The Who pays tribute to their “Acid Queen,” Tina Turner

The Who’s Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are the latest artists to pay tribute to Tina Turner, who passed away Wednesday at 83.

Tina appeared in the 1975 film adaptation of the band’s rock opera Tommy, and in a post on Instagram Townshend called Tina, “An astonishing performer, and astounding singer, she was also an R&B groundbreaker.”

Townshend called Tina’s music with abusive ex-husband Ike Turner “simply out of this world,” but noted, “When she was finally free of him her work ascended to new, even higher heights. It didn’t seem possible.”

Regarding her role as Acid Queen in Tommy, Townshend shares his amazement at her performance. “The song is about abuse at the hands of an evil woman,” he writes. “How she turned that song on its head! All the anger of her years as a victim exploded into fire and bluster and a magnificent and crazy cameo role that will always stay with me.”

Finally, Townshend offers, “She has been in my mind for the last ten years, I kept meaning to track her down, and see how she was. I truly thought she would live forever.”

Daltrey also added a short tribute to Turner, writing, “What a singer! What a performer! What a life! A true original artist and simply the best.”