Stay Together" followed by the massive album "Private Dancer" ... which included tracks like "What's Love Got to Do" and "I Can't Stand The Rain."

Tina won 8 Grammy Awards over the course of her career, including Record of the Year for "What's Love Got to Do with It."

It was back in 2019 when a Broadway Musical honoring her life debuted with Tina in attendance ... of course, her fans went wild as she left the venue with a gigantic smile on her face.

RIP

Tina Turner's death sent shockwaves throughout the sports world ... with several legendary athletes paying tribute to the iconic singer.

Magic Johnson shared a few words shortly after the news broke ... praising her as a performer and sharing a throwback picture together.

"Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time, the legendary queen of rock n' roll Tina Turner," Johnson tweeted. "I’ve seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. She always gave you your moneys worth."

LeBron James and Lisa Leslie also mourned Turner's passing ... with Leslie calling her "a true icon." James added ... "Rest in Paradise Queen Tina!!!!"

Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith also paid homage to Turner ... sharing a snap of her with a pair of heart and prayer hands emojis.

WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair acknowledged Tina's legacy ... posting a picture of the legendary musician with the caption, "RIP."

Another WWE great, The Iron Sheik, shared his condolences, too ... writing, "Tina Turner I love you with all my heart. The song The Best is true for you. God bless you forever I love you."

Johnny Depp didn't leave London without paying tribute to his longtime pal and late guitarist, Jeff Beck ... performing on the same stage they did a year ago, all in his honor.

Johnny hit the stage Monday night at the Royal Albert Hall for a tribute concert for Beck, who died earlier this year. Depp was in the company of some rock legends for the show ... including Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Billy Gibbons, Joss Stone, Kirk Hammett and more.

The icon-heavy concert comes on the heels of some other big moments for Depp -- he was just celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival for his movie, "Jeanne du Barry" ... and he inked a $20 mil deal with Dior.

He was in rock star mode, though, in London ... rocking a pair of shades, a beret and a jacket with a photo of Beck on the back.

As we reported, Beck died at the age of 78 in January after contracting bacterial meningitis.

The show is the first of 2 tribute concerts, announced by Beck's wife Sandra and Eric Clapton back in March.

And, JD's performance was especially significant. Remember, Johnny and Jeff actually performed together at the exact same venue in May of last year.

You'll recall, they were touring together following Johnny's defamation trial against Amber Heard. In fact, Johnny wasn't in court for the verdict because he had a gig.

Ray Stevenson, known for his work in 'Thor' and the "Star Wars" franchise, has died.

Ray's publicist confirms the news to TMZ, telling us he died Sunday -- they say they have no further details surrounding his death at this time.

Ray first broke into the world of acting in 1993, appearing in various episodes of TV before landing a role in the 1998 flick, "The Theory of Flight" ... where he played a gigolo tasked with helping Helena Bonham Carter's character lose her virginity.

He went on to appear in a bunch of projects like "The Book of Eli," "Rome," "The Other Guys," and "Kill the Irishman" -- all before landing the role of Volstagg in Marvel's "Thor" in 2011, returning to the series in 2 sequels as the years went on.

"Star Wars" fans remember Ray lending his voice to the character Gar Saxon -- appearing in "Rebels" & "The Clone Wars." He's also playing a separate character in the upcoming "Ahsoka" series, premiering later this year.

Apart from that, Ray's been featured in "Divergent," 9 episodes of "Dexter," "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," "Black Sails," and "Crossing Lines." He also played Scott Buxton in the recent Indian hit, "RRR."

Ray was 58.

Kurt Cobain smashed his Fender Stratocaster back in the '90s, but the move only jacked up the price of the guitar ... going for a whopping 10 times the estimated amount at auction.

The late Nirvana frontman destroyed the electric guitar while recording the group's iconic 1991 album, "Nevermind," but the pieces were put back together and sold at Julien's Auctions this weekend in NYC.

The instrument was supposed to fetch between $60,000 and $80,000, but, as it turned out, it went for an earth-shattering $595,900. It was signed by Cobain and the other two band members, drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic.

According to Julien's, Cobain gifted the guitar to Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan (also deceased) while Nirvana was touring in '92 ... but it's not clear who made the purchase at auction.

Jim Brown, arguably the greatest football player of all time, has died at the age of 87, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

"It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown," Monique Brown tells us. "He passed away peacefully last night at our L.A. home. To the world he was an activist, actor and football star."

"To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Our hearts are broken."

We're told Jim hadn't been doing well ... and was recently visited by several of his close friends including Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson and Flavor Flav.

Brown, a first-round pick in 1957 (6th overall), went on to win 3 NFL MVP awards. Jim was named to 8 First Team All-Pro teams over the course of his incredible career. He led the NFL in rushing 8 times, and rushing touchdowns, 5. He won a championship in 1964.

Aside from his prowess on the football field, Brown was also a legendary lacrosse player at Syracuse, where he earned All-American honors.

After his athletic career, Jim went on to star as a Hollywood actor ... in films like "The Dirty Dozen" and "Any Given Sunday."

In addition to his incredible athleticism and talent on the big screen, Jim was also one of the most prominent voices on the civil rights scene.

Brown held the Cleveland Summit in June 1967, in support of Muhammad Ali, who refused to serve in the Vietnam War.

Brown was joined by Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and others.

The Cleveland Browns released a statement on Friday ... saying, "Legend. Leader. Activist. Visionary."

"It's impossible to describe the profound love and gratitude we feel for having the opportunity to be a small piece of Jim’s incredible life and legacy. We mourn his passing, but celebrate the indelible light he brought to the world."

"Our hearts are with Jim’s family, loved ones, and all those he impacted along the way."

Brown, whose #32 was retired by the Browns, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971 ... and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. He's also a member of the Lacrosse HOF.

Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter also spoke on Brown's passing ... saying, "When Jim Brown’s name was announced in a room, other Hall of Famers stood and applauded him."

"His persona has stood the test of time -- a fearless and dominant football player. Jim will always be remembered as one of pro football’s greatest individuals."

Brown was last seen out in public during Super Bowl weekend ... appearing at the NFL Honors ceremony, where Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders announced the league's annual rushing trophy would be named in his honor.

Flav shared a picture with Brown from that night in his tribute to the legend ... saying, "Today, I lost my mentor and hero. RIP Jim Brown. My deepest sympathies to your wife, Monique and your entire family."

LeBron James also shared a touching post in Brown's honor ... saying, "We lost a hero today. Rest in Paradise to the legend Jim Brown."

"I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives. We all stand on your shoulders Jim Brown."

Brown's life off the field was not without controversy -- he was arrested over numerous allegations of violence against women spanning several decades. He was charged with rape, sexual battery and assault in 1985, although the case was later dismissed.

Brown was also busted for smashing the windows of his wife's car in 1999 ... and served three months behind bars after skipping mandatory domestic violence counseling.

R.I.P.

We discussed Jim Brown's legacy in a recent episode of the Last Days Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Andy Rourke, the bass guitarist for the iconic British rock band, The Smiths, has died.

His bandmate, Johnny Marr, made the announcement Friday on Twitter, revealing that Rourke had been fighting pancreatic cancer before his passing.

Marr said, "Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans."

After joining The Smiths in the '80s, Rourke was featured on the group's four studio records, including "Meat Is Murder" and "Strangeways, Here We Come."

With Rourke on bass, Marr on lead guitar, Mike Joyce on drums and Morrissey on vocals, the foursome created a pioneering sound that still has an influence on music today. Some of their most classic tunes were "This Charming Man" and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out."

During his time with The Smiths, Rourke struggled with heroin addiction and was arrested for possessing the drug in 1986. He even got kicked out of the band at one point, but he returned two weeks later.

In 1987, The Smiths broke up, but Rourke went on to produce several singles with Morrissey and to record music with Sinéad O’Connor and The Pretenders. He also sued Morrissey and Marr for an equal share of The Smith's earnings and royalties, but later settled for just over $103,000.

Rourke was 59.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is sharing his fond memories of "Superstar" Billy Graham and the huge impact he had on professional wrestling ... after the WWE Hall of Famer passed away on Wednesday.

"I watched his career very intently," Austin told TMZ Sports this week. "He started becoming so entertaining with his promos that the crowd was starting to like him, which is what happened to me."

"He was great. He was all about the showmanship of it and the physique, and he was a different vibe and a helluva promo. He influenced a whole lot of people."

Billy died Wednesday with his wife, Valerie, and their daughter by his side ... after battling "very serious health issues" that left him hospitalized in the ICU for three weeks.

Despite now being gone, it's clear Graham will not be forgotten ... fellow Superstars like Ric Flair, X-Pac, and Bubba Ray Dudley have all expressed condolences after his death.

The WWE Universe is mourning the loss of "Superstar" Billy Graham ... who passed away on Wednesday, with tributes honoring the life and legacy of the late great WWE legend.

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair, whom Graham mentored, was among the first to give the Hall of Famer his flowers, thanking him for all he did for his career.

Graham also mentored Jesse Ventura, who too remembered his friend ... "There wouldn't be a Jesse 'The Body' Ventura without the in-ring success and trailblazing showmanship of Superstar Billy Graham."

"One of my proudest wrestling memories was having the honor of being inducted into the same WWE Hall of Fame class as Graham. Rest In Power Superstar."

Paul Heyman credited Billy with being the wrestler who made Vince McMahon realize WWWF/WWF/WWE performers were more than just professional wrestlers, but also superstars, too.

"A most heartfelt RIP to the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour!" Heyman tweeted.

Other WWE legends, including Iron Sheik, Bully Ray aka Bubba Ray Dudley, Sgt. Slaughter and X-Pac also reflected on the former bodybuilder's life.

As we reported on Wednesday, Billy's family told us he died after being taken off life support with his daughter and wife, Valerie, by his side.

Billy's health had been in steady decline -- he was suffering from congestive heart failure, diabetes, hearing loss, and a significant infection in his ears and skull.

Billy was inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame in 2004.

He was 79.

Fans wanting to pay their respects to Pelé will now be greeted by an epic memorial ... the soccer legend's tomb in Brazil has just opened to the public -- and it's lavish.

The shrine -- which is located inside the world's tallest cemetery in Santos, Brazil -- features a golden casket, turf on the floor ... and even life-sized statues at the entrance of the room.

On the ceiling, there's a painting of the sky ... and on the walls, there are images of thousands of fans cheering.

In total, the monument occupies roughly 2,000 square feet of space.

Fans can visit the tomb by signing a form on the Ecumenical Memorial Cemetery's website ... but only a select, lucky few will get in -- at the moment, only 60 visitors are allowed per day.

Pelé's son, Edson, was emotional at the unveiling of the tomb on Monday ... telling reporters he was thrilled with the memorial.

"It has the essence of what he was," he said.

Pelé -- a three-time World Cup winner -- passed away on Dec. 29 at 82 years old ... and tributes for the legendary footballer have poured in from all over the globe nearly every day since.

In fact, his name was just added to the Portuguese dictionary ... recognizing "that or someone who is out of the ordinary."

Doyle Brunson, best known as "The Godfather of Poker" and one of the most dominant figures in the game, has died.

Brunson passed away Sunday, according to his agent, Brian Balsbaugh. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Balsbaugh posted a statement to Twitter from Brunson's family ... "It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson. He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather."

The message continued, "We’ll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy. Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace."

Brunson was affectionately named 'Texas Dolly' after the press misinterpreted a similar nickname, but the label stuck. With his unique moniker, Brunson won 10 World Series of Poker tournaments, second only to Phil Hellmuth's 16 victories.

The Texas-born, cards competing icon also secured back-to-back world championships -- in 1976 and 1977 -- and was later inducted into the 1988 Poker Hall of Fame.

Brunson was the first player to ever win $1 million in poker tournaments, earning him the “Godfather” title. He also penned a popular book called, "Super System," which detailed poker strategies and was instrumental in luring people to the game.

At his last poker championship in 2016, Brunson came in sixth, but his poor performance did not stain his reputation as arguably the best player ever.

His influence even touched those beyond the poker world. Actor James Woods tweeted in part, "This one is a heartbreaker. Doyle Brunson, the greatest poker player who ever lived, has cashed in his chips. A gentleman and a genuine legend."

Brunson was 89.

Jacklyn Zeman, famous for her role on "General Hospital" for more than 40 years has died.

Frank Valentini, the executive producer of 'GH' made the announcement Wednesday, writing, "On behalf of our General Hospital family, "I am heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Jackie Zeman. Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and true professional that brought so much positive energy with her to work."

Valentini continues, "Jackie will be greatly missed, but her positive spirit will always live on with our cast and crew. We send our heartfelt sympathy to her loved ones, friends, and family, especially her daughters Cassidy and Lacey."

Zeman was a staple on the show for decades, first joining the show in 1977. She also made television appearances on shows like "Chicago Hope."

Jacklyn is credited with more than 850 episodes of "General Hospital" to her name. It's currently unclear how she died.

She was 70.